United, City sweep to big wins in 4th round of FA Cup

Pressure on manager Solskjaer eases

LONDON, Jan 26, (AP): Manchester United turned a potentially awkward away match on a poor playing surface into an FA Cup cruise by thrashing third-tier Tranmere 6-0 in the fourth round to ease some pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Sunday.

Manchester City piled on the goals against lower-league opposition, too, sweeping to a 4-0 win over 10-man Fulham to take their defense of the famous old trophy into the last 16.

United chose an ideal time to record the biggest victory in their 13 months under Solskjaer, who has been under massive scrutiny this week after chastening, back-to-back losses in the Premier League to Liverpool then Burnley.

Beating a team in the relegation zone in League One has hardly resolved United’s issues but the manner of the win – United were 5-0 to save their legs ahead of the second leg of a English League Cup quarterfinal against City on Wednesday.

City lead that 3-1 from the first leg at Old Trafford and warmed up with what proved to be a non-contest against Fulham after US defender Tim Ream was shown a straight red card in the sixth minute for bringing down Gabriel Jesus in the penalty area.

City scored from the resulting spot kick, through Ilkay Gundogan, and a largely second-string team went on to dominate the game at Etihad Stadium.

However, despite monopolizing possession and creating chance after chance, the defending champions only added one goal – in the 19th minute through Bernardo Silva – before a late headed double from Jesus.

Silva’s strike from outside the area took City to 100 goals in all competitions this season – the first team in Europe’s top five leagues to get to that milestone.

Tranmere Rovers’ Jake Caprice (left), and Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood battle during their English FA Cup fourth round soccer match

at Prenton Park in Birkenhead, England, Jan 26. (AP)