Louis van Gaal claimed Manchester United have become the team to beat in the FA Cup after easing into the fifth round with a 3-0 replay victory against Cambridge United at Old Trafford.
Having been held to a goalless draw by the League Two outfit at the Abbey Stadium ten days ago, United secured a fifth-round trip to Preston North End on February 16 with goals from Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo and James Wilson.
With Chelsea and Manchester City already eliminated from this season’s competition, United, currently third in the Premier League, go into the next round as the highest-ranked team left in the FA Cup.
And Van Gaal insists his team’s status ensures that they deserve to be ranked as favourites to win the cup for a record twelfth time this year.
“We have a real chance now,” Van Gaal said. “Why? We are the highest qualified team in the FA Cup, our status is the highest club, so people are maybe betting on us.
“I am not allowed to, but I give you a tip.
“I am not a casino man, but of course I think the highest qualified teams have more possibilities to win than lower qualified teams.
“That is why everyone was in favour of Cambridge tonight. But Arsenal is still in the cup and they are also a ery high competitor. Liverpool is also there and will fight against Bolton (in Wednesday’s replay).
“For me, personally, I won always a title in my first year everywhere where I worked and the chance I will win the title is bigger in the FA Cup than the Premier League.”
Despite the comfortable margin of their victory, United struggled to carve open their lower league opponents and Van Gaal admitted his team should have won by a greater margin.
“We could have scored more I think,” Van Gaal said. “Robin van Persie had four opportunities and could have scored more.
“It is always difficult to beat a lower team because everyone expects more.
“I am pleased to play Preston but will be difficult. Preston is not a piece of cake.”
Richard Money, the Cambridge manager, admitted that the financial boost of playing in front of a full Old Trafford was the real reward for his club.
“It means we can be safe and stable financially,” Money said. “We are not going to have a spending spree in the summer and have one massive effort to be promoted because we need to grow.
“We need a new stadium and a new training ground or new facilities at the training ground. That is what the cup run will do for us.”
Meanwhile, United exploited a loophole in the Football Association’s player transfer regulations to sign Bolton defender Andy Kellett, despite the 21-year-old already playing for two clubs this season.
With Kellett making fifteen appearances following an emergency loan deal to League Two Plymouth between October and January, prior to a fifty-one minute outing for Bolton against Rotherham last week, the youngster appeared to have precluded himself from playing for a third club this season due to Fifa rules which state players can only play official games for two clubs in one campaign.
Kellett is free to play for United, however, due to article 5.3 in the FA’s regulations which states that emergency loans are not counted when assessing the number of clubs a player has represented in a season, unless he is moving abroad.
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