Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund has apologised to the fans following the club’s early exit from the Carabao Cup against Newcastle United at Old Trafford last night.
United and Newcastle made wholesale changes to the starting line-up yesterday, but the latter were the more creative side and secured a comfortable two-goal lead at the break.
Joe Willock made it 3-0 for the Magpies in the fourth round tie in the 60th minute. Hojlund came off the bench after the goal but could not spark an unlikely comeback.
With the result, United have bowed out of the Cup competition before the quarter-final stage. They should be bitterly disappointed, considering they were the holders.
Man Utd became a former League Cup champion after losing 0-3 at home to Newcastle in round 4. The away team’s goals were scored by Almiron, Hall and Willock.
Just three days after the 0-3 loss to Man City, Man Utd continued to lose with the same score at home at Old Trafford when they fell to Newcastle. The bitter thing is, in the League Cup final last season, Man Utd won 2-0 against “Magpies” to win the cup and now they receive bitter fruit from the team from the Northeast.
Man Utd replaced up to 7 players in the starting lineup compared to the match against Man City. Coach Ten Hag only kept Onana, Maguire, Lindelof and Dalot in the starting lineup. Before the match, the Dutch strategist said that there was no way back for his students, but the Old Trafford team did not change, they still played very poorly at home.
In the 28th minute, Livramento won the ball from home and rushed forward strongly. Man Utd players could not stop Newcastle’s right back from rising. Livramento then passed the ball to Almiron. The Dutch player rushed forward on the left side of the middle, then entered the penalty area and finished. The ball crossed the corner so quickly that Onana did not have time to block it. Newcastle took a 1-0 lead.
Man Utd rallied after conceding a goal, but the opportunities the home team created were not really dangerous to the away team’s goal. In the 36th minute, after Maguire’s header cleared the ball, young midfielder Hall suddenly flicked the ball with the outside of his left foot at the top of the penalty area, the ball went diagonally into the right corner into a goal. Onana was out of sight so he couldn’t block it.
Two goals conceded in the first half put Man Utd under great pressure. Coach Ten Hag brought in Wan-Bissaka and Amrabat and replaced Dalot and Casemiro after the break, but Man Utd’s play still did not improve. The home team often has to shoot long and ineffectively.
In the 60th minute, Amrabat made a wrong pass and sent the ball into Willock’s feet. The Newcastle striker accelerated strongly and shot from outside the penalty area, sending the ball into the right corner of the goal. Willock’s quick, neat shot made Onana unable to block it.
Leading 3-0, Newcastle leisurely counter-attacked in the remaining minutes. Man Utd continued to make personnel adjustments with the presence of Fernandes, Hojlund and Rashford, but the “Red Devils” were still weak and could not score an honorable goal.
Losing 0-3 at home, Man Utd was officially eliminated from the League Cup. This is the 8th loss after 15 matches since the beginning of the season in all fronts for the “Red Devils”. Coach Ten Hag’s chair is shaking strongly, it cannot be ruled out that the Dutch strategist will soon be dismissed by the Man City Board of Directors. Utd fired.
United are going through one of the worst phases in recent times. They have lost eight out of their opening 15 games in all competitions and are now out of the League Cup.
Back-to-back 3-0 defeats at home has dampened the mood among the fans and the club must respond in Saturday’s early Premier League kick-off against Fulham on the road.
The Red Devils are already eight points behind the Champions League places and anything less than a win at Craven Cottage could lead to doubts over Ten Hag’s position at the helm.
Hojlund, who is currently valued at €65 million by Transfermarkt, is expected to lead the attack against Marco Silva’s side after another lacklustre performance from Anthony Martial.