Manchester United’s opponents for the upcoming FA Cup third round have been drawn.
United have been handed a home clash against Aston Villa.
The match will be played on the weekend of January 7 to January 10.
United In Focus Reaction
Here we go again. It felt inevitable Manchester United would draw a Premier League team, as so often happens in cup draws.
United were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by West Ham at Old Trafford in September, and Villa will also be tricky opponents.
The team discovered this in the Premier League game in September following the West Ham defeat, a miserable afternoon which saw United lose 1-0 and Bruno Fernandes miss an injury time penalty.
Villa have had a tough time themselves since, going on to lose six successive games before sacking manager Dean Smith.
The Villans choice of replacement will add extra spice to this tie, with former Liverpool foe Steven Gerrard coming to Old Trafford for the first time as a manager.
The thought of Gerrard winning at Old Trafford is a sickening prospect and makes this FA Cup tie even more of a ‘must win’.
From United’s seasonal perspective, the FA Cup has to be treated seriously. The cup presents United’s most straightforward route to a trophy and Ralf Rangnick will be determined to try and lift silverware during his stint at the club.
United have a historically strong record in the competition, but since the 2016 win, it has been a tale of missed opportunities, including a cup final defeat in 2018 and semi-final loss in 2020.
In the least surprising news of the day, Manchester City drew a lower division side in Swindon Town.
Fans on Twitter react
Here is a look at how United fans on social media reacted to the cup draw…
- Double blow for Manchester United trio after latest selection snub
- Jadon Sancho position change places Manchester United star where he is most dangerous
- Luke Shaw makes statement with post-match comments on Carabao Cup final
- Manchester United fans name man of the match against Nottingham Forest
- Marcel Sabitzer sends message to Manchester United fans after Carabao Cup win