IT WAS OVER to Deepdale for the final FA Cup fixture of the weekend. Or the first of the week, depending on which way you want to look at it.
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail ben@the42.ie, tweet @football_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.
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To quote Saul Goodman: “It’s showtime, folks!”
All but one of the FA Cup fifth round ties have been decided and tonight Manchester United will be heavy favourites to take the final place in the quarter-finals when they face Preston North End.
Kick-off is 40 minutes away, so without further ado. Here are the teams:
Preston: Stuckmann, Clarke, Huntington, Wright, Laird, Humphrey, Welsh, Kilkenny, Gallagher, Davies, Garner.
Man Utd: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Rojo, Shaw, Blind, Herrera, Rooney, Fellaini, Di Maria, Falcao.
United make five changes to the team which defeated Burnley 3-1 last Wednesday with Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini all coming in.
Paddy McNair, Phil Jones, Johnny Evans, Adnan Januzaj and Robin van Persie drop out.
Former Manchester United star David Beckham famously spent a month on loan at Preston back in 1995 and impressed Alex Ferguson enough to be handed an opportunity in United’s first team.
Even as a 19-year-old, he was a dead-ball specialist.
Before the game, there is the small matter of the FA Cup draw – which begins at 7.30pm. You can watch it live here.
Preston, currently fourth in England’s third tier, are managed by former Leeds United boss Simon Grayson — who knocked United out of this very competition during his time with the Yorkshire club in 2010.
“This tie does a lot for the football club,” he said this week . “It lifts the profile, it will be a fantastic atmosphere, brings in vital revenue and we have to go out and enjoy it and see where it takes us.
We have nothing to lose and Manchester United certainly has. The one thing you don’t want the team to do is to let it pass them by, because these games don’t come around too often.
“You have to grasp it and somewhere down the line there might be a hero – and from becoming a local hero, they suddenly become a national and worldwide hero if they produce a performance and get a goal to knock Manchester United out of the FA Cup.”
The United players warming up this evening. Radamel Falcao has been given another opportunity to impress his manager tonight. The Colombian’s big money loan spell from Monaco has been less than inspiring so far.
Here it is then. A couple of tasty ties in there.
We’ve just kicked off. Preston wearing white and navy while Man United are in their traditional red, white and black.
Early pressure from United and Luke Shaw gets himself forward to earn a corner. Rooney to take, and it’s headed straight back out to him. He feeds Di Maria, who puts the ball back into the box but Preston win a free out for pushing.
Daley Blind loses his footing but there aren’t any Preston players in position to capitalise. BBC co-commentator Martin Keown calls it a “comical” moment.
Moments later, Kevin Davies, once of Bolton Wanderers, uses his experience to earn what looks like a soft free-kick from the versatile Dutchman.
The Preston fans honour a legend of the club, Tom Finney, who passed away one year ago.
Bailey Wright fouls Falcao and United have a free-kick 30 yards out from goal. Di Maria curls the ball up and over the wall but it’s a couple of yards wide of the post.
Fellaini, who is no stranger to dishing out the occasional elbow himself, takes one to the nose from Wright and has to leave the field momentarily for attention. Referee Phil Dowd doesn’t penalise the Preston defender, however.
Di Maria whips a free-kick from distance to the back post but Falcao can’t make contact with the back and it harmlessly goes behind for a goal-kick.
The home side get the chance to test the United defence with a free-kick out wide, which Joe Garner gets onto the end of. He heads over under pressure from Marcos Rojo.
Di Maria over-hits a cross and the camera turns to Van Gaal, looking a little frustrated in his technical area. United have had the lion’s share of possession but they have yet to pose a goal threat.
Rooney makes a run in behind the Preston defence and is spotted by Di Maria. The pass over the top looks a good one but it’s slightly overcooked and Rooney can’t control.
Falcao lays off to the onrushing Rooney but Wright makes a super last-ditch tackle to cut out the pass.
One minute of added time to play.
Half-time: Preston North End 0-0 Man United
“Let’s hope we get a few goals,” says BBC commentator Gary Lineker as the teams re-emerge. I’d like to echo those sentiments.
GOAL! Preston North End 1-0 Man United (Scott Laird)
The ball comes across the ball to Scott Laird and he drives a ball at the United goal. Valencia attempts to block the strike and it’s deflected past David De Gea to hand Preston a priceless goal.
The wind is in Preston’s sails now and Deepdale is rocking. Tom Clarke looks favourite to get a shot away but fails to make sufficient contact with a cross.
Di Maria drills at goal from 25 yards where Thorston Stuckmann collects routinely. United showing a little more urgency in recent minutes, however.
Valencia gets a couple of yards down the right flank and crosses for Fellaini but Preston’s German goalkeeper is on-hand to save again.
Once again hopelessly ineffective, Radamel Falcao is the first man to be withdrawn. Ashley Young is in for him and Fellaini goes up front with Rooney.
He doesn’t look to happy about it either.
The ball drops for Fellaini seven yards out and he swings a leg at it but sees the attempt blocked by the body of Paul Huntington.
GOAL! Preston North End 1-1 Man United (Ander Herrera)
United are level! Substitute Young tees up Herrera and the Spaniard scores his fifth goal for the club by finding the bottom corner. Rooney, standing in an offside position, jumps out of the way as the ball flies by.
GOAL! Preston North End 1-2 Man United (Marouane Fellaini)
The visitors have turned this one on its head. Valencia puts in a deep cross to the back post and Fellaini’s initial header is blocked but he follows up to blast home from close range.
Fellaini goes close to doubling his tally after a nice turn but the effort is blocked. He has created more in the last 18 minutes than Falcao had in the previous 61.
Two shots from Preston in recent minutes, one just wide and the other down the throat of De Gea. They are pushing bodies forward but it is leaving gaps at the back.
PENALTY TO MAN UNITED. Stuckmann picks up a yellow card after a clumsy challenge but Rooney has blatantly dived there.
GOAL! Preston North End 1-3 Man United (Wayne Rooney)
Rooney picks himself up and send the goalkeeper the wrong way to seal the result.
Full-time: Preston North End 1-3 Man United
Hopefully a United win with both teams to score worth €2,347 off a fiver to me.
Jesus man hedge that
Hedge it??
United to wake the hell up now and hit them with 2 please
Yeah throw a few quid on a draw and a Preston win
Ya spread the money on all outcomes to guarantee yourself profit.
Cash out was never an option, 4 other games wdw btts won at Wkend and no cash out offered. Paddy power are crooks, clever but crooks all the same. Their cash out is pathetic.
Milky bars on you!! Seriously though open a betfair account and use that to hedge anytime you are only one result from a big payout
Oh the tension it’s looking good tho
Ya definately, finished with paddy power. Bet365 good for cash out too
What u guna do with the winnings?
I’ll keep an eye on it for you.
Holiday
Congrats andrew
Cheers Graham, massively lucky
My crystal ball says a United win but another poor performance..
You not need a crystal ball for that…
No s*** Sherlock
LVG looks a bit stressed.
2 – 1 to P.N.E.
I read that as PeNIs End
Falcao is some let down.
I’d agree with the BBC commentator
That should be Falcos last game for United. He has offered nothing. Give Wilson a chance up front
If Man Utd had the pace and presence that Real Madrid have in the midfield and the wings Falcao would be knocking them in. I like the guy and he will do well at a bigger club or a more attacking minded club but it’s just not working out in Manchester.
Greedy agents and greedy players are a scourge. Money money money.
Jesus, United are awful to watch
To be fair Ashley Young has made a big difference since comming on.
I’d love to know what Van Gaal does in training because United can’t pass, cross, defend or attack. Everything is backwards or sideways and so boringly slow.
preston at a canter
Daley blind falling on his arse hahaha, and all you united fans sing about gerrard? United yet again are shockingly bad
Fellani pushes defender to give himself room to header and Rooney offside interfering with play. Referee wake the kcuk up.
Really.
And add to that a dive by Rooney and there you have it. Preston ripped off.
Ok Joe. Just checking.
Herrrrrrrrrrerrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Fellllllllllllllaini
Aaaaaand Roooooooooney. Watch all the anti United trolls go into hiding for the rest of the night. Bahahahahahaha
You beat a League 1 team, needing a penalty and a goal that could have easily been disallowed. Calm down
Funny, most of you only showed up after 67th minute….
1. Gerry with a J, I wasn’t playing, Man
United were.
2. Graham Kavanagh, all of me showed up in the couch at 7:30 to watch the full match on bbc. Why would only most of me show up???
Graham is just a typical ABU.
Ron, you are actually funny… Others watch and learn.
Manure truly are shite. As a Gooner bring it on. Was dreading trip to Anfield but not LVGs Manure. Hopefully another Arsenal v Liverpool final to look forward to.
A repeat of the Emirates scoreline hopefully. Arsenal are looking very good of late, gonna be interesting.
Lol, any bets on when arsenal will fall asunder this season?? They do it every year.
Wonder how many times the ball will touch the ground in this game? Good thing is both teams can field more strikers and defenders as midfield will be redundant.
So hard to watch, when united are so tame. Everything keeps being passed back.
Preston to win! Supporters will be hiring another plane to get rid of van gaal.
Phil Dowd….. Good luck to both set of players……
He always has to play a central part. Such a knob. A good ref they say is anonymous.
Remember Robbie Fowler telling ref no penalty. Rooney had a chance to show class but decided to remain his usual dirty self….
I remember Robbie pretending to snort cocaine off the pitch. Classy scouser alright.
Liverpool fan talking about class…. Ashamed of nothing, offended by everything…. LFC…
Yip… Talk now..
You said it Hank , they’re great at pointing the finger
No finger pointing, though true of some people, but rich of some of you throwing quotes only whenever it’s safe to do so…. It was 2-1, delayed dive looks worse every time you look at it….. He could have manned up… He made Ashley Young look good.
Let them have their night Graham,can’t remember United fans getting so much out of beating PNE.You can feel the relief from screen.poor Antrim was hiding under his bed till Rooney scored
Not getting excited over it, it was a game that we were expected to win and did win. I didn’t even watch it, that’s how significant it was to me. I’ll be watching the QF though. That’s 2 3-1 victories back to back now for United but the mob of haters on here are still mouthing. If we could win every game 4-0 it still wouldn’t be enough for some people.
Couldn’t give a toss about the match..love that stadium wherever it is..
Having been there, the stadium is the only good thing about Preston.
Absolutely terrible performance. Team needs someone who believes in players. LVG too quick to point out deficiencies in public. SAF always defended his players regardless of what he thought in private.
SAF? Sir Alex Ferguson I assume Mr jax floor. We already have LVG & RVP but SAF is a step too far FFS!! I mean “sir” is not part of his name, it’s only his title. Just call him Fergie like most United fans did/do.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Oops
Ooops, waited till they won before showing up?
No I was playing football actually, match was over by the time I got home.
Sure….
Believe whatever you like mate
3-0 United, would have been nice to see Victor Valdes in goals tonight doh.
A goal Sam Allardyce would be proud of
Mad how LVG can get the best out of young and fellaini but not Di Maria and Falcao lol
United for the World Cup!
Just a slight deflection
Ray Wilkins must have been blinds hero
Oh deary me….. Game on…