Good afternoon to you all. Welcome to our coverage of Louis van Gaal’s first foray into the mad, unpredictable world of FA Cup football. We were a little short on shocks yesterday so could we see some major giant-killing here?

Here are the line-ups. Van Gaal, having learned from that MK Dons disaster, doesn’t put all his faith in second-string players and includes some heavy-hitters.

Yeovil: Steer, Smith, Nugent, Arthurworrey, Twumasi, Ralph, Edwards, Foley, Dawson, Gillett, Moore.

Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, McNair, Blackett, Rafael, Fletcher, Herrera, Rooney, Shaw, Wilson, Falcao.

It’s almost 10 years to the day that United were held to a scoreless draw by non-league Exeter in the 3rd Round.

This piece is well worth a read to take you back down memory lane.

I’m sure Angel di Maria will LOVE a nice January afternoon spent on the bench at Huish Park.

I searched our photo database for Huish Park. Came across this. There are no words.

So, apparently, that’s ‘Yeovil Town girl band’ Viva Pitch performing at the stadium early last year. They auditioned for X Factor and were apparently left in tears after’s evil Simon’s critique. Make up your own minds.

Hope for the hosts here? In our weekly betting tips, I went for United to win this 4-1. Clean-sheets are such a rare thing for them these days.

Louis is rocking the red scarf. But will it be a red face that he leaves with?

AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Good to see Fergie quietly enjoying retirement and drifting into the background.

Just a few minutes to go everyone. Predictions?

By the way – Kevin Dawson, ex-Sporting Fingal and Shels, is in the Yeovil midfield. Worth keeping an eye on how he does. 24 and been at the club for two years now.

Right on cue from ex-LOI referee Alan Kelly.

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AND WE’RE OFF! 

Well, here’s a strategy from Yeovil. A big cross comes into the far post, De Gea grabs it and gets absolutely nailed by giant striker Kieffer Moore!

Usual 3 at the back for United and a midfield triangle with Fletcher and Herrera at the base and Rooney further forward.

Early shot in anger from the Yeovil captain Joe Edwards but it’s well wide. Positive start from the home side though. No fear at all, really.

Nervy from Smalling. He concedes a cheap corner after an error but the in-swinging delivery doesn’t cause too many problems for De Gea who clutches it under his crossbar.

A bit of pinball in the Yeovil area as United hint at a breakthrough but the hosts clear their lines and boot it to safety.

Smalling hasn’t started well. A simple back-pass to De Gea is terribly executed, the keeper has to sprint to reach it and can only boot it out of play as he’s quickly closed down.

Falcao is sniffing at the near post as Rafael whips in a great cross and United force a corner. From the delivery, Yeovil manage to get it clear. The attacker has popped up a few times in the last few minutes and looks like he’s in the mood.

CLOSE! Rooney is teed up by Wilson on the edge of the box and the captain tries to curl it to the top right corner. He doesn’t miss by much.

Ian Darke just commented that Yeovil almost ran out of footballs in their last Cup tie.

CLOSE! The magnificently-named Stephen Arthurworrey sends a header towards the United goal but there’s a defender to head it clear. Some continued pressure from Yeovil in the area before United get it clear. Good stuff from the League One side.

United seem to be in a spot of trouble here. Yeovil are creating all sorts of problems in the air and Dubliner Dawson has sent in a couple of dangerous crosses from the right. There has been a clash of heads between McNair and Moore. The Yeovil striker may have to come off. It looks quite nasty.

Moore has a bandage across the top of his head while McNair is on the touchline having the blood wiped from his face. Romance of the Cup, eh?

Both players heavily wrapped up after that clash of heads. But they’re back in action and Yeovil force another corner that they take very quickly. It comes to nothing but the guests have been very, very underwhelming so far here.

He does a bit, actually.

OUCH! Edwards cements Fletcher but play continues so Rooney goes in and cements Edwards. Two very tough challenges but the referee takes no action and allows the play to continue.

NICE! United have been vacant of any inspiration until Falcao nutmegs one Yeovil player, takes it around another, slips it to Rooney who sends a lovely pass through for Rafael to race onto. But the Brazilian cuts back a hopeless cross and the attack ends abruptly.

CLOSE! Herrera slips in Wilson who fires in a shot on goal but Steer gets down to make a comfortable save. Should’ve made the goalkeeper work a little harder. A decent opportunity.

Wilson is involved again as he slips it through for Falcao but just as he’s about to tip it past Arthurworrey, the defender slides across and makes a decent tackle.

Wilson has arguably been United’s best player in the first half and he does brilliantly in the corner to shake off Arthurworrey and race down the touchline. He’s dragged back and the defender’s name goes in the book – first yellow card of the match.

CONTROVERSY! Well, I’m not sure what McNair is doing here. He’s facing his own goal, the ball bobbles up off the ground and, probably accidentally, he slams it into the turf with his arm. It’s a bit of a bizarre moment but with a Yeovil attacker on his shoulder, play continues. It may have been seen as a deliberate handball on another day…however harsh that would’ve been.

Sums it up, really.

Herrera takes a lovely touch to create some space for himself and it opens up in front of the Spaniard. He’s on his weaker left side though and the eventual shot is pretty wild. The first touch was a rare moment of quality in this first-half, though.

United cheaply surrender possession (Smalling, who else?) and Yeovil race clear with players galloping forward on the counter. They’ve got men on the right side but Kieffer Moore can’t find them, dwells too long and Fletcher uses his experience to shackle him and get it clear.

THAT’S THE INTERVAL! It’s been a decent Cup tie but short of major incidents. Nicely poised and Yeovil have done well to stand up to United and not allow them much. But ominously, Van Gaal’s side have shown some moments that hint at an inevitable breakthrough.

The United boss was deep in conversation with Juan Mata as he made his way towards the dressing-rooms so expect the Spaniard to drop into the side for the second half, probably for Herrera who hasn’t done much. Di Maria will likely get at least 30 minutes of action too.

It’s been very scrappy from United. So many misplaced passes and Van Gaal will rage at that. Mata’s introduction will improve it while Di Maria will surely spark something too.

Uptown Funk blaring out over the loudspeakers. They’ve got taste in Yeovil.

So a double-change for United. As predicted. Mata comes in. But it’s Rafael that makes way. Meanwhile, Jonny Evans has also come in for Luke Shaw.

AND WE’RE UNDERWAY AGAIN!

Formation switch here for United as well. Blackett has gone to left-back, Evans steps in to partner Smalling in the middle and McNair is at right-back. There’s a midfield diamond with Fletcher at the base and Mata at the tip, Rooney and Herrera alongside each other.

Already Yeovil seem leggy. Not committing as much to their attacks and as much as United have been very poor, it could be a long 40 minutes for them here.

United build on the left with Rooney and Herrera combing before the Spaniard sends Blackett down the wing. The cross finds Wilson at the near post but he can’t direct the header on goal.

VERY CLOSE! Yeovil should be in front. Kieffer Moore hangs his head in shame. Evans creates mayhem in his own penalty area with a misdirected header and it falls for Moore at the near post who seems destined to slide home. Instead, he just can’t get his feet right for it and offers up a tame shot that De Gea smothers. What. A. Chance.

This United defence has been abysmal today. Van Gaal is on the bench looking increasingly bewildered by his team. It’s games like this that will decide the fate of Evans, Smalling and McNair. None look good enough even at this level. Incredibly worrying.

United make their third and final change. Falcao‘s fitness remains a massive concern. He’s lasted an hour and it’s Di Maria who returns from injury.

WHAT A GOAL! Out of nothing from Ander Herrera. He’s on the edge of the box, the ball breaks to him and on the turn, he cracks a superb, dipping strike to the top corner. Absolutely magnificent. Just sat up so nicely and that’s a huge relief for United.

Magic of the Cup – this goal was certainly of the highest quality.

And what of THAT miss from Kieffer Moore earlier in the half? He’ll have nightmares about that later tonight. But take nothing away from Herrera’s strike – worthy of winning any game.

CLOSE! Rooney tries to caress a free-kick over the wall and into the top corner but it doesn’t come down in time and sails just over the top.

CLOSE! Di Maria has to get up well at the near post to clear off the line from Edwards. The crowd respond and the noise levels go stratospheric at Huish Park. Yeovil are still full of belief here. Moments later, Moore tries to curl one to the far corner but it’s deflected narrowly wide for a corner.

CLOSE! The build-up is great but the finish isn’t. McNair races down the right on the overlap and Mata feeds him. The youngster sends in a perfect low cross for Rooney who gets it all wrong and slices well wide. Great chance to make it 0-2.

Di Maria unleashes one from distance but it’s always veering off-target. He’s added some urgency and Van Gaal’s changes at half-time have certainly worked (formation and Mata more so than Evans!)

Yeovil’s lack of nous has cost them here. There was Moore’s miss but also some simple things in their general game. They just had a free-kick in a good position, got all the big players into the area and then a couple were caught offside. But can’t really be too tough on them. They put it up to United for a long time here.

United just stroking the ball around now. They’ve tried to engineer some chances but everything has petered out just at the final moment. Di Maria and Mata have linked up well but Yeovil will certainly get one more chance.

‘Pass the ball’ is the yell from the Yeovil bench as they surrender possession and United go close from a good counter-attack with Mata and Di Maria involved again.

AND THAT’S A SECOND! Yeovil commit too many men forward, their move breaks down on the edge of the area, Di Maria races clear after Rooney pings a pass through to him and dinks it over the advancing keeper. Game over now.

AND THAT’S THAT! A poor performance from United but it’s a moment of magic that decided this. Herrera conjured a superb strike to open the scoring and it was a game-changer. Not pretty but United are through to the 4th Round and their unbeaten run continues.