key events
2 minutes: United kicks and quickly feels the ball, the midfield and the four defenders hit for a long time before a loose pass from Casemiro hits the ball. Read the opportunity to counterattack. Bruno makes an effort to go back and sweep.
The teams are at Old Trafford and just up the M61 Spurs clinched a 3-0 win at Preston. More about that here:
Harry Maguire v Andy Carroll should be a lot of fun. Maguire is gambling for his future at Old Trafford, and Carroll is the dictionary definition of “a handful.” Together they weigh 166 kg, exactly the weight of an average reindeer. Not really.
United has played host to Reading twice in the last six years and both times he had little difficulty firing them. In 2017 Wayne Rooney equaled Bobby Charlton’s scoring record in a 4-0 victory; two years later Romelu Lukaku took over a 2-0 win to the home side. In fact, Reading have beaten today’s opponents only once in their history… 96 years ago. But there is a first time for everything.
A pre-match reading pointOn the return of the Old Trafford anti-hero:
True to his word, Ten Hag has gotten close enough to his strongest team, resisting the temptation to play Kobbie Mainoo or even Alejandro Garnacho early on. Harry Maguire enters for Lisandro Martínez in the only change from Wednesday’s victory.
Ince Jr is the starter for the visitors, much like Andrew Thomas Carroll, so with Wout Weghorst at the top of United, both sides will be headed by terrifying big brutes. precious things.
Team news in sight!
united man: Man United: De Gea; Malacia, Lindelof, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka; Casemiro, Eriksen, Fernandes; Rashford, Weghorst, Antony. Substitutes: Heaton, Martínez, Varane, Williams, Fred, Mainoo, Pellistri, Elanga, Garnacho
Read: Lumley, Hoilett, Baba, Yiadom (C), McIntyre, Holmes, Hendrick, Loum, Ince, Joao, Carroll. Substitutes: Bouzanis, Guinnes-Walker, Mbengue, Dann, Craig, Fornah, Azeez, Long, Meite
Preamble
“We have to do everything possible to bring back a trophy.” Those were the words of Erik ten Hag after Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest on Wednesday and almost booked their ticket to the EFL Cup final. Now attention turns to the other domestic cup and right now it’s all coming out Erik, with United’s only defeat since the World Cup break in last weekend’s thriller against league leaders Arsenal. Ten games, 23 scored, six conceded and, finally, zero egomaniacs that exhaust everyone’s will to live. What’s not to like?
Next is reading, the kind of fiery underdog who would have made everyone at Old Trafford fear the worst this time last year, but 12 months on they look like the perfect fodder for a win to sustain momentum. Not least as they have one win in five and come here fresh from a 4-0 thrashing by Stoke which led manager Paul Ince to say his players had “let the club down”. A win at Old Trafford is a tall order for them, but strange stuff have happened.
Ince will surely be interested for his team to impress on the big stage, as is Ince Jr (aka Tom), who is of course part of the visiting staff. As for United, a couple of successful changes could give one or two youngsters at the club the chance to do the same.
Start 20:00 GMT.
