SHREWSBURY, England — Manchester United provided some blessed relief to under-fire manager Louis van Gaal by powering into the FA Cup quarterfinals with a 3-0 romp at League One (third-tier) Shrewsbury Town Monday.
Van Gaal, the subject of fierce criticism following Thursday's shock 2-1 Europa League first-leg defeat at little-known Danes Midtjylland, was given few worries four days later as United strolled to its first victory in four matches.
The visitors went 2-0 up through Chris Smalling and Juan Mata after a one-sided first half and a 61st-minute goal by Jesse Lingard made the fifth round tie safe.
United, which needs to lift the trophy one more time to equal Arsenal's record haul of 12 FA Cup triumphs, next hosts in-form West Ham United in the second week of March.
Van Gaal's side dominated from start to finish. It enjoyed 75 percent of possession against an outclassed Shrewsbury team that had only three goal attempts all game.
United went in front after 37 minutes when Morgan Schneiderlin won an aerial challenge outside the box and center half Smalling, surprising the home defense by suddenly popping up in attack, drove the ball beyond keeper Jayson Leutwiler.
Mata left Leutwiler motionless on his line in first-half stoppage time when he dinked a direct free kick into the bottom corner of the net from 20 meters, prompting a wide grin from Van Gaal in the dugout.
There was an element of controversy about Mata's strike as three United players were positioned 10 meters beyond Shrewsbury's defensive wall, obscuring Leutwiler's view.
"We have learned from the Midtjylland game," Van Gaal told BT Sport, referring to a similar incident that cost his team a goal in the Europa League.
"We think that is always offside so we have asked the referees and they are saying, 'No, you can do it'.
United made it 3-0 in the second half when Lingard slid in to score after Ander Herrera clipped a clever cross to the far post.
Milan dents Napoli hopes
Giacomo Bonaventura hit a first-half leveler as AC Milan boosted its hopes of European football next season in a 1-1 draw that dented Napoli's title hopes Monday. Napoli welcomed Milan to the San Paolo looking to capitalise on Juventus' stalemate at Bologna Friday — victory would have put it back on top.
But despite seeing Lorenzo Insigne provide a 39th minute lead with a deflected shot that just crept past teenaged goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Bonaventura pulled Milan level only five minutes later.
Napoli had the lion's share of the best chances in the second half but Donnarumma was decisive in the dying minutes.
But Maurizio Sarri's title challengers were forced to settle for a sixth draw of the season that has left them in second, one point behind Juventus.
Milan remains sixth, eight points behind third-placed Fiorentina in the last possible Champions League qualifying place. — Agencies
