Louis van Gaal said Manchester United had to battle to get past a determined Preston North End in The FA Cup Fifth Round.
After a poor first-half display, the eleven-time winners fell behind to a Scott Laird strike shortly after the break.
Their blushes were only spared after quick-fire strikes from Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini edged United ahead, before a late Wayne Rooney penalty sealed a quarter final date with Arsenal at Old Trafford.
Preston North End 1-3 Manchester United
The FA Cup
Fifth Round Proper
Monday 16 February
Deepdale, Preston
Winners receive £180,000 from prize fund
Click here for the match stats
And the Manchester United boss said it was a tough night’s work against opposition two tiers below them.
“Of course when we conceded a goal, that was a little bit unlucky, then we have to fight again for the victory,” said Van Gaal.
“Every game in The FA Cup is difficult to win because every team is giving everything. You have seen it again in this round how many better-situated teams have lost.
“Of course when you play against a lower ranked team then the chances are greater, but it is never easy.”
Van Gaal opted to change the formation minutes after the Red Devils fell behind to Laird’s strike.
He replaced Radamel Falcao with Ashley Young and pushed Rooney and Fellaini into more advanced positions.
Preston manager Simon Grayson applauds the Deepdale faithful after the game
Switches, he said afterwards, made all the difference.
“I changed the shape in the second half and that was why I think we made the goals,” he added.
“I have to give all the credit to the players because they have done again everything, and the spirit in the team is unbelievable – like it is with the fans.
“We all believed that we could do it.
“As a coach you can train the system, but your players have to believe that they can do it. And they’ve done it with good effect, not for the first time.”
Meanwhile, Van Gaal’s opposite number, Simon Grayson, said his Preston side could leave Deepdale with their heads held high.
“The players can wake up in the morning and be very proud of what they’ve done. I certainly will do,” he said.
“They’ve gone toe-to-toe with some of the best players in the world. ”
Simon Grayson Preston North End manager
“The last thing I said to the players before they went out was to make sure that when they wake up in the morning – whether they’ve won, lost or drawn – that they’ve given everything. And that’s what they’ve done.
“We have to take the belief and the confidence into the next 18 games.
“We have to maintain the belief and hopefully we can use this to achieve what we want, which is promotion.
“I said to the players to use tonight to know they’ve gone toe-to-toe with some of the best players in the world.
“Not just the Premier League, but some of these players have played in World Cup finals.
"Our boys can be proud of themselves.”
