Manchester United marched on into the fifth round of the FA Cup after breezing past Reading at Old Trafford on Saturday evening, with Erik ten Hag's side picking up an 11th successive win on home soil in all competitions.

Despite the expectation that the former Ajax boss would name a weakened team for the visit of the Championship outfit, amid what is a hectic fixture schedule, the Dutchman surprised most by persisting with his tried and trusted figures, with that move more than paying off on what was a comfortable night at the Theatre of Dreams.

After a largely frustrating first half - in which Marcus Rashford was denied a 19th goal of the season due to an offside call on Wout Weghorst - the hosts eventually took control in the second period as a result of some Brazilian magic, with Casemiro netting the opener with a lovely dinked effort just after the break, following a stunning assist from teammate Antony.

The former Real Madrid man then added his second of the night just minutes later with a delightful, curling effort that evaded opposition stopper, Joe Lumley, before compatriot Fred made sure of the result off the bench with a clever, near-post flick.

That latter effort had come just moments after one-time Liverpool flop Andy Carroll was dismissed after needlessly picking up two yellow cards in quick succession, with the only bright note for Paul Ince's side having come courtesy of Amadou Mbengue's late header.

Although few supporters will be getting carried away after dispatching a lower-league opponent, the manner of the performance and the result has laid bare the club's new-found confidence, with the aforementioned Casemiro having been central to that resurgence.

Lauded as "phenomenal" by teammate Harry Magure following last night's triumph, the 30-year-old was again the real heartbeat of the side from his defensive midfield berth, notably winning eight ground duels and laying on three key passes to illustrate his all-around influence.

The £70m man was not the only figure to have stolen the show, however, with fellow summer signing and international colleague, Antony, having also once again shown his worth with a lively and encouraging performance from the flanks.

Just days after having been a "big plus" in the 3-0 win away to Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup, as per Manchester Evening News' Samuel Luckhurst, the 22-year-old again offered a real threat off the right, notably providing four key passes from his 78 touches as an illustration of his creative flair.

That included the Sao Paolo native's assist to tee up Casemiro's opener, with the fleet-footed wizard producing an exquisite, defence-splitting pass to send the midfielder through on goal.

The youngster had been criticised by club legend Gary Neville for being "too predictable" following the midweek win at the City Ground, although he appeared far more dynamic up against a rather helpless Baba Rahman, notably producing great skill early on to find Aaron Wan-Bissaka with a deft nutmeg.

While there are undoubtedly frustrations to the winger's game - as he lost possession on 21 occasions and failed to convert any of his six attempts on the night - that "superb" outing, as described by journalist Emmanuel Ayamga, has showcased that Antony is beginning to benefit from a regular run of games.

The skilful dynamo is far from the finished article - having notably squandered a decent chance late on and been somewhat culpable for Mbengue's consolation - although Ten Hag will be delighted to see his high-profile addition beginning to repay the rather hefty £86m transfer fee.