Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored the winning goal in injury time and Henrik Larsson added another in his debut on Sunday to put Manchester United into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win over Aston Villa.
Solskjaer, who replaced Larsson with 12 minutes to go, took a pass from Wayne Rooney and sent a low shot that went under the body of Villa goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly.
Also on Sunday, Blackburn won 4-1 at Everton, but Manchester City could only draw 1-1 at League Championship club Sheffield Wednesday and Tottenham were held to a 0-0 draw at Cardiff.
Playing his first league game in English soccer, Larsson gave the 11-time FA Cup winners a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute. On loan from Swedish club Helsingborg, the former Celtic and Barcelona striker collected a sideways pass from Rooney, flicked the ball up with his first touch and volleyed home with his right foot.
”In the first half I had two chances and should have done better with one of them so, when I got the chance in the second, I was pleased to score,” Larsson said. ”It’s a bonus to be here for three months at my age and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.”
Villa almost levelled when Gary Cahill headed wide of the post from a corner and then Isaiah Osbourne finished off a good passing exchange by getting clear of the United defence, but Tomasz Kuszczak saved his shot.
Villa equalised in the 74th when the ball came to Milan Baros and he shot past Kuszczak from 16m.
Matt Derbyshire, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Paul Gallagher each scored in the first half to put Blackburn in control at Everton. Andy Johnson replied from the penalty spot in the 68th, but striker Benni McCarthy added a fourth for Blackburn in the 90th.
Georgios Samaras put Manchester City ahead from the penalty spot in the 78th minute at Sheffield Wednesday, but Steve MacLean earned the replay for the Owls with an equaliser two minutes later.
Cardiff almost upset eight-time FA Cup winners Spurs at Ninian Park, but the League Championship team have to be satisfied with a replay after the goalless draw.
Michael Chopra nearly gave the Bluebirds a 14th-minute lead when Spurs defender Lee Young-pyo failed to find goalkeeper Paul Robinson with a headed pass. The Cardiff striker pushed the ball past Robinson but wide of an empty goal.
Police moved into the crowd to break up fighting between rival fans, while home supporters in the same stand let off a flare.
In Saturday’s third-round games, 10-time FA Cup winners Arsenal won 3-1 at defending champions Liverpool and Premier League champions Chelsea crushed League Two strugglers Macclesfield 6-1.
The two upsets were Sheffield United losing 3-0 at home to Swansea and Charlton beaten 2-0 at another League One club, Nottingham Forest. — Sapa-AP