Manchester United strike late through Jesse Lingard and Romelu Lukaku to progress past dogged Derby

Manchester United 2 Derby County 0: The Championship side held their own for long periods only to be blown away late on

Manchester United are safely through into the draw for the fourth round (Getty)

How would Manchester United’s last few weeks have panned out if Jesse Lingard was not enjoying the finest form of his career so far?

A fifth goal in six appearances for the much-maligned academy graduate gave Jose Mourinho’s side the breakthrough they had spent 83 long minutes waiting for in this FA Cup third round tie against an organised, disciplined but definitely second-best Derby County.

Romelu Lukaku added another in the 90th minute to ensure United would avoid an awkward replay in the east Midlands and retain realistic hopes of silverware this season, but the night belonged to Lingard again, who is quickly becoming one of the most important and reliable members of Mourinho’s squad.

There were some who questioned the club’s decision to hand the 25-year-old a new £100,000-a-week contract last April, but his recent productive displays have been worth every penny. His spectacular late opener here was the second goal he has scored from outside the penalty area in the space of a week.

It came after some rather uninspiring attacking fare from the hosts which gave Gary Rowett’s well-drilled promotion contenders hope of limiting United to a third successive home draw.

That would have frustrated Mourinho, who named a strong side, making only four changes to the side that beat Everton on New Year’s Day. The selection partially reflected both the lack of depth currently at the United manager’s disposal and just how seriously he is taking this competition.

Though Lingard continues to impress, their chances of a day out at Wembley in May are likely to depend on Paul Pogba, who started despite playing every minute of United’s congested Christmas schedule and made his class tell in the first half against limited opposition.

After toying with Tom Huddlestone out on the left to set up a wayward Lingard effort, the midfielder went close with one of his own, whipping the ball around Scott Carson’s post from outside the area.

Pogba appeared to have been given freedom to press forward by Mourinho and it helped United, who were dominant for much of the opening 45 minutes and should have entered the break ahead.

Lingard's strike stole the show (Getty)

Their best opportunities fell to Marcus Rashford, auditioning in the lone striker role with Romelu Lukaku on the bench. The youngster should have done better with his first sight of goal, but dipped a venomous shot over after initially doing well to win a 50/50 with visiting defender Alex Pearce.

Rashford spurned his second and simplest chance of the half towards its close. Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s first respectable cross of the evening found United’s frontman free at the far post for a flicked header but Rashford’s attempt hit the base of the post and bounced away favourably for Derby. In that much space, he simply had to score.

By the start of the second half, the audition was over. Mourinho shifted Rashford to the left, replaced the woeful Mkhitaryan and brought Lukaku on through the middle, less than a week after he was stretchered off the Old Trafford pitch wearing an oxygen mask and with head injury.

Lukaku came back from injury to score late on (Getty)

The change did not have the desired effect though, and it was instead Derby who came nearest to a breakthrough at the start of the second half. Rashford’s failed to properly clear a corner, instead slicing the ball straight to Huddlestone. Luke Shaw put himself in front of the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder’s shot but it deflected wildly off the full back’s head and only cleared Romero’s bar by a few inches.

United resumed control after that scare and as the match entered its closing stages, Rashford and Lukaku both struck the woodwork but still the hosts struggled to create a clear opening. Their hopes of avoiding a replay were dwindling, the chances of a forthcoming rest week in Dubai being abandoned only increasing. Mourinho later revealed that this was perhaps the motivation behind his side’s late rally.

Certainly, the Old Trafford faithful were not the only ones relieved to see Lingard’s second spectacular strike from outside the penalty area in the space of a week hit the back of Carson’s net. Lukaku’s goal was celebrated with equal relish. The Dubai trip may still be cancelled if United’s next Premier League opponents, Stoke City, are held by Coventry City tomorrow, but at least United’s place in the fourth round is now booked.​

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Romero; Lindelof, Smalling, Blind, Shaw; Pogba, Herrera; Mata (Martial 67), Lingard, Mkhitaryan (Lukaku 45); Rashford (Fellaini 80).

Substitutes: Pereira, Rojo, Darmian, McTominay.

Derby County (4-2-3-1): Carson; Wisdom, Keogh, Pearce, Olsson; Thorne, Huddlestone; Weimann, Lawrence (Bennett 81), Russell (Hanson 78); Winnall (Vydra 67).

Substitutes: Mitchell, Martin, Baird, Nugent.

Referee: K Friend (Leicestershire)