FA Cup

Shrewsbury Town striker Jason Cummings scored twice off the bench as Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw in their FA Cup fourth-round clash on Sunday.  

Curtis Jones opened the scoring with his second goal in as many FA Cup appearances, following up his third-round winner against Everton with a much earlier impact this time around. Donald Love's own-goal almost immediately after the restart appeared to end any hopes of a comeback against the Premier League leaders.

Substitute Cummings converted from the penalty spot shortly after entering the fray and pulled the hosts level in the 75th minute, earning Shrewsbury a replay fixture at Anfield in February.

The draw for the FA Cup fifth round will take place on Monday evening.

Jurgen Klopp continued to ring the changes for the cup competition and restored the likes of Jones, Harvey Elliott and Neco Williams to his XI in their visit to League One opposition.

Left-back Yasser Larouci, 19, also made his full debut after coming on for his first senior Liverpool appearance in the 1-0 third-round win over Everton, and winter signing Takumi Minamino earned his second start.

Former Hull City and Wales defender Sam Ricketts coached his side to a 1-0 replay win over Bristol City in the last round, but it was immediately clear Shrewsbury would be hard-pressed to repeat the accomplishment.

That task was complicated by Jones' breakthrough after 15 minutes, when the Merseyside native showed pace and precision to get on the end of Pedro Chirivella's ball and fire past goalkeeper Max O'Leary:

It didn't have quite the same prestige as his 71st-minute derby winner against Everton, but Jones' second senior strike for Liverpool did put him in a proud club, per OptaJoe:

The personnel may have changed, but Klopp's philosophy in dictating the flow of play was overwhelming in the first period, for most of which Liverpool looked like the oppressors.

Stand-in goalkeeper Adrian was called into action for the first time in the 24th minute. The Spaniard was quick enough off his line to deny Shrewsbury's Shaun Whalley after he sprang clear of the Liverpool defence (UK only):

Ricketts was forced into an unwelcome substitute when captain Oliver Norburn was taken off for David Edwards following an earlier knock he was unable to shake off.

No. 7 Whalley had the best of Shrewsbury's first-half chances, almost making Liverpool centre-backs Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren pay after a mix-up inside their own territory. The Shrews threatened with a corner before the interval and went in with their tails slightly up at the break.

Not even 30 seconds of the second period had passed before former Manchester United and Sunderland defender Love inadvertently rolled a cross into his own net:

The Liverpool Echo's Paul Gorst didn't hold back in his criticism:

Josh Laurent failed to capitalise on a poor Matip pass out from the back, dragging his attempt on a begging Liverpool goal wide as Shrewsbury looked to play their way back into the game.

It was typical that much of the hosts' most promising attacks came after they had fallen two goals behind, and Laurent won his side a penalty after going down under a challenge from Larouci in the 64th minute.

Referee Simon Hooper took some time deciding whether the foul occurred inside the box but gave the penalty, and Cummings coolly slotted past Adrian to breathe some life back into the clash.

The replacement's major moment came 10 minutes later when Whalley got the flick-on from a goal kick, leaving Cummings to weave his way through on goal and finish low into the corner:

Cummings' second strike earned him a unique title in 2020, per Statman Dave:

Klopp threw on first-team weapons Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in an effort to fire home a last-gasp winner in Shropshire, and the Egyptian came close to doing just that with a 90th-minute header.

Few might have expected even a changed Liverpool lineup to look quite so troubled at Shrewsbury, who rallied in admirable fashion and looked worthy of their trip to Anfield next month.

What's Next?

Liverpool will have only a short respite before they travel to West Ham United in the Premier League on Wednesday, the same day Shrewsbury make the trip to Gillingham, who are two points above them in League One.

Holders Manchester City cruised into the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday with a 4-0 win over 10-man Fulham at the Etihad Stadium.

The visitors suffered a nightmare start when Tim Ream was sent off for hauling down Gabriel Jesus after just six minutes, and Ilkay Gundogan guided home the resulting penalty.

Bernardo Silva doubled Manchester City's lead with a neat turn and finish past goalkeeper Marek Rodak from the edge of the penalty area. 

Jesus headed home Joao Cancelo's cross to make it 3-0 on 72 minutes and completed the scoring three minutes later with another header from close range.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola made seven changes to his starting XI for Sunday's match, handing youngsters Eric Garcia, Angelino and Phil Foden starts and leaving Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling on the bench.

Fulham were without top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic due to injury, meaning boss Scott Parker continued with Bobby Decordova-Reid in attack alongside Ivan Cavaleiro and Josh Onomah:

The Championship side's hopes of pulling off a shock suffered a huge blow in the opening minutes when they lost Ream to a straight red card. David Silva's dummy sent Jesus sprinting through on goal, and Ream left referee Kevin Friend with little choice but to send him off after he pulled the Brazilian back.

Gundogan squeezed the ball past goalkeeper Rodak to give the hosts an early lead and continue his fine goalscoring form at home in the competition:

Manchester City's second arrived a little over 10 minutes later through the lively Bernardo. The Portugal international picked up possession inside the penalty area, twisted and turned to find some space before tucking a low finish home.

The goal was City's 100th of the season in all competitions and saw them hit a landmark:

City's early goals and man advantage put them in complete control and they wasted chances to extend their lead further. Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez both put chances off-target in the first half, while Sterling came off the bench after the break and hit the crossbar.

Jesus finally added a third after Fulham had been caught out again trying to play out from the back. The ball was played to Cancelo to cross for Jesus to head home.

Fulham failed to learn their lesson and a fourth City goal arrived shortly afterwards in similar fashion. This time Michael Hector was dispossessed by Jesus, and the striker ended up nodding into an empty net after Rodak had parried Foden's effort:

Guardiola's side could hardly have asked for a more comfortable afternoon as they bid to retain their trophy, while Fulham's FA Cup dreams are over and they can now turn their focus back to the Championship promotion race.

What's Next?

Manchester City host Manchester United in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, leading 3-1 from the first leg. Fulham's next game is against Huddersfield Town in the Championship on Saturday at Craven Cottage.

Chelsea advanced from the fourth round of the FA Cup after it beat Hull City on Saturday, but Tottenham Hotspur could not get past Southampton, who equalised late to force a replay.

Leicester City narrowly beat Brentford, and West Bromwich Albion pulled off the shock of the day, knocking out West Ham on the road.

Here are the full results from the 3 p.m. kickoffs. Chelsea beat Hull 2-1 in the late fixture.

Sunday Schedule

1 p.m. GMT/8 a.m. ET: Manchester City vs. Fulham

3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET: Tranmere Rovers vs. Manchester United

5 p.m. GMT/12 p.m. ET: Shrewsbury Town vs. Liverpool

Michy Batshuayi gave the Blues a dream start against Hull, scoring just six minutes into the contest to continue his great cup form:

The Belgian's deflected effort gave goalkeeper George Long no chance and ruined Hull's tactical plans. Fikayo Tomori added to the lead in the second half, but Kamil Grosicki pulled one back for the Tigers to set up a tense finale. The Premier League giants held on for the win, however.

Spurs will be forced into a replay after they gave away a lead against Southampton. The visitors were the better side for most of the contest, and Football.london's Alasdair Gold thought they should have killed off the contest:

Son Heung-min opened the scoring just before the hour mark, but Sofiane Boufal got the equaliser minutes before the final whistle.

Giovani Lo Celso was the standout for Spurs, but the lack of a real striker was once again a major issue. Son's goal came after a poor showing from the Korean star, and Lucas Moura didn't offer enough in the attacking third.

Leicester advanced to the next round thanks to a goal from Kelechi Iheanacho, but it was Dennis Praet who stole the show in the buildup with a stunning pass:

Conor Townsend gave West Brom an early advantage away to Premier League side West Ham, and despite finishing the contest with 10 men, the Baggies pulled off the upset. Semi Ajayi saw the red card for a second bookable offence after 72 minutes.

Oxford United impressively forced a replay against Newcastle, holding the Magpies to a scoreless draw at St. James' Park.     

Chelsea are into the fifth round of the 2020 FA Cup after beating Hull City 2-1 on Saturday thanks to goals from Michy Batshuayi and Fikayo Tomori at the KCOM Stadium.

Tomori's second-half goal proved to be the winner, but Chelsea endured a scare when substitute Kamil Grosicki scored from a disputed free-kick in the 78th minute via a deflection off Mateo Kovacic.

Victory means Chelsea stay in the hunt to lift the trophy for the second time in three seasons. It also ends a two-game run without a win for Frank Lampard's team.

Chelsea needed an early nerve-settler after intense initial pressure from the hosts. It duly came in the sixth minute when Batshuayi's effort took a deflection after the striker had reacted quickest in the box.

Batshuayi doesn't start regularly, but the Belgium international is prolific in cup competitions:

Buoyed by the early goal, Chelsea turned on the style against a wide-open Hull defence. Mason Mount slid an inch-perfect pass to meet Ross Barkley's well-timed run, but the latter saw his effort saved by George Long.

The pace and intricacy of the move summed up how effectively the Blues were shifting the ball. Callum Hudson-Odoi was switching play from the right with accurate long passes, and left-back Marcos Alonso had plenty of room on the overlap. Kovacic also wasn't wasting his passes at the heart of the engine room.

The Croatian was also combining well with the lively Mount, whose change of pace was making him difficult for Hull to track between the midfield and forward lines. However, the 21-year-old playmaker was guilty of a touch of greed after he opted against teeing up Batshuayi for a tap-in after Kovacic had played him in, instead shooting straight at Long.

Hull's prolific double act Jarrod Bowen and Tom Eaves, who have 20 league goals between them this season, weren't seeing enough of the ball. Eaves did well to get a shot off on the turn three minutes before the break, but the effort lacked power and was easy for Willy Caballero to collect.

Bowen was beginning to get more involved, using skill and running power to go through the Chelsea defence more than once. However, the 23-year-old often chose to shoot rather than playing in a team-mate:

Hull kept the pressure on after the break, with Bowen still at the forefront. A few more impressive breaks from deep nearly yielded an equaliser, but it was the visitors who thought they had killed the game off on 64 minutes, when Barkley lifted a free-kick onto the head of Tomori at the back post.

Barkley and Pedro then combined for the next chance, with the latter chipping just wide after meeting a fine pass from midfield.

The game appeared beyond Hull until Grosicki's free-kick took a significant deflection off Kovacic and beat Caballero, although there was some dispute about the foul after Alonso had challenged Grosicki's fellow sub Josh Magennis.

Grosicki's pace on the flank kept Hull's threat alive in the final minutes. Meanwhile, Magennis was bullying defenders in the air and providing an obvious focal point for the home side.

It wasn't enough, though, with Chelsea doing enough to hold on during tense closing stages.

What's Next?

Chelsea are away to Leicester City when fourth meets third in Premier League action on Saturday. Hull will host Huddersfield Town on Tuesday in the Championship.

League One Shrewsbury Town host unbeaten Premier League leaders Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday at the Montgomery Waters Meadow.

The Reds are expected to make wholesale changes for the match but are still heavy favourites to win and book their place in the fifth round of the competition.

Shrewsbury beat Championship side Bristol City 1-0 in a third-round replay to set up a glamour tie with Liverpool, but that is their only win from their last seven games. 

Date: Sunday, January 26

Time: 5 p.m. GMT/12 p.m. ET

TV Info: BBC One (UK)

Live Stream: BBC iPlayer (UK), ESPN+ (U.S.)

Odds (via Caesars): Shrewsbury 59-10, Draw 87-20, Liverpool 39-100

Match Preview

Jurgen Klopp told reporters in his pre-match press conference he will use "fresh legs" against Shrewsbury and added that Adrian will replace Alisson in goal. 

Youngsters such as Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Neco Williams are all likely to start after impressing in the third-round win over Everton at Anfield.

Midfielder Naby Keita, who has been sidelined with a groin injury, is also in contention for a place in the starting XI, per David Maddock at the Mirror:

Experienced trio Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and Fabinho are also back to full fitness and may also feature.

Shrewsbury Town will be relishing the chance to take on Liverpool after setting up the tie courtesy of a late winner against Bristol that sparked wild celebrations:

The Shrews have brought in Josh Vela and Sam Hart during the transfer window, and both players will be hoping to get the nod against the Reds.

Manager Sam Ricketts told reporters his team need to be ready for whatever XI the European champions put out on Sunday:

"We aren't expected to do anything, there is no pressure on us whatsoever. At the same time, we want to enjoy the day. You enjoy these days by doing the right things and playing well. Win, lose or draw, we want to leave the pitch knowing we gave it our all. We will see nearer to the time what team Liverpool will put out. We have to be ready for whoever they put out."

Shrewsbury have a good home record in the FA Cup, losing just one of their last 17 matches, but it is difficult to see them pulling off a giant-killing act against Klopp's all-conquering Reds.

Sheffield Wednesday are the first team into the fifth round of the FA Cup after beating Queen's Park Rangers 2-1 on Friday. Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney's Derby County will require a replay to progress after they were held by Northampton Town. 

Later this weekend there are more absorbing ties to savour. Manchester United will be out to avoid a shock away to League One side Tranmere Rovers, while in-form Brentford welcome Leicester City to Griffin Park early on Saturday.

Holders Manchester City host Championship promotion hopefuls Fulham, while the Premier League's runaway leaders Liverpool visit Shrewsbury Town on Sunday.

Here is a look back at Friday's action and a preview of what's to come on fourth-round weekend.

FA Cup - Round 4 Schedule & Results

Friday, January 24

QPR 1-2 Sheffield Wednesday

Northampton Town 0-0 Derby County

Saturday, January 25

Brentford vs. Leicester City

Portsmouth vs. Barnsley

Newcastle United vs. Oxford United

Burnley vs. Norwich City

Southampton vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Reading vs. Cardiff City

Millwall vs. Sheffield United

Coventry City vs. Birmingham City

West Ham United vs. West Bromwich Albion

Hull City vs. Chelsea

Sunday, January 26

Manchester City vs. Fulham

Tranmere Rovers vs. Manchester United

Shrewsbury Town vs. Liverpool

Monday, January 27

Bournemouth vs. Arsenal

Friday Recap

In a tight contest, some slack defending from QPR allowed Sheffield Wednesday to take the lead at Loftus Road.

The home side switched off when the ball went out for a throw-in, which was quickly taken, and Morgan Fox was able to prod home a shot to give the Owls the lead:

In the second period, the defender made a fantastic block to deny the tricky Eberechi Eze. Kris Voakes of Goal said Fox has been a standout performer for the Sheffield outfit this season:

Sam Winnall doubled the Owls' advantage in the first minute of injury time and while Nahki Wells' goal for QPR two minutes later set up a nervy finish, it was too late for the London club to mount a comeback.

Elsewhere, Rooney lined up in midfield for Derby, as they went up against League Two outfit Northampton Town.

After a lifeless first period from both sides, Ryan Conway of The Athletic commented on a poor performance from the second-tier team:

Derby were in control of the ball for long spells of the second period but lacked the penetration needed in wide areas to constantly create against Northampton.

If the Rams are to progress into the last 32, they'll need to get the better of their fourth-tier opponents at Pride Park in the replay.

Weekend Preview

Arguably the most intriguing tie of the fourth round will see Manchester United travel to Tranmere. You suspect the Merseyside outfit will be sensing blood too.

Rovers' spirits will be high after they eliminated Watford in extra time on Thursday. It was clear just how much that win meant to the players, fans and manager Micky Mellon after the clash:

As relayed by Adam Leventhal of The Athletic, the surface at Tranmere's Prenton Park pitch isn't ideal for slick passing football:

That will be a challenge for United. Confidence will be low in the squad too, as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer watched his team slump to a disappointing 2-0 loss to Burnley in the Premier League on Wednesday.

Also looking to spring a shock will be Shrewsbury, when they welcome Liverpool to Montgomery Waters Meadow.

Liverpool are set to make a number of changes to their side for this one, although they will still represent a dangerous opponent. A youthful Reds XI got the better of local rivals Everton in the previous round, with Curtis Jones scoring this stunning goal in a 1-0 win:

Elsewhere, Chelsea and Leicester will face potentially difficult trips to Championship teams, with Hull and Brentford respectively seeking to get one over their top-flight opponents. The Blues and the Foxes will both be without their star forwards too, with Tammy Abraham and Jamie Vardy both injured.

Meanwhile, City won't be able to show any complacency against Fulham, who have surged up into third place in the second tier.

Frank Lampard takes his Chelsea team to Championship side Hull City on Saturday in the fourth round of the 2020 FA Cup.

The Blues head into the match after losing to Newcastle United and drawing with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League. Hull City are 12th in the Championship and booked their place in the fourth round with a 3-2 win over League One's Rotherham United.

A stoppage-time goal from Tom Eaves secured a dramatic victory and saw the 28-year-old striker complete his hat-trick

Date: Saturday, January 25

Time: 5:30 p.m. GMT/12:30 p.m. ET

TV Info: BT Sport 1 (UK)

Live Stream: BT Sport website (UK), ESPN+ (U.S.)

Odds (via Caesars): Hull City 113-20, Draw 71-20, Chelsea 47-100

Match Preview

Chelsea are likely to rotate their team for Saturday's match against lower-league opposition but may also be without some key players because of injury.

Christian Pulisic remains on the injured list, while Reece James missed the game with the Gunners with a knee problem. There are also concerns about top scorer Tammy Abraham's fitness after he had to be helped off the pitch at the end of Tuesday's draw with Arsenal:

Belgium international Michy Batshuayi is likely to start in attack and will be aiming to find the back of the net for the first time since October's Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester United.

Fringe players such as Willy Caballero, Fikayo Tomori and Pedro will also be hoping for their first minutes since featuring in the 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the third round.

Hull City have decisions to make over their starting XI, particularly in attack. Jarrod Bowen is the Tigers' top scorer with 17 goals in 2019-20, but his future at the club is uncertain:

Bowen did not start the third-round win over Rotherham, which allowed Eaves to stake a claim for a starting spot after bagging a hat-trick:

Hull City boss Grant McCann also confirmed the club will be without Jordy de Wijs, Callum Elder and Matthew Pennington against Chelsea, although Kamil Grosicki could return from injury.

The Tigers may fancy their chances of pulling off a cup upset given Chelsea's mixed form in 2020, but Lampard will demand improvement from his side, and they should have enough quality to progress.

The 2019-20 FA Cup's 16 fourth-round ties take place this weekend with defending champions Manchester City in action against Fulham.

Premier League leaders Liverpool visit Shrewsbury Town, Tottenham Hotspur are up against Southampton, Arsenal face Bournemouth and Chelsea are at Hull City.

Manchester United, meanwhile, are still to find out whether they will play Watford or Tranmere Rovers.

Northampton Town, the lowest ranked side left in the competition, kick proceedings off on Friday against Derby County.

FA Cup 4th-Round Schedule, Predictions

Friday, January 24

8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET: Northampton Town 1-2 Derby County on BT Sport 1 (UK)

8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET: QPR 3-2 Sheffield Wednesday on BT Sport Extra 1 (UK)

Saturday, January 25

12:45 p.m. GMT/7:45 a.m. ET: Brentford 0-2 Leicester City on BBC One (UK)

3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m ET: Burnley 2-1 Norwich City

3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m ET: Coventry City 2-2 Birmingham City 

3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m ET: Millwall 1-0 Sheffield United

3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m ET: Newcastle United 3-1 Oxford United

3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m ET: Portsmouth 2-2 Barnsley

3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m ET: Reading 1-1 Cardiff City

3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m ET: Southampton 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur

3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m ET: West Ham United 2-0 West Bromwich Albion

5:30 p.m. GMT/12:30 p.m. ET: Hull City 0-3 Chelsea on BT Sport 1 (UK)

Sunday, January 26

1 p.m. GMT/8 a.m. ET: Manchester City 3-1 Fulham on BBC One (UK)

3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m ET: Watford/Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Manchester United on BT Sport 1 (UK)

5 p.m. GMT/noon ET: Shrewsbury Town 0-4 Liverpool on BBC One (UK)

Monday, January 27

8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET: Bournemouth 2-1 Arsenal on BT Sport 1 (UK)

Live streaming available via BBC iPlayer, BT Sport app (UK) and ESPN+ (U.S.)

Latest Tournament Odds 

Manchester City 9-4

Liverpool 5-1

Tottenham Hotspur 8-1 

Chelsea 9-1

Leicester City 10-1

Arsenal 12-1

Manchester United 12-1

Odds courtesy of Oddschecker

City already look to have relinquished their two-season hold on the Premier League title.

Even having played two games more than Liverpool, the Sky Blues are still trailing them by 13 points, and a third successive league title already looks a step too far for Pep Guardiola's side.

As a result, the cup competitions will hold City's focus for the remainder of the campaign.

Championship side Fulham visit the Etihad Stadium on a fine run of form.

They have lost just one of their last seven in all competitions and knocked Aston Villa out of the FA Cup in the third round.

Had Fulham been hosting City at Craven Cottage, they would be confident of causing an upset, or at least forcing a replay.

However, visiting City will prove a challenge for Scott Parker and his side, especially as Fulham have lost each of their last eight fixtures against the champions.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are without an FA Cup trophy since 2006 and haven't reached the final since 2012.

A spot in the fifth round of the 2019-20 tournament seems inevitable, though, given they visit League One's Shrewsbury on Sunday.

Manager Jurgen Klopp will make changes for the fixture, but even with a second-string side, the Reds were able to get past rivals Everton in the third round.

Liverpool can seemingly do no wrong at the moment and will be on a huge high after last weekend's victory against Manchester United. 

Manchester United beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 to progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday.

Juan Mata scored the only goal of the game in the second half at Old Trafford to send the Red Devils through to a tie against Tranmere Rovers or Watford.

Elsewhere, Cardiff City beat Carlisle 4-3 in a thrilling third-round replay at Brunton Park to book a clash with Reading in the next round.

Wednesday's Results

Carlisle 3-4 Cardiff City

Manchester United 1-0 Wolves

FA Cup Recap

Manchester United survived a let-off in the first half when Pedro Neto put the ball in the back of the net after 10 minutes but saw his effort ruled out for handball after a VAR check.

A poor pass from Fred hit team-mate Nemanja Matic and gifted possession to the visitors. Raul Jimenez beat Harry Maguire to the ball but was penalised for handball before Neto converted (UK video only):

Jimenez was a threat in the first half and forced Romero into a good early save, while Daniel James was twice denied by goalkeeper John Ruddy at the other end and fired a low effort across goal.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sent on Marcus Rashford and Andreas Pereira in search of a winner after 64 minutes and saw his side take the lead three minutes later.

Anthony Martial sent Mata running clean through on goal, and the Spaniard kept his composure to dink the ball over Ruddy:

The goal was enough to secure victory but the hosts' evening was marred by an injury to top scorer Rashford. The striker was forced off with a little over 10 minutes of normal time remaining with an apparent back injury, per Henry Winter at The Times:

Championship side Cardiff are also safely into the fourth round after coming out on top of a seven-goal thriller against Carlisle.

The League Two side took a surprise lead on seven minutes when Nathan Thomas struck from the edge of the box, but Cardiff hit back through goals from Aden Flint and Josh Murphy.

Flint struck again from close range early in the second half to put Cardiff 3-1 up and in charge of the tie. However, Harry McKirdy pulled one back three minutes later to give his side hope.

Danny Ward struck a fourth for the visitors with a neat turn and finish to restore Cardiff's two-goal advantage which proved enough to send them through despite McKirdy grabbing his second of the game with a brilliant strike into the top corner.

Manchester United defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 on Wednesday in their FA Cup third-round replay at Old Trafford.

Wolves dominated possession in the first half without scoring, but it was a 67th-minute United counter-attack that allowed Juan Mata to strike the only goal of the game.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer drafted in goalkeeper Sergio Romero, with forwards Mason Greenwood and Daniel James coming into his starting XI. In-form striker Marcus Rashford was on the bench.

Stopper John Ruddy was handed a start by Nuno Espirito Santo, and the deputy 'keeper quickly denied James in the opening moments.

Wolves believed they had grabbed the lead after nine minutes when Pedro Neto fired home after a mistake by Fred, but VAR disallowed the goal for handball against Raul Jimenez. The ball deflected off the Mexican's arm in a challenge with Harry Maguire before the goal-bound strike.

Fred almost atoned for his earlier error with a strike that missed the target, but United continued to struggle to find their rhythm in the first half. Wolves looked dangerous on the front foot. The hosts were slow to respond to the visitors' quick-thinking, and Romero was the busier 'keeper.

United appeared rigid in midfield, but the counter-attack threat was present for the Red Devils. Mata spurned a good chance to take the lead midway through the first half, but Ruddy was equal to his strike.

A set piece undid United after 29 minutes, as Jimenez's header beat Romero but hit the post.

United's technical shortcomings from previous games were apparent again. The away side exploited their opponents when they lost the ball and appeared the more likely to score.

Solskjaer's men came out of the blocks quicker in the second half, and James and Mata both had good chances of breaking the deadlock.

However, Anthony Martial was more isolated without the support of Rashford, and United's lack of experience was clear. The England international was introduced from the bench with Andreas Pereira by Solskjaer after 63 minutes, as Greenwood and James made way.

Rashford's arrival helped United move up a gear, and a quick breakaway allowed Mata to open the scoring. Martial fed the Spain international, who dinked the ball over Ruddy with a superb finish.

A heavy challenge saw Rashford's 17-minute cameo come to a premature end with 11 minutes remaining. The forward worryingly hobbled off straight down the tunnel.

Wolves responded to Rashford's exit and chased hard for an equaliser. United appeared nervous in midfield and defence as they tried to manage the closing stages.

However, the visitors failed to create at the death, and it's United who progress to play in the fourth round.

What's Next?

Both teams are back in Premier League action this weekend. Wolves travel to in-form Southampton on Saturday, while United face leaders Liverpool on Sunday at Anfield.