FA Cup 3rd Round Preview – Man Utd vs Reading, Betting News and Tips

Man Utd vs Reading – News & Betting Tips

Match kicks off at 12:30pm on Sat 7th January 2017. Old Trafford, Manchester.

The FA Cup Third Round fixtures take centre stage this weekend, with Saturday’s action getting underway at Old Trafford as Manchester United host Reading in front of the BT Sport cameras in an intriguing early-afternoon start. Both sides are going great guns in their respective leagues at the minute but there’s no doubting where the bookies allegiances lie and they have a United win priced as red-hot favourite. There’s plenty of value away from the match market however and our betting tips and predictions aim to flag it up.

Team News and form – Man Utd

Manchester United are a force to be reckoned with in the English top-flight and that’s not a statement you would have expected to read just a couple of months ago. The Red Devils have won each of their last six league starts, beating the likes of Tottenham, Crystal Palace and West Ham during that purple patch. They go into the week off in sixth-place, just two-points off the top-four.

Mourinho’s men were last seen beating The Hammers in Stratford courtesy of a 2-0 full-time score. The Londoners were reduced to 10-men after just 15-miniutes with Feghouli shown a straight red card for a clumsy challenge on Phil Jones. It took the winners until 63-minutes to make their numerical advantage count, with Mata breaking the deadlock before Ibrahimovic made sure of the points with 12-minutes left on the clock.

The Special One thought it was tougher to beat 10-men that it should’ve been but, in true fashion, he reserved special praise for his own choices in including Mata and Rashford. The latter has the team in his DNA, according to Mourinho, and for a youngster, there’s no greater praise. Punters looking to back Manchester United to get their name in the hat for the next round will be disappointed to see Coral’s 2/9 as one of the better prices out there at the minute. That’s tight and can’t be put in betting tips at the price. Ibrahimovic to net the first goal may prove a tad more popular in the predictions, with William Hill offering up a market best price of 3/1.

Team News and form – Reading

Royals manager Jaap Stam makes an emotional return to Old Trafford as he aims to dump his previous employers out of the country’s favourite knock-out competitions. Away fans have reason to be confident too, having won each of their last three Championship matches, beating Blackburn, Norwich and Bristol City. Both teams have scored in each of those three and that outcome again is a handy 6/5 with Betfair.

Stam is one of the favourites to take over the available position as manager of Premier League side Hull, but it looks a non-starter as he has every chance of making it to the promised land with his current team# and looks like a gaffer who would like to finish what he has started. But that remains to be seen and The Tigers have a hectic couple of weeks ahead if they are to get the right man in charge.

Reading have been winning down in the Championship, but they have had to be patient and work for anything that has come their way. Four of their last five wins have come thanks to a one goal margin and that shows the fighting spirit that is present in the away dressing room. They won’t come to Old Trafford simply to make up the numbers and may catch the attention of value-hunters at 14/1 with Coral. A draw goes at 5/1 with the same firm.

Man Utd vs Reading – FA Cup Betting Tips

Man Utd are the winners of this match in front of the live TV cameras. Reading have shown throughout the first-half of this season that they are no push-overs however and I don’t expect this to be a cakewalk by anyone’s standards. Manchester United took over an hour to get the first goal against West Ham last time and I make the even money about them not scoring in both halves the NAP of my betting tips.

Looking through the prices in the correct score market and the best of my predictions is a 2-1 home win at 19/2 (Bet Victor). That would have been a winning bet when these two last met at this venue in the FA Cup. In fact, each of the three matches involving Man Utd and Reading have ended in victory for the boys from Old Trafford, but they’ve all arrived by a one goal margin.

FA Cup tip of the day

Man Utd not score in both halves. Even money bet with Betfair.

FA Cup bigger price value bet

Man Utd to win 2-1. 19/2 with BetVictor