Mourinho’s men draw Chelsea in cup
Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic came off the bench to score the winner to set up at tasty FA Cup quarterfinal clash with manager Jose Mourinho’s former club Chelsea.
United will visit the English Premier League leaders next month after dispatching Championship strugglers Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in the fifth round yesterday despite falling a goal behind.
In another quarterfinal matchups, non-league club Lincoln City face a potential visit to Arsenal - provided that Arsene Wenger’s English Premier League aristocrats can overcome another non-league side, Sutton United, today.
Tottenham Hotspur - 3-0 victors over Fulham yesterday - will host another London club, Millwall while Middlesbrough will be at home to the winner of the Huddersfield Town-Manchester City replay.
United had Ibrahmovic to thank for its win at Blackburn. The Swedish hitman entered the fray just part the hour mark at a murky Ewood Park and produced a typically silky finish in the 75th minute to spare holders United an unwanted replay.
United’s passage was far from smooth, though, against the former Premier League champions who are now struggling to retain their second-tier status.
Until United manager Jose Mourinho sent on Ibrahimovic and world record signing Paul Pogba in the 62nd minute the visitors were finding Blackburn a tough nut to crack.
Danny Graham had put the hosts ahead before United forward Marcus Rashford equalised just before the half-hour mark.
Then, in a moment of supreme quality, Pogba’s flighted pass found Ibrahimovic running in behind the Rovers rearguard and the veteran striker took his time before guiding a shot past goalkeeper Jason Steele.
‘‘Did they give us a good game? More than good, they gave us a hard game and congratulations to them,’’ said Mourinho, who won the Cup 10 years ago with Chelsea.
Harry Kane’s hat-trick turned Tottenham’s potentially tricky FA Cup fifth-round tie at Championship side Fulham into a stroll as they sauntered to a 3-0 victory at Craven Cottage.
England striker Kane struck early on and twice after the interval to take his tally for the season to 19 as the eight-times FA Cup winners eased into the quarterfinals.
It was Kane’s second hat-trick in his last seven games and he has now bagged 20 goals in hi s last 22 London derbies.
Stung by consecutive defeats by Liverpool in the Premier League and Gent in their Europa League last 32 first leg, and wary of becoming another weekend Cup shock, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino fielded a strong lineup and was rewarded.
‘‘After the two defeats, many players wanted to play today, it was a great opportunity to show we are alive,’’ Pochettino told reporters. ‘‘This was a big boost in confidence.
‘‘We had meetings after Gent and the reaction was very good.’’