Manchester United comfortably passed into the last eight of the FA Cup with their 3-0 victory over Shrewsbury Town.  

United started vert well with two great chances for Memphis Depay and Anthony Martial but were left frustrated as they couldn’t break the deadlock but the double from Chris Smalling and Juan Mata lifted spirits before the break.  

They started the second period as they ended the first with Martial missing a great opportunity to make it three before Jesse Lingard secured the win just after the hour mark with the third. Lingard and Will Keane nearly made it four but they had done enough to set up the tie with West Ham United in the last-eight.  

Dominant devils

As expected, Louis van Gaal's side came flying out of the traps and had some great opportunities to take the lead.

The first came 11 minutes in when young full-back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson picked out Memphis in the box but the Dutchman's effort was well tipped wide by Jayson Leutwiler.

They came even closer in the 28th minute when a good passage of play by Memphis sent Martial on the run but his shot was well saved by Leutwiler and looked to be looping into the net but Junior Brown managed to clear.

Double header

United looked destined to take the lead as the first-half began to enter the latter stages and they did just that eight minutes from the break.  

Chris Smalling, captain for the evening, remained in the area after the corner and was alive to the situation as Morgan Schneiderlin won the flick-on and despite the deflection off Nathaniel Knight-Percival, it found its way into the bottom corner.

Smalling nets United's opener | Photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images Sport
Smalling nets United's opener | Photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images Sport

It got even sweeter just before the break as they doubled their lead in first-half extra-time and it was a moment of magic from Mata.

After Martial was brought down just outside the area the little Spaniard stepped up for the set-piece and delivered with style as the free-kick made its up and over the wall and gave Leutwiler absolutely no chance.

Relentless Reds

Their dominance carried over into the second period despite a slight improvement from the home side but passage into the last eight should have been sealed nine minutes after the restart.

The quick corner from Daley Blind was played to Mata who put a perfect cross on a plate for Martial who steamed in for the diving header but the Frenchman sent it wide.

Signed, sealed, delivered 

United eventually got their third just after the hour mark and once again it was one to remember.

The counter-attack was started by Sergio Romero who played it to Mata who broke downfield before playing it off to Ander Herrera whose clipped pass found the half-time sub Lingard who made no mistake from six yards.

Lingard could have had his second and United's fourth in the 72nd minute when he looked destined to reach Memphis' measured pass but his poor touch took it wide.

Substitute Keane came even closer two minutes later when he hit a firm shot from inside the area but came back off the post.

Shrewsbury had a great chance to get a consolation goal with the final opportunity of the game three minutes from the end as Abu Ogogo rose highest to the corner six yards but with the chance begging as it went wide of Romero's post and rounded off United's perfect evening.

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About the author
Danial  Kennedy
Award-winning sports journalism graduate. Currently studying a PR Masters at the University of Sunderland. Writing for VAVEL since August 2014. Twitter - @ddkjournalism.