FA Cup: talking points from the fifth round matches

1) Ibrahimovic leaves his mark on another cup

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the match-winner again for Manchester United and his late goal against Blackburn Rovers was another fine and composed finish to add to his season’s collection. That made it 24 goals in all competitions and the Swede has now scored in the FA Cup, Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey and Coupe de France. For United, he has been a stellar signing and there is a reason why the prolific forward can get away with statements such as the one after his midweek hat-trick against St Etienne when he declared: “Wherever I went I won, so I am like Indiana Jones.” The only concern for United is that they are perhaps becoming reliant on Ibrahimovic’s goals. Every team wants a scorer who can find the net more than 20 times a season but there is always the risk of an injury providing a major setback to their tactical approach. United struggled to craft many scoring opportunities against a side second-bottom in the Championship until Ibrahimovic broke free and slotted coolly past Jason Steele. But Ibrahimovic has now made himself king of the cups and United were toasting their talisman once again. James Riach

2) Burnley tormented by Lincoln – and themselves

“There’s a tendency to sensationalise these things but they had one chance and scored,” Sean Dyche said, a little grudgingly, after Burnley were on the wrong side of one of the greatest FA Cup results. Dyche did give non-league Lincoln City credit for reaching the quarter-finals at the expense of a team 81 places above them in the pyramid but there was more to their performance than “four men at the back who don’t move and play to the big man”, as the Burnley manager put it. His side’s frustration at being outplayed at times was epitomised by Joey Barton’s loss of self-control, his stamp on Matthew Rhead’s foot, cringe-worthy reaction to running into the big striker’s outstretched arm and clip around the face of Terry Hawkridge coming during Lincoln’s best spell. Burnley were tormented not only by City’s physicality but their own performance. The outcome was sensational. Andy Hunter

3) Has Pochettino decided Janssen is not up to the job?

Tottenham’s Harry Kane-inspired procession at Craven Cottage spoke glowingly of their first-choice attack but what it said about some of those watching from the side was far less positive. In one sense, Vincent Janssen’s recall to the bench after missing out completely against Gent was a promotion; in quite another it was distinct evidence of the lack of trust Mauricio Pochettino holds in him. While there is little doubt that Pochettino would rather not be putting Kane through a Sunday-to-Thursday regimen of cup matches when the situation towards the top of the Premier League remains so uncertain, it is equally clear that he feels he has no other choice. Janssen was not even allowed a morale-boosting few minutes as substitute against Fulham; on current evidence it is hard to see another occasion in the calendar when he might earn a start this season and you wonder whether Pochettino has already decided the player he signed from AZ is not quite up to the job. Nick Ames

4) Huddersfield take more from the battle of ‘reserves’

The stadium announcer could be heard at the end of the tie offering congratulations on a great performance by Huddersfield’s reserve team. It was, too – although David Wagner did not see it quite like that. The German likes to rotate as a matter of course, to use the whole of his squad, and his policy was fully justified in earning a replay at the Etihad Stadium while keeping players fresh for a key game in the push for promotion on Tuesday. Pep Guardiola’s eight changes were less successful. Most of the creativity had been stripped out of his team and at times it felt as if Sergio Agüero was playing Town on his own. The striker is back in the side through necessity after the injury to Gabriel Jesus and City will be looking to his finishing ability against Monaco, although here was evidence that the attacking ideas normally provided by Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva will be just as important. Paul Wilson

5) Middlesbrough face Premier League versus FA Cup dilemma

This was the ‘Robbie Mustoe derby’. Remember Mustoe? Now the accomplished US-based face of NBC’s Premier League coverage, he was an intelligent, industrious midfielder who represented both clubs with distinction and was part of Middlesbrough’s class of 20 years ago – also featuring Juninho and Fabrizio Ravanelli – who reached the 1997 FA and League Cup finals but were relegated. With Aitor Karanka’s side embroiled in a relegation skirmish, it might have suited Boro to have been knocked out by now but a kind draw (Sheffield Wednesday, Accrington and Oxford, all at home) dictates they are one game from a Wembley semi-final. Does Karanka envy Rafa Benítez, whose Newcastle team lost at Oxford in the previous round? Or does Boro’s manager reflect on flying into London before taking the job and, from his window seat, spying Wembley. “I want my team to win there,” he recalls. Louise Taylor

6) Ranieri should stay open to using second-choice players

Claudio Ranieri’s loyalty to his first-choice players has already been questioned and after the exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Millwall there may also be scrutiny over the way the Italian has treated those outside the preferred XI. Everyone knew he would field a team of reserves against Millwall, and his remarks beforehand suggested the first XI will return to face Sevilla in the Champions League on Wednesday. His reserves may have lost but they also showed fight as well as capability and players such as Ben Chilwell, Daniel Amartey, Molla Wagué and Bartosz Kapustka looked as if they could yet offer something different as the Foxes scrap for every league point. Furthermore the largely overlooked Shinji Okazaki may have missed two chances but his commitment stood out, even against an opposition defined by hard work. Ranieri should remain open to giving his second-choice men a chance to turn round the season. Paul MacInnes

7) Wolves deserve praise for enterprise and atmosphere despite loss

On Saturday, Wolves had their biggest home crowd since 1981 and the atmosphere was magnificent. It was not just the visit of the Premier League leaders that brought the fans out; it was mainly admiration for their own team, which is young and enterprising. Paul Lambert spoke a few weeks ago about a trip he made to watch a Borussia Dortmund match last season. “I wasn’t in a job, so I just became a fan and loved it,” he said. “I had my hat, scarf and a few German beers. Jumping around, absolute magic.” There was a little bit of that at Molineux on Saturday, despite Wolves’ defeat (and the lack of German beer). Hopefully it intoxicated the club’s new owners, who had travelled from China to watch a match at the ground for the first time. “I think it’s important for the owners to see what this place can be like when it’s full,” Lambert said. “If you get in the Premier League, we’ll have many more nights like that.” Paul Doyle

8) Will Arsenal be prepared to pitch in at Sutton?

Talk of the artificial pitch at Gander Green Lane revives memories of the old school plastic surfaces that once unnerved visitors at Queens Park Rangers, Luton Town, Preston North End and Oldham Athletic, leading to predictions that Arsenal might become the latest team to find themselves on the wrong end of a giantkilling when they face non-league Sutton United on Monday night. Wounded from last week’s chastening defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Arsenal are unlikely to be relishing this one, with the potential for severe and lasting embarrassment high. Indeed, the mind goes back to Oldham hosting West Ham United on Boundary Park’s plastic pitch in the first leg of a League Cup semi-final 27 years ago and putting six past their wobbly opponents. But perhaps this is getting carried away, given that Sutton’s 3G pitch is in the modern mould and is unlikely to be anything Arsenal’s players have not trained on before. “The way Arsenal play football I think they’ll love it,” Sutton’s Jamie Collins says. Jacob Steinberg