FA Cup draw puts Manchester United and holders Chelsea on collision course in quarter-finals

Manchester United will face FA Cup holders Chelsea in the quarter-finals if both clubs win their fifth-round ties as the draw guaranteed at least one team from outside the Premier League in the last four.

Manchester United play Reading at Old Trafford tonight and Sir Alex Ferguson will be up against old foe Rafael Benítez if his team win and Chelsea overcome Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Wednesday week.

Roberto Mancini’s hopes of ending the season with silverware almost certainly rest on this competition and Manchester City will take on Barnsley at the Etihad Stadium.

“Every team plays in the FA Cup like it is in a Champions League final,” the City manager said. “The Cup is an important trophy in England. Teams may change players in the Capital One Cup but in the FA Cup every team plays seriously. You could play in a final at Wembley in front of more than 80,000 people so that has to be good.”

Oldham, the League One strugglers who are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, secured a replay against Everton with a stoppage-time equaliser at Boundary Park on Saturday and will face Wigan Athletic at home if they can upset the odds at Goodison Park.

Roberto Martínez’s Wigan side have reached the last eight for only the second time in the club’s history after a resounding 4-1 victory at Huddersfield.