Rooney, Blind and Mata seal United's place in round five

Wayne Rooney struck his sixth goal in as many games to help send Manchester United through to the Emirates FA Cup fifth round.

United were beaten at home by Southampton last week, but the 11-time FA Cup winners showed their Premier League class to get back to winning ways as England captain Rooney struck and, after George Thorne’s equaliser, Daley Blind and Juan Mata swung the game in the visitors’ favour.

United have struggled to stamp their authority in the first half of Premier League games this season, but they played on the front foot from the start at the iPro Stadium and gained their reward on 16 minutes.

Rooney, who was perhaps half a yard offside when he received Anthony Martial’s pass, curled a magnificent effort from the edge of the box beyond former England goalkeeper Scott Carson and into the top corner.

Derby finally got out of their own half after Rooney’s goal and though Salford-born Nick Blackman jumped highest to meet Ryan Shotton’s cross, David de Gea was equal to it.

United continued to dominate possession, much to the joy of their vociferous travelling supporters, as Martial prodded and probed down the left flank.

But the 5,460 from Manchester were silenced on 37 minutes when Chris Martin chipped the ball over the top of the United defence, into the path of Thorne who controlled with aplomb and poked past De Gea.

George Thorne celebrates his equaliser

On the stroke of half-time Blackman cut in from the right flank and struck a low left-foot effort inches wide from 25 yards.

Derby had the first chance of the second half when Cyrus Christie bombed down the right flank and his dangerous cross fell to Blackman, who shifted the ball onto his right foot but blazed over.

At the other end former Derby loanee Jesse Lingard fired a deflected low cross into the six yard box, which Mata, who won The FA Cup with Chelsea in 2012, headed just wide.

On 65 minutes United regained the lead. Blind, who had come forward from the centre of defence, got ahead of Richard Keogh to meet Lingard’s low centre with a sublime first-time finish that fizzed past Carson.

And seven minutes from time United booked their place in the last 16. Martial jinked his way past Christie and pulled the ball back for Mata, who swept in a first time finish from 10 yards.

Derby County (4-1-4-1): 17 Scott Carson, 2 Cyrus Christie, 6 Richard Keogh, 14 Jason Shackell, 37 Stephen Warnock, 34 George Thorne, 23 Tom Ince, 18 Jacob Butterfield, 15 Bradley Johnson, 22 Nick Blackman, 9 Chris Martin.

Substitutes: 20 Abdoul Camara for Blackman 59, 11 Jonny Russell for Johnson 76, 8 Jeff Hendrick for Thorne 76.

Substitutes not used: 1 Lee Grant, 29 Martin Olsson, 4 Craig Bryson, 12 Chris Baird.

Goals: Thorne 37

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): 1 David De Gea, 30 Guillermo Varela, 12 Chris Smalling, 17 Daley Blind, 43 Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, 28 Morgan Schneiderlin, 27 Marouane Fellaini, 35 Jesse Lingard, 8 Juan Mata, 9 Anthony Martial, 10 Wayne Rooney.

Substitutes: 16 Michael Carrick for Schneiderlin 74, 21 Ander Herrera for Mata 84.

Substitutes not used: 20 Sergio Romero, 7 Memphis Depay, 11 Adnan Januzaj, 33 Paddy McNair, 44 Andreas Pereira.

Goals: Rooney 16, Blind 65, Mata 83

Attendance: 31,134

Referee: Anthony Taylor