Reading has climbed out of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone through a 2-0 win over Manchester City at Madejski Stadium.
Republic of Ireland forward Shane Long - with newly-appointed international assistant boss Liam Brady watching from the stands - ran half the length of the field to get on the end of a cutback from Kevin Doyle just after the hour which gave the home side a deserved lead.
A fine late solo effort from substitute Dave Kitson ensured a second straight victory for the Royals, which lifts them up into 13th place and puts a small degree of daylight between them and the bottom three in a highly congested relegation race.
City lost captain Richard Dunne to a leg injury, which needed nine stitches, and also had a strong penalty shout turned down by referee Uriah Rennie.
And, with its city rivals United crashing out of the FA Cup to Portsmouth, it now seems certain only a fifth-place finish would guarantee City European football next season.
However, with now just one win from the last eight - ironically at Old Trafford - those dreams have been left hanging by the balance and could yet see Sven-Goran Eriksson enter his men into the Intertoto Cup during the summer.
Reading, though, now has fate back in its own hands once again as it looks to retain a place among the elite sides of English football for another season.
The game's first chance came when Benjani Mwaruwari found some space and skipped clear into the right side of the Reading box. However, his final touch was too heavy, which took the ball into the hands of keeper Marcus Hahnemann.
A deep cross from John Oster then picked out Hunt at the far post, but his looping header was safely collected by City keeper Joe Hart.
The visitors almost snatched the lead after 24 minutes. A free-kick from the left touchline was sent over by Elano and bounced through to Vedran Corluka.
The Croatia defender was perhaps caught out by the unexpected chance - and could only guide the ball over the bar from five yards with his knee.
Benjani should have done better when he met Darius Vassell's cross at the far post, but headed tamely at the keeper.
City was forced into a change after 30 minutes when Dunne had to be taken off on a stretcher, replaced by Sun Jihai, after an awkward fall following a challenge with Hunt which left him with a twisted knee and also a gash in his shin.
Kevin Doyle - another Irishman hoping to impress - flicked on a corner from Hunt at the near post, but the ball flew behind.
At the other end, Michael Johnson weaved into the Reading box, and looked to have been tripped by Royals skipper Ivar Ingimarsson. However, referee Uriah Rennie was having none of it - and promptly booked the City man for what he saw as a dive.
City had the first chance of the second half but Gelson Fernandes' shot from 25 yards was straight at Hahnemann.
Long, meanwhile, just failed to connect with a deep ball from the right into the six-yard box at the other end as the hosts continued to press.
From a corner Andre Bikey managed to get into space at the near post and slammed the ball goalwards, which Hart pushed onto the bar from point-blank