Manchester United’s Odion Ighalo celebrates scoring their third goal (Action Images via Reuters)

Loan signing Odion Ighalo scored twice as Manchester United beat second tier Derby County 3-0 on Thursday to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals and leave their all-time top scorer Wayne Rooney on the losing side.

Championship Derby started well but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men took control when defender Luke Shaw broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute with a shot that bounced off the turf and over goalkeeper Kelle Roos.

Shaw then provided the assist for Ighalo to muscle through and poke home United’s second in the 41st minute.

The 30-year-old Nigerian striker, who arrived at Old Trafford in January on a deal to the end of the season from China’s Shanghai Shenhua, doubled his tally in the 70th minute with a left-footed shot off a rebound.

United travel to Norwich City in the last eight after the Premier League’s bottom club beat Tottenham Hotspur, managed by former United boss Jose Mourinho, on penalties on Wednesday.

Rooney, who joined Derby this season after a stint with MLS side DC United, had a great chance to equalise but the midfielder’s 36th-minute free kick drew a fingertip save from United keeper Sergio Romero.

The bearded 34-year-old was then booked for a hard tackle on Scott McTominay.

United were without captain Harry Maguire, who suffered an ankle injury in training.

“He rolled his ankle in training. He had to stay at home and hopefully he’ll be OK for the weekend, but I’m not sure,” said Solskjaer, whose side host City in Sunday’s Premier League Manchester derby.

Solskjaer praises Ighalo

Manchester United striker Ighalo is fulfilling all the expectations of the Premier League club when they signed him on loan and the Nigerian will only improve as he gets used to his new team mates, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said.

Boyhood United fan Ighalo has taken his tally to three goals from two starts in the absence of injured first-choice Marcus Rashford, earning praise from Solskjaer.

“He’s doing what it says on the tin and what we asked for when we signed him…there’s more to come. He’ll improve, he’ll get sharper and more used to us. I have no doubt,” Solskjaer told a news conference.

“He has a physical presence. You can get the ball up to him and he can keep hold of it. It’s hard to be a central defender against him when he’s looking for you first and he buys himself half a yard just by that movement.”

Solskjaer said United’s young strikers can learn how to deal with defenders from the robust Ighalo, who will remain with the club until the end of the season.

“Sometimes our young boys, they are not used to that from the academy. They are used to, ‘you’re not allowed to tackle me’ almost. So, of course, I would like them to look at him and learn a couple of things,” Solskjaer said.