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Juan Mata hailed Manchester United’s FA Cup win at Chelsea as the “perfect reaction” to losing their unbeaten record under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and credited his manager's tactics for the victory.
Solskjaer suffered his first setback in charge of United last week when Paris Saint-Germain came away from Old Trafford with a 2-0 first-leg lead in the Champions League last-16.
The defeat came at a challenging point in United’s season, with important games against Chelsea and Liverpool on the horizon.
But United passed the first of those tests with ease on Monday night, as goals from Ander Herrera and man-of-the-match Paul Pogba put them through to the FA Cup quarter-finals .
“I think it was the perfect reaction to our defeat to Paris Saint-Germain,” Mata said after the final whistle, having started from the off against his former club.
Show all 22 1 /22Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Kepa 4 Not sharp enough given he cost £71million. Sluggish and slow on both headed goals he conceded, and not exactly assured with his feet either. Although he could reasonably enough blame the defence in front of him.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Azpilicueta 6 Characteristic commitment, but defending in this team is far from easy. Looks frustrated by his inability to cover for his team-mates. Unable to break through going forward.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Rudiger 5 He is a good athlete but is he good enough to make up for the fact he plays in a back four with Marcos Alonso and David Luiz? Looked lost at times here as United players ran at him.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Luiz 3 How long can Chelsea survive with someone so defensively casual? Sarri’s football plays to his strengths but it also exposes his faults, his laxness in stopping the cross for the second a case in point.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Alonso 4 Could only stand and watch as Herrera ran past him to head in United’s opening goal, and miles away for the second. Not doing enough either defensively or going forward to make a positive contribution to this team right now.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Kante 6 Worked hard at his aggressive role but surely he would have been better in a position where he could have stifled United’s counter attacks. Looks like the right answer to the wrong question in a wide area.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Jorginho 5 Clearly a clever player but he cannot control these games up against physical, driven opposition. Plenty of passing but none of it incisive, with United able to raise the tempo away from him whenever they chose.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Kovacic 5 Tidy enough in possession but never looks like turning that into chances or goals, as Chelsea looked as blunt as ever. His substitution was booed by the fans because he not replaced by Callum Hudson Odoi.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Pedro 5 He is not the reason why Chelsea lost but he also struggled to make an impact and was the first man to get hooked as Sarri chased improvement, off for Willian before the hour mark.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Hazard 6 Always on the move, buzzing around with the ball, trying to provoke something. But it was a largely frustrating evening because of Chelsea’s defensive struggles, and he never really looked like scoring.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Higuain 5 Some clever moves, and missed one headed chance, but he still looks too slow for English football. Being caught up by Luke Shaw when through on goal is a case in point. Might have been a good signing a few years ago.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Romero 6 Made a double save early on when the game was still in the balance. If Chelsea had taken the lead it would have been very different. After that had a very quiet evening. Will hope to play in the quarter-final.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Young 6 United’s experienced captain, he directed his team-mates through the game. Too old to play as a winger now but is a sturdy right-back and put in some hefty tackles here when he had to.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Smalling 7 Imposed himself on the Chelsea front line, playing with the assurance that is typical of his improvement this season. United need his leadership and organisation at the back.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Lindelof 6 Was never tested too much by Gonzalo Higuain but he did stand up to Eden Hazard when he had to, as well as using the ball cleverly and calmly.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Shaw 6 Continued his steady progress with a strong performance at left-back. Did not get to attack too much but defended well.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Matic 6 Provided a solid base in midfield but after an early booking he was lucky to stay on the pitch after he tripped Ngolo Kante in the second half. Still looking much better than he did under Mourinho.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Herrera 7 Did his usual job scurrying around, shouting and tackling, but also scored that fantastic opener, anticipating and charging forward to head in Pogba’s cross, leaving the whole Chelsea defence out of place.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Pogba 9 After the disappointment of midweek, he responded here in the perfect way. First he delivered an assist of remarkable patience and precision for Herrera from the left and then he scored a brilliant Ronaldo-esque header just before the break, from a move he started. Another complete peformance.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Rashford 8 Had to be patient in the first half but worked so well for the second goal, chasing the ball down and firing in a sharp cross for Pogba to head in, catching the Chelsea defence unawares. Never let Chelsea relax with his running.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Lukaku 6 Probably not in the strongest United team but he was at least a handful here, asking questions with his movement, even if he is lacking confidence in the box.
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Player ratings: Chelsea vs Manchester United Mata 8 Back in his favoured no10 role, he was always lively looking for space, and it was not too hard to find it around Jorginho. Helped United to keep the ball and see out the win.
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“It’s never easy to come to Stamford Bridge, to win against Chelsea, to not concede any goals, to play some good football.
“I think it was a very good evening for us and gives us a lot of confidence for the next games.”
Without the injured pair of Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, Solskjaer changed his approach and deployed a midfield diamond against Chelsea.
Mata played in a No 10 role, behind strike partners Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford, and the Spaniard suggested that Solskjaer's tactics played their part in the win.
“I think it was good preparation from the manager, from the staff,” he said.
“We knew what we had to do, we knew how to press, with the ball we did some good things. I think we still can do better.
“Overall, we’re very happy with the preparation, with the formation and with the result.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has transformed United this season (AP) A meeting with rivals Liverpool awaits at Old Trafford on Sunday and Mata is relishing the prospect of upsetting the rhythm Jurgen Klopp’s side and their title challenge.
“It’s one of those games we have in our calendar with a red spot waiting for it,” he said.
“It’s one of the big ones and we want to win. We play at home and hopefully will be a very good day for us at Old Trafford.”
United will play Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux in the FA Cup quarter-finals on the weekend of 16-17 March.
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