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Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo celebrates scoring his side's second goal. PA Wire/Press Association Images
cup run

Manchester United, Sunderland and Preston have all progressed to the FA Cup fifth round

Sunderland and Preston had to come from behind but it was easy for United.

MANCHESTER UNITED AVOIDED a potential FA Cup banana skin with a 3-0 victory over Cambridge United in their fourth-round replay tonight.

Goals from Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo and substitute James Wilson were enough to seal a place in the next round for the 11-time winners, who had been surprisingly held to a goalless draw by Cambridge in the initial tie.

Having survived a scare in the first minute when their League Two opponents hit the post, Louis van Gaal’s side quickly found their stride as Mata and Rojo both converted from close-range prior to half-time.

Robin van Persie had a trio of chances to add to Cambridge’s misery early in the second half, but goalkeeper Chris Dunn kept him at bay with his alert reactions.

The hosts finally got their third goal with 17 minutes remaining as Wilson squirmed away from his marker before firing low past Dunn from the edge of the penalty area.

Manchester United will now travel to Deepdale in the fifth round after Preston North End came from behind to beat Sheffield United 3-1 in their replay.

Jamie Murphy gave last season’s semi-finalists a first-half lead, but a brace from Paul Gallagher and another from Paul Huntington sent Preston into the last 16.

A shocking blunder from Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli proved costly as Sunderland came through their fourth-round replay with a 3-1 win at Craven Cottage.

Late goals from Ricardo Alvarez — his first for the club — and Jordi Gomez completed a Sunderland comeback on Tuesday, ensuring the Premier League side will now face Bradford City, the conquerors of Chelsea, in round five.

Fulham took the lead through Hugo Rodallega following early pressure from the visitors, but were then left to rue an error from Bettinelli, who dropped a seemingly innocuous cross from Patrick van Aanholt into his own net under minimal pressure.

Gus Poyet’s men took full advantage, Alvarez making it 2-1 with a fine individual goal in the 75th minute. And any hopes of a Fulham fightback were ended in stoppage time when Gomez converted a penalty awarded for a foul on substitute Danny Graham.

Harry Redknapp has parted company with Premier League strugglers QPR

Here’s the stupid amount of money Manchester United would have to pay to re-sign Ronaldo

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