2004–05 Manchester United F.C. season saves, but Wayne Rooney put the tie beyond doubt late on with a cool finish. Exeter had chances of their own, Sean Devine twice volleying wide and Andy Taylor forcing Tim Howard to save. Manchester United marched into the Fifth Round of the FA Cup with a 3–0 win against Middlesbrough at Old Trafford on 29 January. John O'Shea put the defending champions in front after 10 minutes from close range. Wayne Rooney then brilliantly lobbed Mark Schwarzer from fully 40 yards after 67 minutes to double United's lead, before firing home a stunning volley with nine minutes left. Boro's
Wayne Rooney player to score 100 Premier League goals, joining Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. During Rooney's celebrations following his third goal, he swore into a pitchside camera and was subsequently charged by the FA for using offensive language. Rooney accepted the charge, but not the automatic two-match ban which was handed to him. He appealed against the length of the suspension, calling it "excessive", but failed to overturn the ban, which ruled him out of the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on 16 April. The following game on 6 April saw Rooney score in a 1–0 away win against Chelsea