Manchester United booked their spot in the fourth round of the FA Cup courtesy of a 2-0 win over Derby County at Old Trafford on Friday night.
Derby frustrated United for long spells, but a late stunner from Jesse Lingard sent the home side on their way, before Romelu Lukaku made it 2-0 in the final minute of the third-round clash.
Rashford needs to take finishing tips from Lingard
It is difficult to be too critical of Marcus Rashford when considering his incredible development over the last couple of years, but there is no question that the England international needs to work on his finishing.
The 20-year-old should have scored three times in the first half, but he fired over the Derby crossbar in the early exchanges, before heading against the post from close range in the 34th minute. Moments later, Rashford headed into the arms of Scott Carson as another opportunity came and went in the blink of an eye.
Rashford hit the post on a second occasion in the 71st minute, but in fairness to the attacker, this time it was a wonderful effort from a narrow angle. He has scored nine goals in all competitions for United this season, but went off 10 minutes from time having failed to move into double figures.
Lingard, on the other hand, came up with a stunning strike in the 84th minute as he netted from distance to make it eight goals in his last 10 appearances. The two players are close friends off the pitch, and Rashford could do a lot worse than mirroring his teammate’s finishing drills in training.
Pogba again stars in left-sided role
Sporting the captain’s armband once again due to the ongoing absence of Antonio Valencia, Paul Pogba put in another wonderful performance for the Red Devils. He was the standout player at Everton on New Year’s Day, and was a cut above every other player on the field at Old Trafford on Friday night.
With Ander Herrera minding the shop in a defensive position, Pogba was again given licence to drift into an attacking area down the left. The Frenchman came close with a couple of attempts inside the first 10 minutes, before bringing a wonderful save from Derby goalkeeper Carson late in the first period.
Pogba then curled a strike just wide of the post in the early stages of the second half, before testing Carson once again just past the hour.
The 24-year-old was the player that continued to drive United forward as the match headed for its final 20 minutes at 0-0, and he came close once again in the 69th minute with a clever effort from distance.
The midfielder really should have scored in the 77th minute after being presented with the ball inside the Derby box, but he scuffed wide. He was still the standout player on the field though as United advanced into the fourth round.
The FA Cup is important for United this season
At the start of the season, the Premier League would have been United’s number one priority, closely followed by the Champions League. Those are the two competitions most important to the club, with the FA Cup and EFL Cup some way below. It is a shame when considering the history of the FA Cup, but that is simply the pecking order when it comes to trophies at Old Trafford.
Jose Mourinho would have had his eye on another EFL Cup crown this season, but a shock defeat to Bristol City last month saw United exit the competition. The Premier League title, meanwhile, is all but gone at this stage of the campaign due to Manchester City boasting a 15-point advantage at the summit.
United will fancy their chances of overcoming Sevilla in the last-16 stage of the Champions League, but it would take some effort for the Red Devils to win that competition this season. Mourinho won two competitions – three counting the League Cup - in his first year at United, but is facing the possibility of a trophyless campaign this time around.
As a result, the FA Cup has taken on added importance for United, and Mourinho will be eyeing a run in the competition. The strength of his XI – and indeed substitutes - against Derby suggested that the club will take the cup extremely seriously as they go in search of their 13th crown.
Derby well placed to secure a Premier League return
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the match, United boss Mourinho claimed that Derby were a Premier League team simply playing Championship football. The Portuguese’s team selection demonstrated the respect that he has for the Rams, who will now be able to fully focus on securing a return to the top flight in the final months of the 2017-18 campaign.
It is actually 10 years since Derby dropped out of the Premier League, and they finished in the bottom half of the Championship in every season between 2008 and 2012. They lost out in the 2013-14 playoff final after finishing third, and have posted eighth, fifth and ninth in their last three seasons.
Gary Rowett’s side are currently second in the Championship after 26 matches of this season. Wolverhampton Wanderers have been the Manchester City of the second tier this season, but Derby are currently the best of the rest. They have only lost once in the league since the start of November, and look to have everything in place to secure a return to the Premier League this season.
The likes of Carson, Andre Wisdom, Andreas Weimann, Tom Huddlestone and Marcus Olsson all have plenty of experience when it comes to Premier League football, and Huddlestone in particular impressed at Old Trafford.
Olsson forced United goalkeeper Sergio Romero into a smart save in the first period, while former Red Devils youngster Tom Lawrence was also causing problems with his clever moment in advanced areas.
The Rams impressed in the early stages of the second half, with Huddlestone having one deflected just wide before Lawrence tested Romero. They might have lost to a couple of late efforts, but can take plenty from what was a very positive 90 minutes of football.
There was no inferiority complex about Derby’s display, and when considering that the visitors were not at full strength; the signs are extremely bright as Rowett looks to lead the club back into the Premier League.
