Late Lingard rasper blasts United past County
JESSE Lingard’s latest scintillating strike and substitute Romelu Lukaku’s late effort secured Manchester United a 2-0 victory over Derby in the third round of the FA Cup.
United had lost just one of their previous 35 FA Cup games against lowerleague sides but were heading for a replay until one-time Rams loanee Lingard, with his eighth goal in 10 games, smashed home a swerving volley six minutes from time, with Lukaku then adding a second having broken from the halfway line.
Derby were encouraged by a couple of runs from former United youngster Tom Lawrence, while Marcus Olsson forced Sergio Romero to tip his header over the crossbar, with Alex Pearce heading the resulting corner into the Stretford End.
That was a good opening but nothing like the one Marcus Rashford spurned before the break.
For once Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s delivery was perfect and an unmarked Rashford glanced a header on to a post from six yards out.
Before the interval there was still time for Rams stopper Scott Car- son to make two saves, one a routine stop from another Rashford header and the other a more aesthetically pleasing palm over the top from a Paul Pogba free-kick destined for the top corner.
Half-time substitute Lukaku’s first significant act was to close down Tom Huddlestone as the midfielder struck an effort that flew wide via an unsuspecting Luke Shaw.
Pogba and Tom Lawrence traded shots from distance that Carson and Romero pushed out before Jose Mourinho sent for Anthony Martial.
After Pogba had placed an attempt just wide, Rashford was once again denied by the woodwork and there was a growing sense it was not going to be United’s night until Lingard and then Lukaku struck.