Former Manchester United full-back Clayton Blackmore has expressed his belief that Louis van Gaal's team would benefit greatly from winning the FA Cup this season.

Blackmore was a part of the United squad that won the competition back in 1990 - a feat that secured Sir Alex Ferguson his first trophy since he had taken charge at Old Trafford four years earlier.

It acted as a springboard for future success, with Ferguson guiding the club to another 37 honours prior to his retirement in the summer of 2013.

With that in mind, Blackmore has told Sports Mole that everyone connected with the Red Devils would gain "confidence" were they to lift the trophy in Van Gaal's debut season at the helm.

"There was a lot of pressure on us at the time because we hadn't won anything for five or six years. We weren't playing that great either. It was a hard slog to win it because we got through some rounds that were very tight. The following few seasons after we won the FA Cup, we went from strength to strength. It was a big moment for the club," said the Welshman.

"[The FA Cup is] very important. When you start a season, there's only about four trophies you can win. At the moment, there's a very outside chance we could win the league, but that's unlikely.

"We haven't won the FA Cup for more than 10 years now, so we are due a good run. Winning cups brings confidence to the players, the management and the fans."

Tonight, the Red Devils will take on League One side Preston North End for a place in the quarter-finals.

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