BLACKBURN ROVERS 1, MAN UNITED 2
Manchester United needed to summon their big guns from the bench to beat plucky Championship club Blackburn Rovers and claim a quarter-final place in the Emirates FA Cup.
Substitute Zlatan Ibrahimovic again came up with the goods when required on a damp and dreary afternoon at Ewood Park to set up a mouth-watering clash at Chelsea in the last eight.
The football was similarly dank until the Swede, who had been on the field for 14 minutes, struck the winning goal.
United were forced to graft for their victory and avoid becoming victims of another cup upset.
They didn’t do it the easy way, though, having to come from behind after Danny Graham gave bottom-three Championship club Blackburn an early lead.
Marcus Rashford equalised before Ibrahimovic came up with the winner to avoid a replay which United could ill afford in their congested schedule.
United manager Jose Mourinho was delighted with the attitude of the players after he criticised them after the Europa League game against St Etienne on Thursday.
“What happened the previous day to Premier League clubs, all which had difficult circumstances, it was more more alert to the players to know how difficult it would be and to come here with the right attitude,” he said.
Mourinho praised Blackburn saying they fought hard and were well organised.
The United manager would not comment on a cup return to Stamford Bridge saying he has a lot more matches to think about before it comes around.
He said: “We have St Etienne on Wednesday, the EFL Cup final and hopefully another opponents in the Europa League and to fight for the top four in the Premier League.
“There are so many other things to think about.”
Mourinho, asked whether United could win three cup competitions, added: “It is possible to win three, two, one or nil.
“As long as we are in a competition, we will fight for it, but we will take it step by step.”
It was all change for United as Mourinho made seven alterations to the side that kicked off Thursday’s Europa League game against St Etienne.
Goalkeeper Sergio Romero, defender Chris Smalling, midfielder Ander Herrera and striker Anthony Martial were the sole survivors.
There were call ups for Marcos Rojo, Matteo Darmian and Ashley Young in defence, Michael Carrick, Jesse Lingard and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in midfield and Marcus Rashford up front.
United still had the artillery on the bench as back up, the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Juan Mata.
After a largely uneventful start, the game suddenly exploded to life in the 16th minute.
The lively Marvin Emnes took aim from 25 yards and his fierce drive was beaten out by Romero.
Then one minute later Emnes helped set up Blackburn’s opening goal with a delightful reverse pass to release Graham who fired high to the left of Romero for his 12th goal of the season.
This setback jolted United whose first serious goal attempt came after 24 minutes, a drive from Herrera that was beaten out by keeper Jason Steele.
And United drew level after 27 minutes after a fabulous three-player move.
Romero rolled the ball out to Mkhitaryan who broke dow the left and threaded a sublime pass to release Rashford who raced through the middle and rounded Steele before slotting the ball into an empty net for the seventh goal of the campaign.
Rovers had a chance to regain the lead when Craig Conway brushed off a challenge, but fired over.
Conway had another goal attempt early in the second half, his decent effort forcing a diving save from Romero.
As the stalemate persisted, and with United not wanting a replay to fit into their crowded schedule, Mourinho made two changes just after the hour.
Big guns Pogba and Ibrahimovic took over from Lingard and Martial.
And within one minute Ibrahimovic could have broken the deadlock when, sliding in, he narrowly failed to connect with a cross from Herrera.
The two United substitutes combined with deadly effect to give the Reds the lead for the first time in the game in the 76th minute.
Pogba’s brilliant ball over Rovers’ defence was chested down by the Swede who struck a first-time shot low to the left of Steele for his 24th goal of the season.
There was an 86th minute scare when Rovers though they had equalised.
Romero fumbled a shot from substitute Connor Mahoney, did well to block two follow-up shots from Anthony Stokes, another sub, and Emnes before the ball ran free to Stokes who was offside when he found the net.
United made their third and final change in the last minute when Rashford was replaced by Mata as they played keep ball and managed the latter stages superbly as Blackburn never had another sniff at goal.