November 11,2022

Manchester United have booked their spot in the fourth round of the EFL Cup courtesy of a 4-2 win over fellow Premier League side Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

Ollie Watkins sent Villa ahead in the 48th minute of the contest before Anthony Martial levelled less than one minute later.

Unai Emery‘s side were back ahead just past the hour courtesy of an own goal from Diogo Dalot, but Marcus Rashford, fresh from an England call up for the World Cup, again levelled it up in the 67th minute before a deflected strike from Bruno Fernandes sent the hosts into the lead.

Scott McTominay then added a fourth for Erik ten Hag‘s side in the latter exchanges after meeting a brilliant delivery from the exciting Alejandro Garnacho.

Man United were out for revenge against Villa, with Emery’s side recording a 3-1 victory when the two teams locked horns in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

There was no Cristiano Ronaldo for the hosts, with the 37-year-old out through illness, while Antony and Jadon Sancho were again missing for a side that last won the League Cup in 2017.

Fernandes had the ball in the back of the Villa net in the 18th minute when he converted a cross from Rashford, but the offside flag saved the visitors, who were on the back foot in the early exchanges.

Dalot headed a Tyrell Malacia cross over the Villa goal in the 24th minute, before McTominay had to head a dangerous Douglas Luiz corner off the line down the other end.

Ashley Young looked for the spectacular against his former club in the 33rd minute when he met a dropping ball outside the penalty box, but the experienced defender’s effort was always too high.

Villa took the lead early in the second half, with Watkins racing onto a pass from Jacob Ramsey before expertly finishing past Martin Dubravka.

However, Man United were level less than one minute later, with Fernandes collecting a pass from Dalot before rolling the ball into Martial, who could not miss from close range.

Rashford had a powerful strike deflected wide of the Villa box in the 54th minute, but the visitors regained the lead in the 61st minute when Young’s cross found the head of Leon Bailey, and Dalot turned into the back of his own net from close range

The Red Devils almost answered straight back once again through Rashford, but the England international’s powerful strike just clipped the post, before Watkins fired wide down the other end.

Rashford did level in the 67th minute, though, with the attacker breaking onto a loose ball inside the Villa box before smashing it past Robin Olsen from close range.

Fernandes curled one past the Villa goal 20 minutes from time, before the Portugal international brought a smart save from Olsen after turning and striking inside the box in the 76th minute.

Olsen then kept out a powerful header from Harry Maguire, before Fernandes just missed the target with a low strike during a period of sustained pressure from the home side.

Brilliant work from Bailey then released Watkins down the other end, but the striker’s touch was too heavy inside the Man United box, with the chance wasted after wonderful foot work from the Jamaica international.

Man United had their third in the 78th minute when a misplaced pass from Olsen allowed Garnacho to find Fernandes, and his strike was deflected into the back of the net by Tyrone Mings.

McTominay thumped one against the crossbar in the 89th minute before Christian Eriksen headed wide, but there was a fourth for Man United late on, with McTominay converting from inside the box after a brilliant cross from Garnacho.

Next up for Man United is a trip to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday, while Villa’s last fixture ahead of the break for the World Cup is against Brighton & Hove Albion on the same afternoon