3/1 To Win
Phillip Cocu was pleased with the way his Derby County side handled a potentially tricky Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round replay against Northampton Town at Pride Park Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Derby ran out 4-2 winners over the Cobblers to progress to the Fifth Round of the competition.
Andre Wisdom, Duane Holmes, Jack Marriott and Wayne Rooney scored the Rams’ goals as they continued their interest in the competition.
Cocu’s side will now face Premier League side Manchester United at Pride Park in the Fifth Round at the beginning of March.
The Derby boss was not only pleased with the victory to set up the mouthwatering tie against the Reds, but also how his players handled the game against Northampton.
Speaking to RamsTV after the game, Cocu said: “I think we played some very good football and scored four goals, so I think we can be happy tonight.
“There were maybe some details in the game that we can improve on, but it was a good night overall.
“We missed some opportunities to get a bigger scoreline but in general if you see how we play our football, there were great dynamics in the team with great movement and passing.
“I am happy to see that after the Stoke game last Friday (Derby won 4-0) that we can play the same style of football again.”
Derby led 2-0 at half-time but were made to sweat as Northampton pulled a goal back straight after the interval through Nicky Adams.
However, the Rams restored their two-goal advantage inside a few minutes as Marriott headed home.
The way his side reacted was particularly satisfying for the Derby boss and he said: “It was a very important part of the game that we reacted when they scored the goal just after half-time.
“I am a little bit upset about it because we spoke at half-time to get out in the second half with a good start and take control back and not give them anything to let them back into the game.
“We didn’t start the half well, but the reaction of the team was good. We had it back under control again and it wasn’t really an issue for the rest of the match.”
The meeting with Manchester United next month will, understandably, see the spotlight cast towards Rooney.
The 34-year-old is the Reds’ all-time leading goalscorer following a trophy-laden spell at Old Trafford between 2004 and 2017.
The chance to come up against one of the biggest clubs in world football is one that Cocu is relishing.
He said: “It is a great game for us and that is why we are so happy to be in the Fifth Round. We knew if we beat Northampton that we would play Manchester United here at Pride Park. It is a great game for the team, the fans and the club. We are looking forward to it.
“For me, they are not only a name in world football. They have really great players, quality players in their team, they play really good football and dominate the games.
“Maybe in the league table everybody expects them to be higher up, but that doesn’t mean that they play bad football. It is an extremely strong team, but we will do everything in our power to create a great atmosphere and a great game here at Pride Park.”
He added: “It is more or less a month away and first we have to play a lot of league games that are also very important. We can talk about the game against Manchester United tonight, but after that we have to be focused on the league games coming up.”
