Getty Manchester United will host Reading at Old Trafford.
Reading will visit Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday in the third round of the FA Cup.
In the United States, the match is scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. ET. While it won’t be broadcast nationally on television anywhere in the US, you can still watch a live stream of the game on your computer, phone, or streaming device via ESPN+, the new digital streaming service from ESPN that has exclusive coverage to dozens of sporting events every week, including every FA Cup match.
You can sign up for a free seven-day trial of ESPN+ right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the match on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the ESPN app.
If you can’t watch live, all games that are streamed on ESPN+ are also available to be watched afterwards on-demand via ESPN.com or the ESPN app.
Manchester United vs Reading Preview
United won their last match 2-0 over Newcastle in Premier League play for their fourth consecutive victory, but they may have lost central midfielder Paul Pogba in the process.
“I’m not sure if Paul is going to be ready,” caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said in a Friday news conference, according to ESPN. “He got a knock against Newcastle.
“If [Marouane] Fellaini gets through the session [on Friday] it’s more or less a full squad. There will be a few changes and they’ll get a chance. Some of them are itching now to play of course.
“[Romelu] Lukaku and [Alexis] Sanchez will start. That’s important for them because they need more game time.”
Solskjaer is filling in following the ouster of Jose Mourinho. He’s just the second manager in United history to open his tenure with four straight victories. A win over Reading would tie Matt Busby’s mark of five straight wins, set in 1946.
United will have more than a week off before their next match, an away contest against Tottenham. Part of that time will be spent in Dubai, where Solskjaer will hold a warm weather training camp.
“I’ve got to know everyone, I’ve had plenty of time to speak with them but not much time to train,” the manager said, per ESPN. “If any of the players think it’s a holiday they’re wrong.
“We’re there to stick together, to work hard on the physical part of it ahead of the Tottenham game.”
Reading are in danger of relegation from the English League Championship. They have just 20 points through 26 matches, and sit just five points out of last place. Like United, they sacked the manager that opened the season with the squad. The team fired Paul Clement in December, then hired Jose Gomes to replace caretaker Scott Marshall.
“It will be a tough mission, but we can do it — we will (stay up),” Gomes said, according to Football.London. “I feel the energy that they show me during the training sessions. The players have the things that we need, they just need to bring everything to the games. Inside them they have what the supporters want to see during the games, we just need to bring the complete package to the pitch.”
Reading have not defeated United since 1927, a span of 16 matches.
“They are one of the biggest clubs in the world,” Gomes said, according to Fox Sports. “If you go to China, South America, all the kids follow and choose to play PlayStation as Manchester United.
“It’s a special moment to play against these teams. The atmosphere at Old Trafford, it’s like a football party, and my players must be happy to be part of it. It will be a very tough game for us but, in football, anything can happen.”