Blackburn Rovers 1, Manchester United 2: Super-sub Zlatan Ibrahimovic sends FA Cup holders into the quarter-finals
Blackburn Rovers 1, Manchester United 2
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho refused to single out super-subs Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba after they climbed off the bench to set up an FA Cup quarter-final against Chelsea.
Pogba fed Ibrahimovic to slot United’s winner and complete a comeback by the visitors at Ewood Park, after Marcus Rashford had equalised Danny Graham’s thumping opener for the Championship side.
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Victory spared Mourinho a dreaded replay in an already congested calendar as his team battle on four fronts and sent the holders into a last-eight clash with his former employers at Stamford Bridge.
“The attitude of every player was really good and with a different attitude we would lose, because I think Blackburn was a good team – better than the Blackburn of the Championship,” said Mourinho.
“I am really happy with my players. When I have important players on the bench I can try to make an impact. It depends also on their mentality. I spoke with Paul and Zlatan at half-time, and in the moment of need they were more than ready to come with the right attitude for the team.”
Blackburn belied their league position – second from bottom in the Championship – with an energetic start that saw Swansea loanee Marvin Emnes sting Sergio Romero’s palms with a swerving drive.
The Dutch forward underlined his status as the hosts’ main threat seconds later when his turn and reverse ball set up Graham to lash a first-time shot across Romero and into the far corner.
United responded and Rovers goalkeeper Jason Steele repelled a rasping Ander Herrera strike following Jesse Lingard’s probing run, but there was little he could do to deny Rashford in the 27th minute.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan capitalised on a yawning gap between Blackburn’s central defenders to set Rashford free with the sweetest of passes and the England striker coolly rounded Steele to level.
Mourinho threw on Ibrahimovic and Pogba with just under half an hour remaining and the evergreen forward almost scored with his first touch, Herrera’s cross-shot eluding him by inches.
But with 14 minutes left Pogba’s flighted pass over the top found Ibrahimovic galloping free and he had time to size up the chance before stroking past Steele and into the bottom-right corner for his 24th goal of the season.
“I think we deserved to win, but I think Blackburn probably also deserved to go to Old Trafford,” Mourinho added. “But I think it’s better for them this way because now they can focus on a very difficult Championship.”