Rashford delivers to secure Carabao Cup progress for United
ON THE MARK: Marcus Rashford. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.
IT may have taken months for Erik ten Hag to stamp his mark on Manchester United but a spectacular Marcus Rashford goal last night ensured their “new” season kicked off with spirits high at Old Trafford.
Rashford’s goal was the undoubted highlight of a highly satisfactory evening for the Dutch manager, as the England forward collected the ball 15 yards inside his own half and headed for goal after 57 minutes.
The United star weaved his way forward, slicing through defenders and leaving centre-half Jordan Beyer cluelessly back-pedalling and uncertain what to do, before planting a brilliant finish into the bottom corner from just inside the area.
That all but ensured United a place in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup, the competition that represents their last domestic trophy, won in 2017.
And it also guaranteed that the return for the second part of this most unusual of league seasons saw United, players and supporters alike, with a bounce in their step.
Not only had the World Cup break seen United finally resolve the cancerous situation involving unsettled - and unsettling - superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, by releasing the legend, but the Glazers had announced they were open to selling the club.
Here, at the first fixture since that momentous news was revealed, supporters were in strong voice, as ever, in articulating their hatred for the unpopular American owners.
More relevantly, after seeing their team lose just one of their last 12 games before the World Cup break, those same fans could also see real progress continued by ten Hag in his debut season in charge.
How much progress? By the time United shot into a 27th minute lead, it was tempting to think the Dutchman might have something of the Midas touch about him, given the identity of the man creating that goal for Christian Eriksen.
Right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka had not started a game for the Reds since a desultory four-goal defeat at Liverpool in April and may yet leave the club, possibly on loan, next month.
But he displayed his athleticism and skill to the full when he stretched to keep in an ambitious deep ball from Bruno Fernando which looked like it might float harmlessly out of play.
Wan-Bissaka’s volleyed cross was as precise as it was eye-catching and met by Eriksen who was unmarked at almost point-blank range to turn in the centre.
That was part of a largely impressive first half display from a United side without World Cup Final centre-halves Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane and with Harry Maguire unavailable through illness.
That forced ten Hag into moving Casemiro into the centre of the United defence although it was the manager’s selection of goalkeeper that offered Burnley their best hope of a way back into the fourth-round tie.
David de Gea’s deputy Martin Dubravka was handed the start and dealt unconvincingly with Burnley’s first shot, from Manuel Benson, on 35 minutes.
The Slovakian international then produced a disastrous punch in trying to deal with the resulting corner, requiring Casemiro to hack the ball off his line, before allowing a back-pass to run under his boot and almost into his own net moments later.
Still, Bailey Peacock-Farrell had to make an impressive, flying save to keep out a shot from Anthony Martial just before the interval that would have seen United double their lead.
Martial, whose United career has been consistently disrupted by injury, will have an important role to play in ten Hag’s squad post-Ronaldo, especially if, as is quite likely, the manager is unable to bring in a high-quality striker in next month’s transfer window.
The same is obviously true of Rashford who, it was announced as a formality yesterday, has had a one-year contract extension automatically activated by United, as have Luke Shaw, Fred and Diogo Dalot, ensuring they will not be free to leave when their old deals expire this summer.
But the issue of a lack of strikers aside, there is depth and versatility in this United squad; certainly enough to suggest a top-four finish and cup success may not be beyond them this year.
Scott McTominay could have added to their lead, before Rashford scored, while Burnley wasted good chances through Darko Churlinov and Ashley Barnes, twice, both of whom failed to hit the target with the United goal beckoning.
Dubravka 4; Wan-Bissaka 7 (Shaw 71, 6), Casemiro 7, Lindelof 7, Malacia 6 (Williams 85); Fernandes 7, McTominay 7, Eriksen 7; Rashford 9 (Fred 84), Martial 7 (Elanga 71, 5), Garnacho 5 (Antony 58, 6). Substitutes (not used) de Gea, Pellistri, van de Beek, Bennett.
Peacock-Farrell 7; Roberts 7, Harwood-Bellis 6, Beyer 5, Maatsen 5 (Taylor 90); Cork 7 (Egan-Riley 89), Cullen 6; Benson 5 (Churlinov 63, 5), Brownhill 6 (Bastien 89), Gudmundsson 7; Barnes 5 (Twine 82). Substitutes (not used) Muric, Rodriguez, McNally, Lewis.
G Scott 7
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
