Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho has suggested ahead of his side’s FA Cup tie with Blackburn Rovers on Sunday that some of his fellow foreign managers don’t “understand the culture” of Britain and fail to treat the competition with the appropriate respect as a result.

Mourinho, who expressed some doubt that Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick would be fit to return to the side for the game, said that there had been more upsets than usual in the competition this year “because of attitude” among the defeated bigger teams and that a better appreciation of British culture was necessary.

“Maybe we don't have as many English managers with that culture as we should,” Mourinho said. “Maybe we foreign managers, not everybody studies and understands the culture of this country. [The upsets are] because of attitude. Because you think it's easy and it's not easy. Also, the lower league's teams they are getting better and better.”

Mourinho also stood accused of failing to afford the competition respect 12 years ago this month when, in his first season at Chelsea, he took the side to Newcastle United and saw them lose 1-0 to an early Patrick Kluivert goal. The Tyneside club were in the Premier League but it still represented an upset.

“Yes, I threw it away,” Mourinho reflected of that result. “In the same week was Champions League against Barcelona (a 1-0 defeat) and the [Carling Cup] final against Liverpool (a victory on penalties) and in the middle of it we had FA Cup against Newcastle and I threw it away, I gambled too much.

“I focused too much on Barcelona and Liverpool. It was good because we beat Barcelona and won the final against Liverpool. So it was good. But the feeling that I threw it away was not good. So I don't throw it away. If I lose, I lose because the opponent was better or because we didn't play well but I am not going to throw it away. In my case, I had immediately in my first time, that situation with the match at Newcastle. So for me it was a lesson.”

Mourinho said he would change the make-up of the team from that one that defeated Saint Etienne 3-0 in the Europa League on Thursday night, courtesy of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s first hat-trick for United. He is certainly hoping that Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be fit, having missed Thursday’s game with illness.

“He's ill,” Mourinho said of the Armenian. “He stayed at home. Yesterday, he was feeling a little bit. The doctors were on it and hoping he would be ready but he was not ready. Let's see.”

Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Show all 11 1 /11 Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Sergio Romero - 6 out of 10 Endured an early scare following Eric Bailly's botched clearance but settled into the game and became more assured as time wore on. Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Antonio Valencia - 6 Nearly scored to end a three-year drought - but it wasn't to be. Got well forward, though some of his deliveries could have been better. Respectable evening in all. Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Eric Bailly - 6 Made one important block early on but his decision-making was found wanting on occasion. Improved as the game went on. Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Chris Smalling - 6 Didn't look too assured at times, allowing a number of Saint-Etienne runs in behind. Strong in the air though. Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Daley Blind - 5 Poor tracking nearly handed the visitors an equaliser in the second half. Somewhat shaky. Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Marouane Fellaini - 4 Not the best of games for the Belgian. Struggled to have much say and was subsequently substituted at half-time. Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Ander Herrera - 6 Kept United ticking over in the centre of the park. Recycled well and created chances for the home side. Solid evening for the midfielder. Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Paul Pogba - 7 Strong both on and off the ball. Showed his worth with real moments of pure class and equally impressive in his defensive duties. Should have converted his headed effort though. Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Juan Mata - 7 Rounded and comfortable evening for the Spaniard. Offered a reliable source of service to his team-mates and even managed to make a number of runs in behind the opponents' defence. Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 7 His hat-trick secured victory for the home side. Lady Luck helped him in his first and it was a case of right time, right place for the second. Took his penalty with ease and provided a general source of threat throughout. Manchester United vs Saint-Etienne player ratings Anthony Martial - 7 Looked busy all night long. A real menace down the flanks and threatened in and around the Saint-Etienne box. Positive, energetic performance.

The outlook for Rooney and Carrick seemed more pessimistic. “I want them to be fit,” he said. “I want them to be ready. Even today, if they were, they would be involved. I am not sure they will be ready because the game is in two days but let's see.”