Manchester United are back in action and back to their winning ways. After almost 40 days without a competitive match, Erik Ten Hag’s side defeated Burnley 2-0 in the League Cup round of 16 match on Wednesday night at Old Trafford.
The win came as the courtesy of Christian Eriksen and Marcus Rashford goals. The Dane scored the opener thanks to Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s assist, capping off a great first half from the Red Devils. Just before the hour mark, Rashford scored the second following Scott McTominay’s assist, to get United into a comfortable lead and, ultimately, to a comfortable victory. Here is what we learned from this important win which got United into the quarterfinals of the second domestic cup competition.
Great Start After A Long Break
Man United caught the attention with a strong start in the first half. This was not the usual case with the Devils in recent years following long breaks. Usually, what would have happened when United had prolonged periods without a single match, they would struggle in the first match, especially in the first half, often trailing their opponents. But this time it was different.
Ten Hag’s side were focused and attacking-minded from the start, making six shots, four of which went on target. They created plenty of chances, attacked through Bruno Fernandes and had a handful of players who were motivated and doing well on the pitch.
Casemiro Shows Class In New Position
United were without numerous players for this match, but that was especially the case with centre-backs. Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez were playing in the World Cup final on Sunday, while Harry Maguire was absent as well. This meant Ten Hag had to be creative and he opted for Casemiro to start alongside Victor Lindelof.
This decision turned out to be a great one, as the Brazilian defensive midfielder showed his class in a new role. He was blocking and intercepting with ease, moving around nicely, whilst showcasing great technical quality on the ball. For matches like this one was, Casemiro showed Ten Hag he can have interesting new options when picking the team.
Rashford Keeps His Great Form
We saw Marcus Rashford in great form at the start of the season, feeling much more like his old self. We then had the chance to see him shine for England at the World Cup, too. And now he is back in Manchester and he continues putting out great performances. He scored the second goal of the night, but his overall performance was also strong. Rashford was getting past players, bringing the ball forward and he also had a key chance created too. It is great watching him play right now.
United To Face Charlton
And last but not the least, United have learned they will face Charlton Athletic in the League Cup quarter-final. The League One side is the only non-Premier League team remaining in the competition, with the draw giving United a nice chance to reach the last four. Man United will be the hosts at Old Trafford and right now it is expected for this match to be played on 10 January 2023.
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