CARABAO CUP holders Manchester United have begun their title defence with a comfortable 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Alejandro Garnacho gave the Red Devils the lead inside 21 minutes after finishing off a superb move before Casemiro headed in to make it 2-0 minutes later.
Anthony Martial scored Man United’s third early on in the second half as the Red Devils cruised into the hat for the fourth round.
- Match result: Manchester United 3-0 Crystal Palace
- Man United team: Onana, Amrabat, Maguire, Varane, Dalot, Casemiro, Hannibal, Mount, Pellistri, Garnacho, Martial.
- Crystal Palace team: Henderson, Clyne, Holding, Richards, Mitchell, Doucoure, Riedewald, Schlupp, Rak-Sakyi, Ayew, Mateta
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New partnership could be key to success
While it was an easy night for Man Utd against Crystal Palace, one thing we can take from this game is the potential of their new midfield duo.
Casemiro and Amrabat could really be a force to be reckoned with.
They will give them more protection defensively and the ability to break up the opponent’s attacks, something they have been missing so far this season.
Both players have a range of passing that can be key in the transition from defence to attack.
Credit: Getty Goals flowing again in Manchester
You cannot win games unless you are turning pressure into goals.
This has been a struggle for Man Utd this season but certainly not against Crystal Palace tonight.
Erik ten Hag’s side can take confidence from this and look to take it into their forthcoming games.
ten Hag pleased with side’s dominance
After getting an important win at Burnley on the weekend, Erik ten Hag would not have wanted to lose momentum with anything but a win this evening.
It is important that United get back into the habit of winning games and they backed up their manager’s thoughts this evening.
Crystal Palace made it easy for them but you can only beat what is put in front of you.
Brazilian masterclass from Red Devils
Casemiro controlled the game in the centre of the park.
His range of passing, always directly to feet, was sublime.
He topped off his performance by getting a goal also.
FT: Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
It was a very one-sided affair this evening.
Crystal Palace need to give a far better showing than this when they return to Old Trafford on the weekend.
Man Utd progress to the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
FT: Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
The referee brings the game to an end, putting the visiting fans out of their misery.
I would say all of the fans but the Man Utd fans are probably halfway home by now.
Solid win for Erik ten Hag’s side but they will have far more challenging games than what Crystal Palace have offered in terms of resistance this evening.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
90+2. Casemiro deservedly wins the man of the match award.
The Brazilian has been the stand-out player on the pitch tonight.
Even the Man Utd fans have had enough of this now as all you can see is empty seats in the home end.
Credit: AP Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
90. They should make the Crystal Palace players travel back on the coaches with the fans to London.
Try and give their travelling support something out of this wasted evening in Manchester.
We are going to have three minutes added on.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
88. Credit to Man Utd they are still coming forward looking for another goal.
Palace are just about keeping them at bay, this time at the expense of a corner.
As the corner is punched away, it comes to Lindelof on the edge of the box who hits it first time and forces another save out of the Crystal Palace keeper.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
86. Pellistri cuts inside and feeds it to Hojlund in the box.
He cannot keep the ball and is tackled.
Palace struggle to retain possession and United just forward once again.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
84. Van de Beek is penalised for a foul on Eze.
Roy Hodgson looks bemused on the touchline.
Mateta gets a shot away which draws a save from Onana, the rebound is dragged well wide of the United goal.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
82. Let’s hope there is not much time added on this one.
It has become a bit of a non-entity of a game now.
Like watching two drunks fight outside a pub without a single punch landing.
Credit: Reuters Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
80. Man Utd seem content just passing the ball around now.
They will want to ensure that they keep a clean sheet to make a good night at the office.
Although there is not much danger with the attacking intent we have seen from Roy Hodgson’s side tonight.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
78. It would be nice for Man Utd to employ some sort of ‘chant co-ordinator’.
They have been singing the same song for the last 57 minutes.
If the Crystal Palace fans had not slipped into a coma watching their team it would be time for a rendition of ‘is that the only song you know?’
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
76. Hojlund will be hoping to get on the scoresheet this evening.
He has one goal to his name since his arrival, although you could argue that was an own goal with the deflection it took.
Plenty of time for him to change those stats still this evening.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
74. Hojlund is ready to come on for Man Utd.
Meanwhile Ayew tries to get into the box but goes down all too easily.
Martial makes way for the Danish striker.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
72. Evans looks to spread the ball out wide but Clyne gets a head to it, at the cost of a throw in.
Crystal Palace seem resigned to defeat now in their approach.
That said, they have looked like that since the first goal went in.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
70. ten Hag finally makes the substitution of Hannibal.
He is replaced by Donny Van de Beek.
Dalot swings in a corner and Evans wins the header and Johnstone makes a good save to deny him.
Credit: AP Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
68. Stop the press! Palace have their first shot on target.
Onana saves it with an outstretched leg.
It has taken 68 minutes for Hodgson’s side to register their first shot on target in this game, shocking.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
66. Crystal Palace looked like they could play for 180 minutes and not score a goal against Fulham on the weekend.
It is nice to see that they have brought that league form into this game.
One way traffic at Old Trafford still.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
64. Eze looks to switch the ball from right to left.
There was such pace on the ball, Nathaniel Clyne would have needed to a time machine to go back to when he was ten years younger to catch up with that one.
Palace look devoid of ideas in the final third still.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
62. Gore bursts through the centre of the midfield.
He tries to thread it through to Martial but it is cut out.
United win back possession and look to come forward once again.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
60. Casemiro plays another sublime long pass to Garnacho, who does well to control it.
He drops his shoulder and beats Richards but then weirdly turns back to try and take him on again and is tackled.
Gore and Evans come on for Amrabat and Varane.
Strange that ten Hag has left Hannibal on the pitch, he is a red card waiting to happen.
Credit: Getty Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
58. Hodgson looks set to bring Hughes and Eze on.
It is all too little too late now.
He could bring on Zidane and Ronaldo and it is unlikely they would be able to turn this one around for the Londoners.
Man Utd 3-0 Crystal Palace
56. The visitors are getting what they deserve here tonight.
Their defending has been very poor and they are getting caught out ball watching all too often.
Casemiro plays a ball into the back post and Clyne does not react to the run of Martial who strokes it home.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
