Derby County 0, Manchester United 3 (FA Cup 5th Round)
Odion Ighalo scored twice as Manchester United qualified for the quarter finals of the FA Cup with a 3-0 win at Derby County to earn a trip to Norwich City.
Embed from Getty ImagesLuke Shaw scored one and made Odion Ighalo’s first for United as the game became comfortable in the first half at Pride Park before the Nigerian scored again to finish off the Rams with 20 minutes to spare.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rested several players ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby. Only five players remained from the draw at Everton.
Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, Scott McTominay, Fred, and Bruno Fernandes stayed in the side.
Derby, with ex-Red Wayne Rooney running things from a quarterback role in midfield, had chances but failed to take them despite some sumptuous passing by the United legend.
Rooney showed plenty of quality for the Rams from the start to the end – his dipping free kick was tipped away by Sergio Romero as the Rams had the clearer chances in the opening minutes with Louis Sibley also going close.
Kelle Roos saved from Odion Ighalo while Lingard and Fernandes also saw shots blocked before Luke Shaw opened the scoring for United in the 33rd minute to score only his second goal in 197 appearances for the Reds with a shot that looped up off the turf and in over the Derby keeper.
The Reds went 2-0 up after Shaw’s cross to Ighalo saw the Nigerian compose himself under pressure from two Derby defenders before collecting the loose ball and firing past Roos into the bottom corner in the 41st minute.
It was hard on Derby whose other former United player Tom Lawrence had been struggling with an ankle injury and was replaced before the break by teenager Morgan Whittaker.
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Rooney’s diagonal pass found Bogle who crossed for Martin Waghorn but his header flashed wide with the goal at his mercy soon after the restart with Lindelof and Romero beaten.
Shaw could have doubled his own tally but his right footed shot was collected by Roos as United’s own quarterback Fernandes carved out chances for the visitors.
Juan Mata as twice denied before Ighalo hit his second of the game – his third in a United shirt – at the second time of asking, lashing his own rebound into the roof of the net, after Mata put him through with 20 minutes to go.
With the game over, Fred joined Fernandes on the bench as Solskjaer gave Andreas Pereira and Anthony Martial run-outs.
Rooney found Jack Marriott with another great pass and found space behind Shaw to force Romero into a fingertip save.
Ighalo could have claimed his hat trick but mistimed his strike of a bobbling ball as the Reds looking forward to Sunday.
McTominay conceded a last minute free kick 25 yards out in a perfect shooting position for Rooney but Romero spoiled his big moment by making the save to tip his curling effort over the bar.
MATCH STATS – Derby County 0, Manchester United 3 (FA Cup 5th Round)
Derby County: Roos, Bogle, Evans, Forsyth, Lowe, Bird, Rooney, Knight, Sibley (Shinnie 80), Lawrence (Whittaker 44), Waghorn (Marriott 67)
Derby County Subs not used: Hamer, Clarke, Martin, Davies
Booked: Rooney
Man Utd: Romero, Dalot, Bailly, Lindelof, Shaw (Williams 79), McTominay, Fred (Martial 73), Mata, Fernandes (Pereira 67), Lingard, Ighalo
Man Utd Subs not used: De Gea, Greenwood, Matic, Tuanzebe
Booked: Shaw, Bailly, Williams
Goals: Shaw 33; Ighalo 41, 70
Referee: Craig Pawson