Manchester United hit Barnsley with 7-0 blast as Marcus Rashford grabs a double

Antony’s penalty in this evisceration means the maligned wide man needs only two more goals to equal the three last season for Manchester United. The paltry tally sums up how poor he has been so, while scoring versus lowly opposition is no phoenix-from-the-flames return, it is a step on the path to rebuild his standing under Erik ten Hag. Marcus Rashford’s expertly executed double can be taken as firm evidence that he is returning to his best as it follows Saturday’s finish at Southampton, a first of the season.

Twenty-six years ago this was a Premier League fixture that ended 2-0 to United and gave Sir Alex Ferguson’s vintage a competition aggregate 9-0 for the 1997-8 campaign. This evening, as their great rival Liverpool faced off against Milan at San Siro in a clash of Champions League aristocrats, Ten Hag’s men progressed in the land’s second-tier cup, dispatching Barnsley, who arrived seventh in League One and departed on the wrong end of a hiding.

The subplot before kick-off revolved around Antony, United’s second-highest signing at £87m and a flop thus far, would start. Those who read Ten Hag’s declaration that the Brazilian has to fight to regain a place actually as him being excluded again were wrong, as the 24-year-old lined up alongside Christian Eriksen, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford as a front quartet.

Rashford was in the mood here. Devilish footwork baffled Corey O’Keeffe before he unloaded a powerful shot that Marc Roberts blocked near the goalline.

Antony, intent on heeding his manager’s talk of needing to battle, zipped along the right but could not beat O’Keeffe and was dispossessed. Before this Manuel Ugarte, on his full debut, failed to pick out a teammate with a mid-range pass, the Uruguayan clearly needing to settle.

Now, United did, via the sweet move that created Rashford’s opener. Casemiro flipped the ball crossfield to Eriksen, who relayed it to Garnacho. A sweeping diagonal pass followed that landed at the No 10’s toes. As Barnsley’s rearguard backed off, Rashford danced forward, then rifled high into Gabriel Slonina goal.

In Vimal Yoganathan, Barnsley contained a midfielder who had already scored against a United XI this season, scoring both in their 3-2 Football League Trophy defeat, an under-21 encounter. But the closest Barnsley’s seniors came to an instant riposte was Adam Phillips’s blast over from a free-kick.

Pleasing for Ten Hag was the tempo of his side. Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, Eriksen, Garnacho and Rashford spun the ball about and moved into pockets to receive again and, following two clumsy fouls, Ugarte did his best work, enjoying a buccaneering run that drew a free-kick.

When Rashford slid the ball to Antony in the area he beat the diving Slonina to it, the goalkeeper upending him in the process – the Brazilian converting with a curled finish.

“Two-nil up and you still look shit” sang the Tykes faithful but United appeared the opposite: a mean and hungry machine who hunted for a third when Casemiro shot.

Barnsley were rocking and needed the break to regroup. Before then, though, Ugarte was stamped on by Luca Connell after another lunge by the new boy but though left bloodied, he continued.

Then Garnacho scored the third. Casemiro fed Rashford and when he tried to make space, the ball flew to the Argentinian who nipped in and beat Slonina.

Four minutes into the second half and this was becoming a thrashing for Barnsley. From near the centre circle Rashford found Eriksen and his sliding ball put Garnacho into acres of space and haring for the area. As Slonina didn’t know whether to stick or twist, the winger steered past him.

Four-nil nearly became five when Rashford zipped a 30-yard free-kick, Slonina needing to dive to his right to save. For Barnsley, a damage-limitation exercise was failing against an opponent turning this into a duck-shoot.

Rashford joined Garnacho in the two-goal club with an instant left-footed shot after Antony appealed for a handball. The ball broke to Garnacho who teed up the No 10 and he did the rest. Moments later, Garnacho or Rashford should have had a hat-trick. The former again broke through and instead of shooting tried to create for the latter but his radar was off. Eriksen slid in first from close range, then from further out, to ensure Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace will be taken in particularly fine heart.

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