MANCHESTER (Sporting Alert) — Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has left striker Robin van Persie is on the bench, while Wayne Rooney was left out completely for tonight’s FA Cup 5th round clash with Reading.
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The English Premier League (EPL) leaders named a very strong team for the clash and have also selected a solid bench as well.
David de Gea remains the first choice in goal for Manchester United even though Ferguson made eight changes from the team that drew 1-1 with Real Madrid in the Champions League in the Bernabeu last week.
Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Nemanja Vidic and Alexander Buttner make up the backline, while Anderson, Tom Cleverley, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young start in midfield.
As expected, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck have been selected to lead the attack.
Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, Nani and Shinji Kagawa joins van Persie on the bench.
Meanwhile, the dangerous Adam le Fondre, who caught the eyes of United manager Ferguson is included in the starting team for Reading, who made six changes for the clash.
Reading are hoping to cause an English FA Cup shock tonight, but manager Brian McDermott shows that his main priority is surviving in the EPL.
Manchester United v Reading Teams
Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Jones, Vidic, Buttner, Valencia, Cleverley, Anderson, Young, Welbeck, Hernandez
Subs: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, van Persie, Kagawa
Reading: Federici, Kelly, Mariappa, Morrison, Shorey, McCleary, Leigertwood, Karacan, McAnuff, Hunt, Le Fondre
Subs: Andersen, Gunter, Pearce, Pogrebnyak, Robson-Kanu, Guthrie, Carrico
Referee: Andre Marriner
