We looked at the battle on the sidelines as Jose Mourinho and Mark Hughes went head to head.

IF Jose Mourinho is the Special One then Mark Hughes must surely be christened the Extra-Special One!

For Blackburn Rovers' impressive manager might have ended up on the losing side yesterday, but overall he out-witted and out-manoeuvred his Chelsea counterpart in an intriguing tactical battle.

Hughes has savoured countless big games in a long and fantastically illustrious career.

As far as his time in club management goes, this was arguably the biggest of the lot.

Despite defeat, Sparky came out with flying colours, enhancing his reputation as one of the Premiership's top bosses.

The very best managers live and die by their decisions, and Hughes showed that he is not afraid of making massive calls on the grandest of stages.

His team selection certainly raised eyebrows before kick-off, with David Dunn's steel preferred to the silk of Tugay in Rovers' midfield engine room.

More surprising was his omission of Matt Derbyshire, the hero of Blackburn's stunning FA Cup run, for Jason Roberts - a man who had not previously scored a goal in a Blackburn shirt.

His choices could have backfired and left Hughes with egg on his face. But they proved to be inspired, leaving Mourinho sweating on his quadruple dream.

Dunn was Blackburn's heartbeat, throwing himself into challenges left, right and centre, while the lively Roberts weighed in with the all-important equaliser.

And all the while, Hughes looked on from his place on the sidelines, cutting an imposing figure.

Stood in Old Trafford's home dugout, Hughes was temporarily manning Sir Alex Ferguson's station, directing his own men in red shirts.

Bizarrely, for a manager who enjoys the big occasion, not to mention the cameras, Mourinho rarely showed his face outside of Chelsea's dugout.

It was a different story for general Hughes, who, looking dapper in his Rovers' club blazer and tie, kicked every ball from his technical area.

In the first-half, Sparky's hands were cemented to his hips in frustration.

And there was more than one confrontation with fourth official Mark Clattenburg as some marginal decision went against Rovers.

His demeanour changed for the better after the interval, as Blackburn deservedly stormed back into the tie.

Sadly, for one of the FA Cup's most celebrated figures, the eventual result did not go his way.

However, he could walk out of Old Trafford with his head held high, knowing both his and Blackburn's reputation had soared.