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LONDON - Reading snatched a 1-1 draw at Manchester United while Chelsea trounced second division Norwich City 4-0 to reach the FA Cup soccer quarterfinals today.
United dominated the fifth round tie and led with midfielder Michael Carrick's strike in first-half stoppage time, only for Iceland midfielder Brynjar
Gunnarsson to earn Reading a replay at the Madejski Stadium with a 67th minute equaliser.
Arsenal face a replay at Ewood Park on February 28 after drawing 0-0 with Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough will also play again on February 27 after being held 2-2 by second division West Bromwich Albion. Watford beat second division Ipswich Town 1-0, while Plymouth Argyle reached Monday's draw with a 2-0 win over leaders Derby County in their all-second division tie.
There was a pulsating finish to the day's action at Old Trafford, where both managers made changes to the starting line-ups, United's Alex Ferguson bearing in mind next week's Champions League last-16 game in Lille.
United had plenty of possession but lacked their usual fluidity going forward, taking the lead with a moment of individual skill in Carrick's low, 25-metre shot -- teed up by Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.
Reading, managed by former United winger Steve Coppell, improved after the break and Gunnarsson headed a superb equaliser that beat United's entire defence.
Frank Lampard engineered Chelsea's opening goals at Stamford Bridge, his shot being blocked and England midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips scoring from the rebound in the 39th minute.
A Lampard corner then led to a goalmouth scramble with Ivorian striker Didier Drogba pouncing for his 26th goal of the season just after the re-start.
Ukraine's Andriy Shevchenko was behind the flurry in second half stoppage time, squaring the ball for Ghana's Michael Essien to slot home and then nodding Chelsea's fourth.
Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho told a news conference: "They gave us a very difficult first half and we were a bit lucky to be winning 1-0.
"No doubt we deserved to win the game but 4-0 is a bit heavy for a team who fought like they did."
Arsenal, who beat Bolton Wanderers 3-1 after extra time in Wednesday's fourth round replay, had virtually all the possession at the Emirates Stadium but lacked their usual bite.
"They tried to stop us from scoring and they did it well. We lacked a bit of spark, we were a bit flat in the speed of our game," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
Blackburn coach Mark Hughes said: "We came here with a game plan and put it into practice -- and kept Arsenal very, very quiet..."
Middlesbrough were twice pegged back by West Brom, with Argentine winger Julio Arca's opener cancelled out by Diomansy Kamara and a Yakubu Aiyegbeni penalty getting the same treatment from Kevin Phillips' equaliser in the 58th minute.
Watford, battling relegation from the Premier League, went through with an 88th-minute strike by Damien Francis and helped by a 45th-minute red card for Ipswich midfielder George O'Callaghan.
Fulham host Tottenham Hotspur in a London derby, while second division Preston North End are at home to Manchester City on Sunday. The final is due to be played at the new Wembley Stadium on May 19.
- REUTERS
