MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s fifth home defeat of term combined with a third-round exit from the FA Cup has cast extra pressure on the fledgling David Moyes era at Old Trafford.
United lost 2-1 to Swansea, beaten by a late goal on a counter-attack to which their own increasing attacking desperation had always left them vulnerable.
Wayne Routledge chipped Swansea ahead on the break in the 12th minute only for Javier Chicharito to level four minutes later.
But the clouds were building up when rightback Fabio da Silva was sent off 10 minutes from the end and then United were finished off by a breakaway strike from Wilfried Bony. The goal prompted a mass exodus by United fans.
“Any defeat [in the FA Cup] is a big one,” said Moyes, “and at Manchester United it’s even bigger. But that’s the job. Now we’ve a game coming up on Tuesday and we’ve got to get the team ready for that.”
Tuesday sees United go to Sunderland in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final.
Earlier Chelsea and Liverpool had far happier afternoons.
Chelsea won 2-0 at Derby on second-half goals from John Obi Mikel and Oscar while Liverpool cruised through by the same scoreline at home to Oldham; Javier Aspas scored the first with a James Tarkowski own goal providing the second.
Chelsea’s fourth round tie against Stoke City is the only all-Premier League tie.
The full fourth round draw:
Sunderland v Kidderminster or Peterborough
Bolton v Cardiff
Southampton v Yeovil
Huddersfield v Charlton or Oxford
Port Vale or Plymouth v Brighton
Nottingham Forest v Ipswich or Preston
Southend v Hull
Rochdale v Macclesfield or Sheffield Wednesday
Arsenal v Coventry
Stevenage v Everton
Wigan or MK Dons v Crystal Palace
Chelsea v Stoke
Blackburn or Manchester City v Bristol City or Watford
Bournemouth or Burton v Liverpool
Birmingham, Bristol Rovers or Crawley v Swansea
Sheffield United v Norwich or Fulham
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