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Jonny Evans stepped up his return to action with a an hour-long run-out as United’s Under-21s thrashed Blackburn Rovers 5-0 in the Lancashire Senior Cup.

The Northern Irishman has not featured for the Reds’ first team since picking up an ankle injury half an hour into the 5-3 defeat to Leicester back in September.

But he looks to be nearing a comeback after putting in an assured performance for an experienced reserves side also containing Ander Herrera, Anders Lindegaard and Adnan Januzaj.

Warren Joyce’s men will now face Wigan Athletic away from home in the semi-finals as they look to reclaim a trophy they last won in 2012-13.

It did not take long for the senior players to evidence their class in front of a respectable crowd at Leigh Sports Village, with Herrera producing a wonderful touch that freed Will Keane to hit the post within minutes of kick-off.

And Keane had his goal moments later as Januzaj slid in Saidy Janko on the right before the full-back picked out the Stockport-born forward for a tap-in.

Devarn Green was undoubtedly Rovers’ brightest player in the early stages, and he tested Anders Lindegaard either side of United’s opener with two excellent efforts from distance.

But the Dane’s stops kept the Reds ahead, and they made the advantage pay through yet another fine link-up between two of Louis van Gaal’s squad members.

With Blackburn’s defenders huddled in the centre of the box awaiting a free-kick from the right, Januzaj picked out Herrera’s retreat to the edge of the area and the former Athletic Bilbao man controlled his effort into the net.

Blackburn threatened briefly throughout the Reds’ dominance of the first half, but with Evans and Tom Thorpe forming an impressive duo at centre-half, their opportunities were few.

And after Thorpe pulled off a remarkable challenge in the box to prevent Rovers pulling one back, United’s dominance was underlined by a third goal.

Not to be outshone by his more senior colleagues, Andreas Pereira fizzed in a brilliant effort distance that found the far corner of the net just before the break.

The Reds’ victory and their place in the last four was all-but assured by half-time but intensity levels did not drop following the restart.

As a result they were soon four up, when Joe Rothwell - who had replaced the injured Josh Harrop early on - smashed home inside the box after an initial Keane effort was saved.

United’s passing in the final third initially slackened after their lead grew to four, but that slump did not last long before they capped the night off in style with a fifth.

It came thanks to a glorious team move that ended with Ben Pearson audaciously flicking the ball to Rothwell, who curled brilliantly into the far corner from the edge box.

Unfortunately, it was followed by the only blot on the night for the young Reds, as Thorpe was taken off on a stretcher after picking up an injury in a committed tackle.

United: Lindegaard, Janko (Grimshaw, 70), Thorpe, Evans (Love, 66), Vermijl, Pearson, Harrop (Rothwell, 29), Herrera, Pereira, Januzaj, Keane.