Manchester United claimed a spot in the fourth round of the League Cup by beating Ipswich Town 3-0 at Old Trafford this evening.
Despite a resilient performance from the visitors, goals from Wayne Rooney, Andreas Pereira and Anthony Martial sent Louis van Gaal's side through to the next round.
Below, Sports Mole takes a look at the key talking points from the third-round tie.
Match statistics
MANCHESTER UNITED
Shots: 12
On target: 8
Possession: 70%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 11
IPSWICH TOWN
Shots: 4
On target: 0
Possession: 30%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 10
Was the result fair?
It was certainly a deserved victory for United on a night when they did not need to move out of third gear. Ipswich impressed off the ball from the first whistle as they made the hosts work for the right to dominate possession, but the visitors never really carried the threat required to cause more problems for Van Gaal's side.
Much of the game was played out with the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Ander Herrera controlling the tempo in deep midfield positions, and neither player ever really looked too hurried. After taking a patient approach to breaking down Ipswich, United were always in charge and they certainly earned their place in the fourth round.
Man Utd's performance
It was a classy display from the home side on a night when Van Gaal turned to some of his fringe players. They were always tested by an Ipswich side that worked tirelessly until the final whistle, but United's approach to the game was impressive and they never allowed the visitors to gain control. Chances were difficult to come by until Rooney broke the deadlock, and United responded by going from strength to strength as the game progressed.
Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia were both bright after being handed opportunities by Van Gaal, while many of the headlines are sure to be dominated by Pereira, who looked a threat to the Ipswich defence every time he got on the ball. His free kick killed off the visitors, in truth, and United managed the game impressively after pulling further ahead. This competition may not be high on Van Gaal's list of priorities, but it was a performance to be pleased with as they proved their superiority against Championship opposition.
Ipswich's performance
Mick McCarthy's challenge is to produce a strong promotion bid this season, and Ipswich must certainly be considered one of the contenders to finally climb out of the Championship. As a result, the Tractor Boys boss was brave enough to make 10 changes to his side for the trip to Old Trafford and he must surely be delighted with how the team performed against top-class opposition. They stuck to their gameplan impressively even after falling behind and their determination to press high up the pitch made it difficult for the hosts, despite the scoreline proving that it was a comfortable finish for United.
In truth, Ipswich could have been capable of a shock had they displayed that extra quality needed in attacking areas. As the statistics prove, they struggled to threaten the United defence on a regular basis and it was an easy night at the office for David de Gea, who did not have to make a save. Both David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy did good jobs for their side with their running off the ball, but Ipswich lacked the creativity required in midfield to create the opportunities for their front two. Any positive result would have been a bonus for Ipswich as they focus their efforts on the Championship, and McCarthy is unlikely to be too disappointed with this performance.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Bastian Schweinsteiger: Pereira was impressive on his first competitive start for the club while Juan Mata was a constant threat in possession, but Schweinsteiger's display stood out in this third-round tie. The German's composure in congested areas of the pitch ensured that Ipswich were given little reward for their hard work off the ball. He dictated the tempo for long spells and cut out a number of promising counter-attacks from the visitors. A faultless display from the World Cup winner.
Biggest gaffe
Pereira did very little wrong as he displayed his qualities to the home fans with an exciting performance, but it could have been an even better night had he not miscued an effort wide of the goal after collecting the ball in plenty of space. The free kick is certain to live longer in the memory.
Referee performance
Simon Hooper was consistent with his decisions throughout the evening, but he probably should have pointed to the penalty spot when Valencia's cross struck Giles Coke in the first half.
What next?
Man Utd: Van Gaal's side will look to keep the pressure on leaders Manchester City when they return to Premier League action against Sunderland on Saturday afternoon.
Ipswich: McCarthy is set to make plenty of changes again as the Tractor Boys turn their focus to Saturday's meeting with Bristol City at Portman Road.
Callum Mulvihill
