Manchester United's Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee reacts as he shot is saved during the English League Cup third round football match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on Sept 17, 2024. [Photo/Agencies]
LONDON — Manchester United crushed Barnsley 7-0 in the League Cup third round on Tuesday, as troubled winger Antony scored his first goal of the season and Marcus Rashford struck twice to extend his revival.
While United ran riot, Fulham made unwanted history as the Premier League club was beaten by second-tier Preston 16-15 on penalties in the tournament's longest ever shootout.
Languishing in 10th place in the Premier League after two defeats in its first four games, United was never in danger of suffering an upset from its third-tier opponents at Old Trafford.
Rashford, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho all netted before halftime to effectively seal United's second successive victory after Saturday's Premier League win at Southampton.
Rashford and Garnacho each scored again after the interval and Christian Eriksen's double wrapped up United's biggest win since boss Erik ten Hag arrived from Ajax in 2022.
"It is the first time this team is playing together. Once we found our patterns we scored some great goals," Ten Hag said.
"We played with a lot of speed and were ruthless. The key was the right attitude and to be 100 percent concentrated.
"Last season was difficult for everyone, but we ended with the FA Cup. We hit our target and that is what we aim for this season, we want to progress."
Despite promising to take the League Cup "very seriously", Ten Hag made eight changes, with Manuel Ugarte handed his first start after the midfielder's arrival from Paris Saint-Germain.
Ten Hag's raft of switches were no hindrance for United, as it made a flying start to its bid to win the tournament for the second time in three seasons.
The Dutchman had described Rashford as being like a bottle of tomato ketchup after he scored his first goal of the season at Southampton last weekend.
Having rarely scored during a difficult campaign last season, Ten Hag claimed Rashford would enjoy a spurt of success after breaking his duck.
His prediction looked spot on in the 16th minute, as Garnacho's raking pass picked out Rashford and he cut inside Marc Roberts before firing high past Barnsley keeper Gabriel Slonina into the top corner.
It was the first time the 26-year-old had scored in successive games since March.
Antony was making his first start this season, and the out-of-favor Brazilian international converted a 35th-minute penalty after being fouled by Slonina as he ran through on goal.
Garnacho stabbed in United's third goal from close range in first-half stoppage time.
Garnacho netted again in the 49th minute, sprinting onto Eriksen's pass and slotting home.
Rashford bagged his brace in the 58th minute, taking Garnacho's pass and finishing with aplomb.
With Barnsley utterly outclassed, Eriksen steered in two clinical finishes in the 81st and 85th minutes.
Shootout drama
At Deepdale, second-division Preston North End secured the biggest shock of the night by beating Fulham 16-15 in an epic penalty shootout.
The game ended 1-1 at full time with Ryan Ledson putting Preston ahead in the 35th and Reiss Nelson equalizing for Fulham in the 61st.
What followed was the longest shootout in League Cup history with Preston eventually triumphing after 34 spot kicks.
After 32 penalties were successfully converted, Fulham's Timothy Castagne missed the target, while Ledson made no mistake to fire Preston into the fourth round.
The previous League Cup shootout record was set in 2016 when Derby beat Carlisle 14-13.
Meanwhile, Everton's wretched start to the season showed no signs of abating, as Southampton won 6-5 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.
Agencies
