Potter’s gamble backfires as it’s men against boys
UNITED WIN BUT LUKE, 16, IS A HER0
Twelve months after being knocked out on spot kicks by Derby County, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side delivered a stuttering performance which went the distance.
But they produced the perfect shootout to book their place in the fourth round, Daniel James firing home the fifth to secure safe passage after Sergio Romero saved Dale’s third from Jimmy Keohane.
United could have been forgiven for thinking a second goal inside a week for 17-yearold Greenwood would seal victory. But Rochdale upstaged their illustrious neighbours with an even younger hero in Luke Matheson.
Rochdale’s right-back is just 16 and it was his equaliser which sent this third-round tie into extra-time. Greenwood looked to have rescued a sloppy United performance with a second clinical finish after his strike against Astana last Wednesday, his left foot shot after 68 minutes.
But having seen a close range effort from Callum Camps cleared off the line on 52 minutes, Dale finally got the breakthrough their efforts deserved eight minutes later, Matheson arriving unmarked at the near post after Oliver Rathbone beat Wan Bissaka to the ball at the far post.
His lofted delivery found the youngster who smashed the ball high into the United net.
United’s line-up included Paul Pogba after three matches out with an ankle injury, along with
Jesse Lingard and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
In the first half United carved out a hatful of chances and put none of them away.
They were sloppy with their final delivery early and squandered plenty of possession. Pogba looked rusty and missed the best chance of the half, picked out six yards out by a perfect delivery from Wan-Bissaka from the right only to fire his unchallenged header yards over.
That chance sandwiched two wild shots from the Frenchman.
Marcus Rojo, with a back-post header early, and Mason Greenwood, with a low shot from the right, both forced Robert Sanchez into saves. But it was a first half in which United were disjointed. Rochdale might have taken the lead only to be denied by a goalline clearance from WanBissaka on 52 minutes, Rathbone wriggling his way to the right byline before cutting back to Camps five yards out.
But the striker’s instinctive stab towards goal was blocked by the outstretched left boot of the United man.
After Rochdale’s equalisier Fred had a shot blocked from distance and James’s effort from six yards out was smothered by Sanchez. MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Romero 4; WanBissaka 7, Tuanzebe 6, Jones 5 (Brandon Williams 46 5), Rojo 5; Fred 5, Pogba 4; Pereira 5; Lingard 6, Chong 6 (James 60); Greenwood 7. Goal: Greenwood 68. ROCHDALE (4-5-1): Sanchez 6; Matheson 6, Morley 6, McNulty 5, Norrington-Davies 5; Dooley 5 (Wilbraham 74), Williams 7, Rahtbone 7, Camps 6, Keohane 5; Henderson 5. Goal: Matheson 76. GRAHAM Potter’s big gamble on Brighton’s young guns backfired as Aston Villa made it men against boys at the Amex.
The Seagulls boss did get a first senior goal from 17-year-old debutant Haydon Roberts – but his inexperienced side were no match for Villa.
Jota’s first goal of the season and further strikers from Conor Hourihane and Jack Grealish made it a miserable night for Brighton, who also lost captain Shane Duffy to injury.
Both teams went into the game on a run of three matches without a win – but it was the home side who sprung the biggest surprise.
Brave boss Graham Potter made 11 changes, handing debuts to seven of his young players and naming only three over the age of 20.
In fact, it was the youngest starting line-up any Premier League team had named in any competition so far this season.
But it was a more experienced Villa, who made nine changes themselves to the side which twice blew a lead and lost at Arsenal, who took the lead in the 22nd minute.
Brighton failed to clear a routine cross and Jota beat David Button on the halfvolley from just inside the area.
Hourihane then made it two from a Keinan Davis cross 11 minutes later.
Rising teen star Aaron Connolly, who scored his first senior goal in the previous round, hit the woodwork for the home side.
But Button did well to stop Trezeguet making it three with a diving save before Roberts did manage to pull one back from a corner.Trouble was, the comeback did not last long.
Substitute Grealish restored his side’s two-goal cushion with a close-range volley 16 minutes later to send Villa, who have won this trophy five times, through.
BRIGHTON (3-4-3): Button 7; Duffy 5 (Yapi 72), Roberts 7, Bong 6; A Davies 6, Baluta 6, Jenks 6 (Spong 82), Cochrane 6; Gwargis 5, Connolly 6 (Longman 58, 6), Richards 5. Goal: Roberts 61. ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Steer 6; El Mohamady 6, Konsa 8, Hause 6, Targett 6; McGinn 6 (Grealish 66, 7), Luiz 6, Hourihane 7; Jota 7, Davis 7, Trezeguet 6 (Ramsey 80). Goals: Jota 22, Hourihane 33, Grealish 77.