If Manchester United were forced onto the back-foot following Ander Herrera’s 35th-minute red card in their FA Cup sixth-round 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, manager Jose Mourinho was very much on the front-foot. He passive-aggressively cast doubt on the decisions of referee Michael Oliver without directly criticising him, and left in a few pointed comments about his importance to Chelsea’s history when asked about their goading of him, stating that - having won three of their five titles - “for this moment, Judas is number one”.

Beyond the obvious pantomime of what was a highly-charged and emotional cup tie, Mourinho did have one fair and logical tactical point: that it was a completely different game once Herrera was sent off. He even pointed to how they shackled Chelsea’s centre-halves. Whether United would have won the game, or whether the card was unfair, is down to perspective. Mourinho’s perspective on both, however, was unequivocal. He could see only one winner.

“I think we all saw the game and can have different opinions and perspectives. But we have to agree there was a match until the moment Herrera saw the red card, and then there was another match after that. Before that, I saw a game with the feeling I was going to win. Everything was under control and their frustration was evident because they couldn't play the way they always play. Then, with 10 men, it was very difficult for us. Our strategy was to play with two up front. When we had two up front, the three central defenders couldn't come with the ball. They were giving bad long balls, outside the pitch.

Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 1-courtois.jpg LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 22: Thibaut Courtois of Chelsea in action during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on January 22, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 2-azpilicueta.jpg Chelsea's Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta (L) wins a header during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 3-luiz.jpg Britain Football Soccer - Chelsea v Manchester United - FA Cup Quarter Final - Stamford Bridge - 13/3/17 Chelsea's David Luiz warms up before the game Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. REUTERS Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 4-cahill.jpg Chelsea's English defender Gary Cahill (L) vies with Manchester United's Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Justin TALLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 5-moses.jpg Chelsea's Nigerian midfielder Victor Moses runs with the ball during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 6-kante.jpg Chelsea's French midfielder N'Golo Kante (L) vies with Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 7-matic.jpg Chelsea's Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic (R) vies with Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 8-alonso.jpg BURNLEY, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 12: Marcos Alonso of Chelsea in action during the Premier League match between Burnley and Chelsea at Turf Moor on February 12, 2017 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 9-willian.jpg LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Matteo Darmian of Manchester United in action with Willian of Chelsea during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on March 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images) Man Utd via Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 10-hazard.jpg LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Eden Hazard of Chelsea takes on Marcos Rojo of Manchester United during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on March 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images) Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 11-costa.jpg Chelsea's Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa (2nd L) claims a foul during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Justin TALLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 1-de-gea.jpg Manchester United's Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea (C) is hurt in this clash with Chelsea's Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa (L) as he comes to punch the ball during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 2-valencia.jpg MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Antonio Valencia of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United and AFC Bournemouth at Old Trafford on March 4, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images) Man Utd via Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 3-jones.jpg Manchester United's English defender Phil Jones (L) fights for the ball with Rostov's forward Aleksandr Bukharov during the UEFA Europa League round of 16 football match between Rostov and Manchester United at Olimp-2 Arena in Rostov-on-Don on March 9, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Alexander NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 4-smalling.jpg Chelsea's Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard runs with the ball, chased by Manchester United's English defender Chris Smalling (L) during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 5-rojo.jpg Manchester United's Argentinian defender Marcos Rojo (2nd R) clears the ball under pressure from Chelsea's Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa (R) during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 6-darmian.jpg LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Eden Hazard of Chelsea is challenged by Matteo Darmian of Manchester United during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on March 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 7-herrera.jpg LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Ander Herrera of Manchester United reacts as he is shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver and is sent off during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on March 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 8-pogba.jpg Chelsea's French midfielder N'Golo Kante (L) vies with Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 9-young.jpg LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Victor Moses of Chelsea and Ashley Young of Manchester United battle for the ball during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on March 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 10-mkhitaryan.jpg LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Manchester United shields the ball from Cesar Azpilicueta of Chelsea during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on March 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images) Getty Images Chelsea vs Manchester United player ratings 11-rashford.jpg Manchester United's English striker Marcus Rashford (L) vies with Chelsea's Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in London on March 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Justin TALLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images

"Then when we had one player less, they had three against one and could bring the ball and be more dominant. In spite of that, we defended really well. In spite of that, we had the biggest chance of the game when [Marcus] Rashford faces the Chelsea goalkeeper. So I'm really proud of my players, after Thursday in Rostov and with them again on Thursday... I'm really proud of the guys. Mr Oliver... goes home and can do his own analysis because I don't want to analyse his work.

“You can compare the decisions of these two yellow cards, in this case the second yellow, with others that weren't given. But I don't want to go in that direction. This season, Mr Michael Oliver, a referee of fantastic potential, we were a bit unlucky as Manchester United. In four matches, we might have had three penalties and we had one red card. I can't change that, but I can try and interfere with the match on Thursday which is coming. I shook the referee's hand and said 'Many congratulations', and there's nothing more to say.”

Mourinho expanded on the point further.

“Compare Herrera's second yellow card with that of a couple of minutes later when Rashford goes to attack the space and the Chelsea captain grabs him, stops him in a counter-attack. Mr Oliver does not give a card, not even a yellow. But I'm not talking about that.”

He was more willing to talk about his relationship with Chelsea fans. Niceties have gradually eroded since he left the club in December 2015, and a chant of “fuck off Mourinho” was met with three fingers and a point to the pitch to gesture that he had won the most league titles in their history. That just saw more chanting, from “it’s all your fault” to “you ruined it”, but he had responses to those claims too.

Mourinho watches on from the sideline (Getty)

“They can call me what they want,” Mourinho explained. “I am a professional. I defend my club. Until the moment they have a manager that wins four Premier Leagues for them, I'm the number-one. When they have somebody who wins four Premier Leagues for them, I'll be number-two. For this moment, Judas is number-one.”

When asked about missing key players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mourinho said United don’t cry, while offering another rebuke to Chelsea.

“We don't cry. Nobody saw us crying this week because we don't have Zlatan, this or that. Nobody had one single word from us crying about it. The only thing we spoke about is the fact we are playing in Europe and our opponents aren't. You know... our opponents could. I left the club last season in the Champions League, winning the Champions League group, in the knockout phase playing the second leg at home. If they won the Champions League last year, they'd be playing in Europe this season. It's not my fault. It's the ones that stayed here and didn't win the Champions League. What I share with them is that we didn't have a good Premier League, and I share responsibility with that.”

Mourinho did not shake Antonio Conte’s hand after what had been a tempestuous match between those two in particular, but insisted that was not an issue and that he would willingly exchange pleasantries.