United ease into quarters after seeing off Shrewsbury

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal received a timely boost as his Premier League side booked a quarter final spot in the Emirates FA Cup thanks to goals from Chris Smalling, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard.

United had only won five of their last 18 matches in all competitions ahead of their tie with Shrewsbury, but van Gaal’s men produced a professional performance from the word go and never looked in trouble.

United had won the last six times they have reached the fifth-round stage of this competition and after first-half goals from Smalling and Mata, plus a Lingard strike after the break their progress never looked in doubt.

In the first competitive meeting between the sides, England defender Smalling had the first sight of goal for the visitors but headed a Daley Blind corner hopelessly over in the opening minutes.

Goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler came to Shrewsbury’s rescue seven minutes later as he saved at full stretch from Memphis as the pressure began to mount.

After two wayward efforts from distance early on, Memphis saw his goalbound free-kick from the edge of the Shrewsbury penalty area deflected over off his own man Anthony Martial on 26 minutes.

And just two minutes later it seemed certain Martial would score but after Leutwiler had half saved, Abu Ogogo came to Shrewsbury’s rescue and headed clear off the line.

Manchester United finally broke the deadlock on 38 minutes – skipper Smalling found himself in an advanced position and as the ball dropped from a flick on, the defender forced home a somewhat fortuitous deflected strike.

Chris Smalling turns home United's opening goal

And it got worse for Shrewsbury in first-half stoppage time as Spanish midfielder Mata fired home a free-kick after Martial had been fouled by Zac Whitbread on the edge of the area.

It was more of the same after the break as United started like an express train, with Memphis going close with a shot from the edge of the box on 53 minutes, before Martial somehow headed wide from close range.

United did score their third goal on the hour mark as a quick break saw Ander Herrera pick out Lingard and the midfielder fired the ball past Leutwiler.

Substitute Will Keane, later taken off because of injury, was unlucky not to score his side’s fourth goal on 73 minutes but after a flowing move the forward was frustrated as his shot slammed against the post.

Shrewsbury should have pulled a goal back on 86 minutes but Ogogo put his header wide of the target when well placed, while Memphis saw his run and shot saved by Leutwiler late on.

United will entertain West Ham in the quarter final next month.

Shrewsbury Town (3-5-2): Jayson Leutwiler, Jermaine Grandison, Zac Whitbread, Nat Knight-Percival, Jack Grimmer, Shaun Whalley, Abu Ogogo, Ian Black, Junior Brown, Andy Mangan, Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro.

Subsitutues: Larnell Cole for Knight-Percival on 45, Jordan Clark for Akpa Akpro on 81.

Substitutes not used: Mark Halstead, Mat Sadler, Scott Vernon, Dominic Smith, Elliot Grandin.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Sergio Romero, Guillermo Varela, Chris Smalling, Daley Blind, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Ander Herrera, Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial.

Substitutes: Joe Riley for Borthwick-Jackson on 45, Andreas Pereira for Mata on 65, Will Keane for Martial on 71.

Substitutes not used: Dean Henderson, Michael Carrick, Paddy McNair, Regan Poole.

Goals: Smalling 38, Mata 46+1, Lingard 61

Referee: Robert Madley

Attendance: 9,370