Eleven days after drawing 0-0 at the Abbey Stadium, United were far more convincing against their League Two opponents at Old Trafford.
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Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo and James Wilson all found the net in the fourth-round replay at Old Trafford.
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With Chelsea and Manchester City out of the tournament, United are the highest-ranked team left in the competition and they will face League One side Preston in the last 16.
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Van Gaal’s message to the fans after the final whistle was clear enough – he fancies his chances of going all the way in a competition United have not won in 11 years.
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“We have a real chance now,” the United boss said. “Why? Because we are the highest-qualified team in the FA Cup.”
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“I am not a casino man,” the Dutchman added. “But of course I think the highest-qualified teams have more possibilities to win than lower-qualified teams. Maybe people are maybe betting on us. I am not allowed to (but) I give you a tip.”
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Van Gaal has enjoyed success in cup competitions throughout his career. The 63-year-old lifted the Copa del Rey with Barcelona and also won the KNVB Cup with Ajax and the DFB Pokal with Bayern Munich.
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And with United trailing leaders Chelsea by 10 points in the Premier League, the FA Cup seems the best chance the Dutchman has of winning silverware in his first year at Old Trafford.
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“For the club, the fans, the coach and my staff, we want to win a title this year and the biggest chance is the FA Cup,” Van Gaal said. “For me, personally, I won always a title in my first year everywhere I worked.”
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