Cambridge United will welcome one of the most successful clubs in English football to the R Costings Abbey Stadium in two weeks' time, having drawn the Red Devils in the fourth round of the FA Cup last night.

To the delight of everyone associated with the club, the U's were handed a dream draw against the 11 times winners, who sit 78 places above them in the football pyramid. Cambridge are the lowest ranked side left in the competition, sitting 14th in League Two, the old Fourth Division in lay terms.

The game is sure to capture the imagination of football fans across the city, with supporters drooling at the prospect of seeing the likes of England Captain Wayne Rooney and World Cup finalist Angel Di Maria strutting their stuff on Abbey Stadium turf.

Cambridge made it through to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in 15 years when they defeated rivals Luton Town 2-1 over the weekend, with goals from Robbie Simpson and Ryan Donaldson proving enough to seal Richard Money’s side’s place in the hat.

The reward for their feat could not have been better, setting up a clash with Manchester United for the first time since 1991, when they met in a two-legged tie that finished 4-1 on aggregate to the Old Trafford-based side.

Tickets will certainly be in demand and Cambridge United can expect to sell-out their 9,617 capacity ground, a huge financial boost for the club, not to mention the possibility of TV rights for the game.

Van Gaal’s Manchester United side currently find themselves third in the Premier League, progressing to the fourth round after defeating Yeovil Town 2-0 at Huish Park on Saturday. Cambridge, unlike their opponents who entered the tournament in third round, had already defeated Mansfield and Fleetwood en route to securing their fourth round place with victory over the weekend.

Richard Money, the Cambridge United manager, was unsurprisingly thrilled at the prospect of the coming up against Louis Van Gaal. “It’s going to be a fantastic challenge,” he told BBC Cambridgeshire. “At this moment our lads are going to be so excited.”

The Cambridge squad will undoubtedly be on cloud nine at the prospect of facing the Red Devils, but they will know they have to keep their feet firmly on the ground and stay focused with important fixtures against Carlisle and Newport to play before their fourth round clash.

Ticket information has yet to be released for the cup tie, which will take place over the weekend of the 24th January.

Defeating the Premier League heavyweights would undoubtedly be one of the greatest upsets in the competition's history. But who knows? The cup could yet work its magic in Cambridge…