Reading Go To Man United In The FA Cup... Again

Reading have been handed an, ahem, pretty tricky away trip in the third round of the FA Cup. They’ll go to twelve-time winners Manchester United, with the tie being played on the first weekend of January.

We last played the Red Devils at the beginning of 2017 - at the same stage of the same competition. That day, a Jaap Stam side didn’t put up much of a contest and were beaten 4-0 in a Saturday lunchtime fixture. Reading have previously lost 2-1 at the Theatre of Dreams (2013) and earned a 1-1 draw (2007).

The Royals’ only win over Manchester United did in fact come in the FA Cup - a 2-1 triumph at Elm Park all the way back in 1927. The other 20 games have seen seven draws and 13 United wins.

We’ll likely see this game moved away from the usual Saturday 3pm slot. Bar the whole it’s Man United, of course the match will be moved for television thing, Manchester City are due to play Rotherham United at home, so the powers-that-be won’t want a Manchester clash. It’ll also likely be an expensive match for you if you make the trip up to Old Trafford. Reading infamously had to subsidise the £45 tickets in January 2017, pushing the price down to a still-lofty £30.

Is it a good draw?

We asked you on Twitter whether or not you like the prospect of Reading going to Manchester in the cup, and most of you do - despite it being an expensive match at a ground we’ve been to recently. At time of writing, around two thirds of you thought it was a good draw.