Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal reiterated his determination to win a trophy in his debut season after his side beat Cambridge United in the FA Cup fourth round.
United prevailed 3-0 in Tuesday’s replay against fourth-tier Cambridge at Old Trafford thanks to goals from Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo and James Wilson, setting up a fifth-round trip to third-tier Preston North End.
With rivals such as Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur having exited the competition at this stage, United are now favourites to end an 11-year wait to lift the world’s most famous domestic cup competition.
But Van Gaal admits the visit to Deepdale in two weeks will be testing, especially after Preston’s impressive 3-1 replay victory away at cup specialists Sheffield United.
“Every club in the FA Cup wants to win; we also,” said Van Gaal.
“We have to beat Preston and that will not be easy. They won away against a cup fighter like Sheffield United, so it will be difficult for us to win in Preston North End.
“I heard from Ryan (Giggs) they are very good cup fighters and Preston beat them 3-1. So Preston is not a piece of cake.”
Reflecting on his side’s performance against a team who are currently 79 places below United in the English league system, the Dutchman added: “I don’t think we played a very good match.
“But it is always difficult against a defensive team. We could have done better, but I am pleased with the result.
“Cambridge have played very well; a very organised team and with the mentality that was superb. The fans were fantastic from Cambridge United. We have done what we had to.”
He added: “I prefer to play against lower teams because the possibility to survive is higher. The FA Cup is a title and I am living for titles as a coach, but it is always difficult.
“It is even sometimes more difficult to win against a lower team than a big team. That is good, but that is also what football is. It is what we all like, that not always the better team is winning.
“We have a real chance now. Why? We are the highest qualified team in the FA Cup, so people are maybe betting on us. I am not allowed to. I give you a tip.”
Cambridge might have taken a sensational lead, with forward Tom Elliott missing a glorious one-on-one opening by hitting a post inside the first minute before Mata and Rojo gave United a two-goal half-time advantage.
Although he failed to get his name on the scoresheet, Belgian international Marouane Fellaini impressed in a role as a striker alongside Robin van Persie, playing a part in the two first-half goals.
“Now with Fellaini, we have always also an attacking player through the air,” said Van Gaal.
“We could also score through the air, not only along the floor, and that was our game plan and he has confirmed it again.
“We could have scored more, I think. In the second half we played a bit more forward, I believe. We created more chances. Robin van Persie had four opportunities and could have scored more.”
Cambridge could not match the dizzying heights of their first meeting with United, a 0-0 draw at the Abbey Stadium, but the £1 million (Dh5.6m) in funds generated by the replay was a huge consolation for losing manager Richard Money.
“It means we can be safe and stable financially,” said Money.
“We are not going to have a spending spree in the summer and have one massive effort to be promoted. We need to grow.
“We need a new stadium and a new training ground or new facilities at the training ground. That is what the cup run will do for us.”
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Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
West Asia rugby, season 2017/18 - Roll of Honour
Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
SPECS
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%E2%80%98White%20Elephant%E2%80%99
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The biog
Favourite film: Motorcycle Dairies, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Kagemusha
Favourite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Holiday destination: Sri Lanka
First car: VW Golf
Proudest achievement: Building Robotics Labs at Khalifa University and King’s College London, Daughters
Driverless cars or drones: Driverless Cars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams
Penguin Randomhouse
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
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Company%20profile
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Company%20Profile
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