A rousing second-half display from Manchester United earned the hosts a thrilling 4-2 victory over Aston Villa in the EFL Cup third round on Thursday.
After a uneventful first half, the game sprang to life just after the break as Ollie Watkins clipped Villa into the lead, before the hosts went straight down the other end to level through Anthony Martial.
The chances kept coming and Villa retook the lead after Diogo Dalot inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net, only for United to quickly equalise again, Marcus Rashford applying the finish.
The game opened up as it approached the latter stages and Bruno Fernandes, played in by substitute Alejandro Garnacho, put United ahead with a shot, off the back of Villa defender Tyrone Mings, 12 minutes from time.
Scott McTominay added a late fourth for United to put the seal on a exhilarating win over Villa who beat them 3-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.
“It was a game of two halves,” Rashford told Sky Sports. “First half it was not great in possession so it was similar to the other day. The second half we played with a lot more confidence.
“My aim is to enjoy my football and at the moment I am. If I am scoring goals and winning, then I am happy.
“I try to end up in a place for the goal. I would say I am more comfortable on the wing, back to goal I need to improve a lot on that.”
United fell at the third-round stage last year at home to West Ham United, and having put in a such a below-par showing in the first half at Old Trafford, the writing appeared to be on the wall again after Watkins’s goal.
Just as was the case the weekend, the United backline was too easily carved open by a Jacob Ramsey pass, and Watkins did the rest with a fine finish.
Martial, starting only his second game of an injury-ravaged campaign, tapped home Fernandes’s perfect pass moment later, his fifth goal of the season, before Dalot’s unfortunate intervention.
From there on, however, it was all United, with Rashford celebrating his England World Cup call-up by flashing a strike wide before showing great determination to net his eighth goal of the season.
Fernandes completed the comeback and McTominay’s goal on the stretch, moments after he had thundered a strike against the crossbar, was thoroughly deserved as United progressed in style.
EFL Cup holders Liverpool were handed the toughest of fourth-round draws on Thursday with a trip to Premier League champions Manchester City.
Liverpool have struggled domestically this season, needing a penalty shootout to dispose of second-tier Derby County on Wednesday after they were held to a 0-0 draw at Anfield.
City, who have won four of the last five EFL Cups, were made to work hard for their third-round victory over Chelsea.
City’s only defeat in all competitions this season was against Liverpool, however, with Mohamed Salah’s late strike giving them a 1-0 Premier League win last month.
Manchester United, who twice came from behind to beat Aston Villa 4-2 at Old Trafford on Thursday, host second-tier Burnley in the fourth round and there is another all Premier League clash as Newcastle United entertain Bournemouth.
The ties will be played in the week commencing December 19, just after the World Cup final in Qatar. – Super Sports.
