Ten Hag gets his revenge
Fernandes storms in to kill off Villa
MANCHESTER UNITED atoned for their Premier League loss to Aston Villa on Sunday by producing a stunning comeback in the Carabao Cup.
Erik ten Hag challenged his players to deliver a response to that disappointing display at Villa Park and they delivered.
Bruno Fernandes inspired United as they twice came back from a goal down before he scored the decisive third goal and Scott McTominay made it 4-2.
Marcus Rashford netted United’s second to celebrate his call-up to Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad in front of his No.2 Steve Holland.
The striker said: “It was a game of two halves – we played with a lot more confidence in the second half.
“Both times we went behind we responded really quickly.”
Harry Maguire captained United on only his fifth start of the season.
DON’T try telling Bruno Fernandes to take it easy because the World Cup is just over a week away.
Fernandes played like this was his last game as he inspired Manchester United’s rousing comeback to atone for Sunday’s defeat at Villa Park.
He made the first of their two equalisers before he scored the decisive third goal to help send United through to the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.
On a night when Cristiano Ronaldo was selected for his fifth World Cup and given the evening off by United boss Erik ten Hag, Fernandes more than made up for his fellow Portuguese’s absence.
He showed the sort of desire which was lacking in United’s disappointing loss at Aston Villa.
Marcus Rashford celebrated his World Cup call-up by scoring the second but Harry Maguire was not so impressive on what was only his fifth start of the season and questions remain about his form and match fitness going to Qatar.
Sequels often disappoint and the first half of this second meeting between the sides in four days lacked the intensity and entertainment of Sunday’s Premier League clash in the Midlands.
But the tie exploded into action when Villa scored in the 48th minute and United equalised 90 seconds later.
Jacob Ramsey played Ollie Watkins in and the striker, who failed to make Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad, produced an excellent finish to score past Martin Dubravka, with the Reds vainly appealing Boubacar Kamara had handled in the build-up.
Ten Hag’s side levelled 19 seconds after the restart when Diogo Dalot sent Fernandes away down the right and he centred for Anthony Martial to slot home.
Villa hit back to take the lead on 61 minutes when Ashley Young swung over a cross to the back post and Leon Bailey, who had only been on the pitch for two minutes, headed the ball back across for Dalot to divert it into his own net.
United equalised again six minutes later. Young tackled Christian Eriksen and the ball broke for Rashford to evade Tyrone Mings and Calum Chambers and fire home.
Robin Olsen saved from Fernandes and Maguire, before the Villa keeper dropped a clanger as the home side took the lead 12 minutes from time.
Olsen kicked the ball straight to Alejandro Garnacho, who fed Fernandes and his shot was deflected home off the despairing Mings.
Scott McTominay made sure of victory in the first minute of stoppage time.
MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): Dubravka 6; Dalot 5, Maguire 5, Lindelof 5 (Martinez 87), Malacia 6; Fred 6 (Eriksen 62, 6), McTominay 6; FERNANDES 8, Van de Beek 5 (Elanga 62, 6), Rashford 8 (Casemiro 82); Martial 7 (Garnacho 62, 6).
ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Olsen 6; Young 7 (Cash 74), Konsa 6 (Mings 59, 5), Chambers 5, Augustinsson 6 (Digne 80); Ramsey 7 (Bailey 59, 7), Luiz 7, Kamara 6, McGinn 6; Watkins 7, Ings 7 (Buendia 59, 6).
REFEREE: David Coote 7.