United’s Mata sinks City in Cup
JUAN Mata’s second-half strike earned Manchester United a 1-0 win over holders Manchester City on Wednesday night, as Jose Mourinho’s resurgent side reached the English Football League Cup quarterfinals.
Humiliated 4-0 by Mourinho’s former club Chelsea at the weekend, United got back to winning ways and claimed a measure of revenge for their 2-1 loss to Pep Guardiola’s City in last month’s league derby.
The result at Old Trafford gave Mourinho only his third victory in 13 encounters with Guardiola, who has gone six games without victory for the first time in his glittering managerial career.
“The players did everything and deserved to win. We are happy,” Mourinho said.
“In the last week everything went against us, but we are professionals.
“The fans felt deeply such a negative result and today was a good chance to clear that feeling, because a derby knockout and to win gives everyone a better feeling.”
United will now entertain West Ham United, who claimed a 2-1 upset win over Chelsea, while Southampton’s reward for overcoming Sunderland 1-0 is a trip to Arsenal.
Mourinho previously won the competition three times at Chelsea and with City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur all falling by the wayside in the fourth round, his path to the final is clearing once again.
While City remain top of the league, on goal difference, and although Guardiola selected a much weaker team than Mourinho, their early season momentum has deserted them.
Mourinho used his program notes to say “sorry” to United’s fans for the result at Chelsea and his decision to make only four changes to his starting XI showed his eagerness to make amends.
Guardiola, in contrast, made nine changes, notably handing starts to youngsters Pablo Maffeo and Aleix Garcia.
His side should have gone ahead in the second minute when Kelechi Iheanacho headed over from Jesus Navas’s cross and they might have had a penalty when Michael Carrick caught Garcia near the byline.
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba both wasteful, United struggled to establish a foothold in City ter- ritory and when they did, the visitors’ defenders were on hand to block.
Had Marcos Rojo not rushed across to block from Iheanacho, meanwhile, United would have trailed at t he inter va l.
But Mourinho’s half-time team ta lk had t he desired ef fect, and af ter Cit y goalkeeper Willy Caballero had touched a shot from Pogba onto the post, the hosts took a 54th-minute lead.
West Ham shock Chelsea
Leaving Nicolas Otamendi on his back in an aerial challenge, Ibrahimovic crossed from the left and with Ander Herrera and Fernando colliding at the near post, Mata popped up to sweep home.
“Congratulations to United, they made a good performance,” Guardiola said. “We had chances on the counterattack. I am happy with the young players. [I have] no regrets [about the team selection].”
West Ham pulled off the biggest shock of the round with victory over Chelsea in the first local derby at their new London Stadium.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte made seven changes from his side’s win over United and saw his team fall behind to Cheikhou Kouyate’s superb 11th-minute header.
Edimilson Fernandes added a second early in the second half and although Gary Cahill reduced the arrears in stoppage time, after substitute Eden Hazard had hit the post, it came too late.
There was a heavy police presence inside and outside the former Olympic Stadium, where there has been trouble involving West Ham fans in previous games.
But rival supporters clashed at the end of the game, with some throwing chairs and bottles. London police said they made seven arrests yesterday.
Southampton beat Sunderland at St Mary’s courtesy of a fine 20-yard curler from ex-Lille winger Sofiane Boufal, who was making his full debut.
Manchester United were handed a home tie with West Ham in Wednesday’s League Cup quarterfinal draw.
In the only other all-Premier League last-eight tie, Southampton will visit Arsenal.
Liverpool, who beat Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday, host second-tier Leeds United, while Championship leaders Newcastle visit Hull, with the quarterfinal ties to be played the week commencing November 28.