Villa were left heartbroken as Manchester United struck twice late on to guarantee passage to round four.

There were little in the way of clear-cut chances for much of the match and it looked as if the tie might have to go to a replay at Old Trafford. But United struck twice in the last 10 minutes.

Ronaldo met Ryan Giggs's centre to open the scoring before Wayne Rooney finished expertly to end Martin O'Neill's FA Cup hopes.

O'Neill's men started fast with Nigel Reo-Coker finding Gabby Agbonlahor on the wing on two minutes. The star striker fed Stiliyan Petrov but the Bulgarian got the ball stuck under his feet and missed his chance to shoot.

Gareth Barry floated a ball into the box on four but John Carew couldn't get any power on his header and it was well gathered by Edwin Van der Sar.

Andersen then went on a fine run down the left but his powerful striker was saved by Scott Carson.

Petrov saw a 30 yard effort fly marginally over the bar on 13, as Villa attacked with purpose.

Ryan Giggs attacked a Patrice Evra cross but his header flew just too high on 18.

Both sides struggled to get any cohesion going as attack after attack broke down before it really started.

Carew found the side-netting on 34 after good work by Petrov in closing down Evra and then in releasing the Norwegian striker.

Ronaldo hit a swerving shot on 43 and Carson did well to parry but it went straight to Giggs. Unbelievably, the Welshman couldn't control and the ball went out for a goalkick.

Andersen saw a 35 yarder fly wide as United looked to press on 49.

Wes Brown put Park through on 54 but Curtis Davies did brilliantly to clear.

Nemanja Vidic had a great chance to open the scoring on 57 but his header from a corner ricocheted off Martin Laursen's shoulder and out for a corner.

Villa followed that up with a good few minutes of dominance but the quality of their attacking play still couldn't muster up any clear-cut chances.

Vidic's header flicked only just over the bar but both Petrov and Carson had it covered if it had been on target.

Luke Moore replaced John Carew on 64 minutes as Villa made their first change of the game.

Wayne Rooney made his entrance on 70, as he replaced Ji-Sung Park.

Young's effort from 20 yards out flew wide of Van der Sar's right hand post after a good break from Reo-Coker on 71.

Villa's super sub Shaun Maloney came on in the 75th minute as he replaced Petrov.

Villa forced two corners on 77 but O'Neill's men couldn't get a head on either Barry or Young's centre.

Rooney had a magnificent chance to open the scoring on 80 as the former Everton man set Ronaldo going down the right and met the inviting centre, only to blast his shot over the bar.

United took the lead in the 81st minute as Ronaldo beat Bouma to the ball and met Giggs's centre to slot home.

Craig Gardner replaced Bouma on 83 and then thundered a header over the bar three minutes later from a direct Barry centre from the left.

Carson made a superb double save from Carrick as United attacked with menace on 89.

Rooney made it two on 90 with a fine finish after the ball came to him from a deflected Ronaldo strike.

John O'Shea replaced captain Giggs on 90 as United looked to see out the tie.

VILLA: Carson; Bouma (Gardner, 83), Mellberg, Davies, Laursen; Petrov (Maloney, 75), Barry, Reo-Coker, Young, Carew (Moore, 64), Agbonlahor. Subs: Taylor, Knight, Maloney, Gardner, Moore.

Manchester United: Van der Sar, Brown, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic; Park (Rooney, 70), Ronaldo, Anderson, Carrick; Giggs (O'Shea, 90), Saha (Hargreaves, 79). Subs: Heaton, Hargreaves, Rooney, Nani, O'Shea.