The 39th game: Manchester United selected for TV yet again

TV schedule for Fifth Round of the FA Cup announced

TV scheduling details for the Fifth Round of the FA Cup have been released, and there is no surprise to see that Manchester United are among the teams to have been selected.

Their match at home to fellow Premier League side Reading will be shown on ESPN at 8pm on Monday 18 February. It will be the 39th FA Cup tie in a row that Sir Alex Ferguson's side have been on television.

Also on ESPN will be Luton Town v Millwall at 12.45pm on Saturday 16 February and Manchester City v Leeds at 2pm, Sunday 17 February.

ESPN will also be showing the Fourth Round replay between Leicester and Huddersfield which will be shown at 7.30pm, Tuesday 12 February.

ITV have selected Oldham Athletic v Everton which will kick off at 6pm on Saturday 17 February and on Sunday will show Huddersfield/Leicester v Wigan at 3.55pm, with the Fourth Round replay between Chelsea v Brentford being shown earlier in the day at 12pm. The winners of that match will play Middlesbrough on Wednesday 27 February, although details of who will air the game, if any, have not been announced.

The only games not to be shown on TV will be MK Dons v Barnsley and Arsenal v Blackburn, which will both kick-off at 3pm on Saturday 16th February.

The decision to select Manchester United's game is likely to come in for criticism with TV schedulers accused of selecting the  current Premier League leaders regardless of their opponents. Their last match at home to Fulham, which was a one sided, dull match in comparison to some of the shocks sprung by lower league sides in this year's Fourth Round, served to highlight the selections.

The last Manchester United FA Cup tie not to have been shown live was at home to Exeter City in the Third Round eight years ago.

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