Jose Reacts To Cup Win Over Blackburn

Jose Mourinho praised the attitude of his Manchester United players in Sunday’s Emirates FA Cup fifth-round win at Blackburn Rovers, reserving special words for substitutes Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the two summer signings combined to find a vital winning goal.

The Reds were forced to come from behind at Ewood Park after Danny Graham opened the scoring on 17 minutes. Marcus Rashford then equalised in the first half, before Pogba’s calculated long-ball led to Ibrahimovic notched a decisive strike to earn a place in the competition's quarter-finals.

Here are the main points from the manager’s post-match interviews with BT Sport and MUTV…

THOUGHTS ON THE RESULT
“The attitude of every player was really good and with a different attitude we would lose, because I think Blackburn were a good team. They were better than Blackburn of the Championship. They had an amazing attitude and amazing belief. They gave us a really hard match and, I repeat, with a different attitude then I think we would have lost the match. So I am really happy with my players.”

WELL PLAYED POGBA AND IBRAHIMOVIC
“When I have really important players on the bench then I can try to make an impact. Sometimes it doesn’t work, but it depends also on their mentality. Of course I spoke to Paul and Zlatan at half-time. In the moment of need they were more than ready to come with the right attitude for the team. So I am happy with the victory. We deserved to win. Blackburn probably deserved to go to Old Trafford but this way is better for them as now they can focus on a very difficult Championship.”

PLEASED TO AVOID A REPLAY
“I really believe that a second match at Old Trafford would have been a disaster. We have players, even on the bench, some players that didn’t play and they are ready to play. Of course this is much better.”

PRAISE FOR THE FANS, REFEREES… AND A BALL BOY!
“We have amazing fans, absolutely amazing. I am so sorry that in the Premier League they do not have so many tickets for away matches. I think also the referees were so calm and cool. They had everything under control. The ball boy on my right side was brilliant. He is a clever kid!”

REACTION TO THE DRAW
"I have no reaction because I have to play Saint-Etienne and the final and hopefully another opponent in the Europa League. I have to fight for a top-four position in the Premier League so I have so many things to think about. Probably Chelsea can only think about that [the FA Cup] because I think they are champions and they have nothing else to play for so the FA Cup is something important for them. The match is in one month's time and I don't want to speak about it now."