With a stellar performance at Old Trafford, Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United team easily advanced to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, defeating Barnsley 7-0. In the sixteenth minute, Marcus Rashford, who seems to have found his form at last, opened the score with a brace that would boost his confidence even more. Alejandro Garnacho scored twice as well, Antony converted a penalty kick, and Christian Eriksen added a late double to cap off United’s crushing victory; Barnsley is left wondering what hit them.
Manchester United Too-Hot-to-Handle for Barnsley
Manchester United ran rampant in the Carabao Cup third-round fixture with League One side Barnsley. With Erik Ten Hag and his men struggling for goals since the start of the new season, they have not been shy of goals in the last two games, scoring ten goals and conceding none against Southampton in the league and Barnsley, respectively. Despite promising opening minutes from the Tykes, they were forced back for 90 minutes at the Theatre Of Dreams. Marcus Rashford started where he left off at the St Mary’s Stadium, scoring in the 16 minute and following it up with a brace.
Antony scored on the spot with a much-needed goal to boost his confidence and maybe fight for a place on Manchester United’s first team. The Argentine Alejandro Garnacho was on fire today as he scored two goals and assisted two to mark off seven goals and assists already for the season. Garnacho and Rashford should have had hattricks, as they missed clear chances to make Barnsley’s night at Old Trafford even more miserable. It could not have worsened for Barnsley as Bruno Fernandes, Matthijs De Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui were subbed on. Fernandes, as usual, displayed class as he assisted two goals and helped Christian Eriksen score a late brace and make it 7 for the 2023 Carabao Cup champions.
Positives and Key Stats
Although the League One team can hardly take anything positive from this, Manchester United may consider several factors positively. While Manchester United have failed to rectify its xG in the Premier League, they operated efficiently today. With an xG of 4.14, they scored seven goals, meaning its shot conversion rate is a remarkable 169.08%. Not only were Manchester United lethal in attack, but they were also solid defensively, as they reduced Barnsley to just 0.07 xG, just three shots all game.
Another Positive was the Full home debut of Manuel Ugarte. The Uruguayan defensive midfielder had a solid night, getting a standing ovation from the Old Trafford faithful with a decent 62 minutes. Squad rotation and depth were tested as game time was given to Antony, Harry Maguire, and the youngster Collyer, who showed great promise and gave much-needed fitness and minutes to the rest of the players, which the Dutchman is not fond of.
What’s Next for Manchester United and Barnsley
Manchester United face Crystal Palace in the Premier League on the 21st of September before their UEFA Europa League campaign begins. They are expected to follow up on two dominant wins and snatch another three points from a team that is yet to win a match in the Premier League. Barnsley faces Burton Albion on the 21st of September, where they’d look to boost themselves from a traumatic night at Old Trafford and ensure that it does not affect them in the long run.
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