Sometimes, a cup game against a lower division opponent can be a potential a banana skin for Premier League sides, especially when things aren’t necessarily going their way elsewhere.
However, for Manchester United, last night’s match against League One Barnsley in the League Cup couldn’t have gone any better.
Erik ten Hag’s side ran out 7-0 winners against the Colliers, had 65% of the possession and took a mammoth 26 shots to their three.
It was about as one-sided an encounter as you are going to see this season, and in the process, two starters may have started to revive their careers at the club.
Marcus Rashford's performance vs Barnsley
Yes, despite starting the season in a similar disappointing fashion to how he ended last year, Marcus Rashford continued his goalscoring form from the weekend by putting two past Barnsley’s Gabriel Słonina last night.
However, the Englishman could have easily scored a hat trick had he not given Antony the penalty in the first half in a bid to restore the Brazilian’s confidence.
The Manchester-born star’s performance impressed 90min’s Tom Gott, who awarded him a 10/10 on the night, writing that it was a ‘dominant’ display and that in his opening goal, he ‘showed some real class.’
Unsurprisingly, the 26-year-old’s match statistics thoroughly support such a high rating.
In his 63 minutes on the pitch, he provided one assist to go with his two goals, took three shots on target, completed three dribbles, played one key pass, created one big chance, and even made a clearance.
Minutes
63′
Goals
2
Assists
1
Shots on Target
3
Dribbles (Complete)
5 (3)
Key Passes
1
Big Chances Created
1
Clearances
1
Overall, Rashford played brilliantly last night, and while we can’t get carried away given the level of opposition, it was just another sign that the talented attacker could be on the way to reviving his United career this season, just like one of his teammates who also impressed at Old Trafford.
Casemiro's performance vs Barnsley
The other starter who certainly helped his case last night was Brazilian legend Casemiro, who, alongside summer signing Manuel Ugarte, put in a solid shift in the middle of the park and made life incredibly difficult for Barnsley.
The five-time Champions League winner has had a rough 18 months or so, but during his time on the pitch last night, he was constantly involved and ended the night with a whopping 109 touches of the ball and showed that when he has a more agile teammate alongside him, he can still be a useful cog in United’s defence and attack.
The 32-year-old impressed 90mins Gott, who awarded him an 8/10 on the night and wrote that the former Real Madrid star ‘made a noticeable impact in the final third,’ which is reflected in his statistics from the game.
Minutes
93′
Touches
109
Passes
79/90
Key Passes
1
Crosses (Accurate)
8 (7)
Shots on Target
1
Dribbles (Successful)
1 (1)
Duels (Won)
9 (6)
Shots Blocked
1
Clearances
1
Tackles
4
Interceptions
1
For example, in his 93 minutes of action, the midfield “monster”, as he was once dubbed by journalist Muhammad Butt, made 79 accurate passes, played one key pass, was accurate in seven of his eight crosses, took one shot on target, succeeded in 100% of his dribbles, won six of nine duels, blocked a shot, and made one clearance, one interception and four tackles.
Ultimately, it was the perfect night for United, Rashford and Casemiro, and while we cannot jump to conclusions due to the opposition, both players have given Ten Hag something to think about as the games come thick and fast over the next few weeks.
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