Blind Recounts Goal Against Derby

Daley Blind has admitted to “thinking like a striker” when scoring his influential goal during Manchester United’s Emirates FA Cup fourth-round victory over Derby County on Friday.

Wayne Rooney broke the deadlock at the iPro Stadium but the hosts managed to level through midfielder George Thorne against the run of play. The onus was then on Louis van Gaal’s men to react and Blind was an unlikely hero when he surged forward from his defensive position in the 65th minute to latch onto Jesse Lingard’s cross and finish into the bottom corner past goalkeeper Scott Carson.

Juan Mata scored a third goal to wrap up a relatively comfortable 3-1 win and book the Reds’ place in Sunday’s FA Cup fifth-round draw. Speaking to MUTV after the final whistle, Blind was delighted by the result and happily recounted his impressive goal against the Championship side.

“I passed the ball to Juan and then it opened up,” Daley said. “I saw nobody there and I started thinking like a striker, so I thought maybe I should go to the first post. I made a choice and then the ball was there. It was a perfect ball from Jesse, I didn’t need to take a touch and then it was a goal!”

Asked how it felt to celebrate his finish in front of the 5,472 United fans in the away end, Blind continued: “It was a great feeling and you could see how many fans there were again, they are everywhere and always are. I compliment them and this victory is also for them of course.”

On the match itself, Blind was pleased by United’s performance and felt his team-mates deserved the win. “They are a physical team and I think we played very well,” he told MUTV. “We played quicker than the games before, we created a lot of chances and we scored two goals. We could have finished more but I think, in the end, it was a good performance.

“We were in control and then in one moment it slipped away [when Derby equalised]. It was just one chance and they had some shots from outside of the box. But in these kinds of games, a cup game, anything can happen and of course you are not happy when you go into the dressing room at 1-1. But we can out very strongly and showed that we wanted it more.”

Attentions now turn to Tuesday’s Barclays Premier League match against Stoke City at Old Trafford and Blind hopes the Reds can build momentum with another success. “Of course a win is always a boost but you have to take it game by game and step by step. There is an important game on Tuesday coming up. We have to move on from this and keep the confidence up.”