EFL Cup holders Manchester United have progressed to the fourth round after securing a comfortable 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.
Goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Casemiro put a dominant Red Devils side in control inside the first half-hour, before Anthony Martial added a third 10 minutes into the second half to help Erik ten Hag's men secure their spot in Wednesday night's fourth-round draw.
Ten Hag made seven changes to the side that beat Burnley 1-0 in the Premier League last weekend, with summer loan signing Sofyan Amrabat handed his debut in a makeshift left-back role, while the likes of Harry Maguire, Mason Mount, Facundo Pellistri and Hannibal Mejbri were among those also brought into the first XI.
Roy Hodgson also made seven changes to the Palace lineup that began the goalless draw with Fulham last time out, with centre-back Rob Holding and goalkeeper Dean Henderson both handed their debuts – the latter of whom starting for the first time since leaving Man United on a permanent deal in the summer.
Henderson was hoping to make an impression between the sticks on his return to Old Trafford, but the shot-stopper was forced off inside the opening 19 minutes with a suspected muscle injury, with another ex-Red Devils man Sam Johnstone brought on as his replacement.
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However, just a few minutes after entering the field of play, Johnstone was picking the ball out of the Palace net after Man United broke the deadlock courtesy of a well-worked move finished off by Garnacho.
After Mount played a cross-field pass to Pellistri on the right, the Uruguayan teed up Diogo Dalot, who then pulled the ball back across the box towards Garnacho, and he managed to squeeze a shot low and hard from around eight yards out beyond both Johnstone and Holding on the line.
Man United doubled their lead just seven minutes later when Mount's out-swinging corner was met by Casemiro, who directed his powerful header beyond Johnstone to put the Red Devils in complete control.
Palace failed to strike a single shot on target in the first half, but Hodgson opted to make a defensive change at half time, with young winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi replaced by centre-back Marc Guehi.
Man United, meanwhile, decided to swap Mount – who started his first game since recovering from a hamstring injury – for defender Victor Lindelof, who slotted in at left-back to allow Amrabat to move into his favour midfield role.
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The Red Devils dominated the second half just as much as the first, and it took only 10 minutes after the break for Ten Hag's side to add a third thanks to a smart close-range finish from Martial.
Palace failed to clear their lines before Casemiro picked up the ball outside the area and curled a perfect-weighted cross towards the back post for Martial to place a first-time finish into the far corner from a tight angle.
Shortly after Man United brought on highly-rated academy graduate Daniel Gore for his senior debut, Palace fired their first shot on goal in the 67th minute, but it was an forgettable effort from right-back Nathaniel Clyne, who blazed a long-ranged effort well over the crossbar.
Andre Onana was tested just a minute later, though, and the Man United shot-stopper did well to stick out a strong left leg to keep out a low-driven shot from Jean-Philippe Mateta, before substitute Jonny Evans came close at the other end with a close-range header.
Six minutes from time, Onana kept out another shot from Mateta after the Palace striker was played through on goal, and substitute Eberechi Eze dragged the rebound wide of the far post, before Johnstone at the other end stood firm to kept out two well-struck shots from Lindelof and Garnacho in the closing stages.
Man United and Crystal Palace will renew acquaintances at Old Trafford when the two teams face off in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
Oliver Thomas
