United Await FA Cup Draw

The FA Cup quarter-final draw will take place tonight at 19:30 GMT, just moments before Manchester United’s fifth-round tie at Preston North End.

The draw will be conducted by England manager Roy Hodgson and Brian Finney, the son of Preston legend Sir Tom Finney. Reds supporters can follow it in our Live Match Blog, or by checking out the club’s official Twitter account @ManUtd.

The fifth round saw West Ham United, Sunderland, Stoke City and Leicester City all eliminated. Two Championship sides, Reading and Blackburn Rovers, and League One’s Bradford City, all progressed to the quarter-finals, along with Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion.

Bradford stole the headlines with their 2-0 win over Sunderland, goalscorer Jon Stead claiming the victory was even sweeter than their 4-2 fourth round defeat of Chelsea. “This tops that win because of the expectation on us,” he said.

Blackburn pulled off the other major surprise. United legend and former Rovers manager Mark Hughes endured a miserable return to Ewood Park as his Stoke side were thrashed 4-1. Josh King - the Norwegian striker who graduated from United’s Academy - hit a hat-trick for the Lancashire side. “We were well beaten,” admitted Hughes.

New boss Tim Sherwood looked on as Aston Villa beat Leicester 2-1 and a positive teamtalk from the new gaffer made the difference. “The boys took his points on board, and delivered,” claimed caretaker boss Scott Marshall.

West Brom punished 10-man West Ham at the Hawthorns, winning 4-0 with Brown Ideye scoring two of them. “Give West Brom a lot of credit - they were very good,” said Hammers manager Sam Allardyce.

Reading overcame fellow Championship side Derby County 2-1. United loanee Jesse Lingard was given his first start at the County Ground, but Hal Robson-Kanu and Yakuba scored the vital goals for the Royals.

Arsenal and Liverpool, though, will remain the bookies’ favourites alongside United in this year’s competition. Olivier Giroud notched twice for the current holders, as Arsene Wenger’s men eased past Middlesbrough 2-0.

Liverpool came from behind to beat Palace 2-1, with Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana cancelling out an early strike from Frazier Campbell – another ex-United forward.

Draw numbers: 1. Arsenal, 2. Liverpool, 3. Aston Villa, 4. West Bromwich Albion, 5. Bradford City, 6. Blackburn Rovers, 7. Reading, 8. Preston North End/Manchester United.