Mata fires United past rivals City
Spaniard strikes to win a tight derby clash as Red Devils knock out defending champions to reach quarters
MANCHESTER: Juan Mata swept home to steer Manchester United into the League Cup quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over holders and bitter local rivals Manchester City on Wednesday as Jose Mourinho got one over old adversary Pep Guardiola.
Mata rifled in a low finish past City keeper Willy Caballero early in the second half at Old Trafford on a night of few chances but plenty of derby fervour as United boss Mourinho won the tactical battle against Guardiola’s much-changed City side.
The result lifted some of the pressure off Mourinho following Sunday’s 4-0 defeat to Chelsea, but for his old sparring partner, Guardiola, it was a sixth successive game without victory, his longest winless streak as a manager.
Recent results and the gathering pressure on both Mourinho and Guardiola ensured the clash at Old Trafford had all the usual spice of a derby encounter even if City made nine changes to their side against a virtually full-strength United team.
WEST HAM OUST
RIVALS CHELSEA
LONDON: West Ham invigorated their stuttering season with a 2-1 home victory over fierce London rivals Chelsea to surge into the English League Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.
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.
Meanwhile, in another clash, Southampton heaped more misery on struggling Sunderland with a 1-0 victory. Liverpool v Leeds
Man United v West Ham Hull v Newcastle
Arsenal v Southampton