Manchester United, the current League Cup title holders, opened their defense with a confident 3-0 victory at Old Trafford against Crystal Palace in Tuesday's third-round clash. The win propels them into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and represents a milestone for Erik ten Hag’s side, as it is their first back-to-back victory of the current season.
Casemiro scored one goal and set up another as the League Cup holders Manchester United began their title defense with a 3-0 home win against Premier League rivals Crystal Palace in the third round on Tuesday at Old Trafford. With this victory, Manchester United has earned its spot in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. For the first time this season, Erik ten Hag’s team have won back-to-back games.
The game saw an early blow for Palace as Dean Henderson, signed from United in August, had to leave the pitch after only 19 minutes due to a leg injury following a simple clearance. Coming on for him was Sam Johnstone, another graduate of the United youth system, who found himself conceding almost immediately when Alejandro Garnacho converted a low cross from Diogo Dalot.
The lead was extended in the 27th minute by Brazilian star Casemiro, who scored with a looping header from a Mason Mount corner. Later, in the 55th minute, Anthony Martial opened his account for the season, taking advantage of a defensive error to meet a Casemiro cross and beat Johnstone.
This fixture was the only matchup between two top-tier sides on the night, and the two teams are set for a rematch at Old Trafford this Saturday, September 30, in Premier League action. Additionally, Sofyan Amrabat, who arrived from Fiorentina on an international loan, made his highly anticipated debut for the Red Devils.
With five of their next six matches across all tournaments scheduled at Old Trafford, the pressure is on Ten Hag and his squad to find stability if they aim for silverware. The manager likely craves a period of calm, away from the constant 'crisis' narrative often associated with the club. At this stage last year, United were building the momentum that eventually put them in the race for the top four and a brief title charge. Currently sitting ninth after six matches, Ten Hag's immediate goal is likely to close the gap on the league leaders like Manchester City, Liverpool, Brighton, and Tottenham.
Reflecting on the match, Ten Hag expressed his satisfaction, noting that the team controlled the game, created strong opportunities, and scored quality goals. However, he remained grounded, admitting that the club isn't where it needs to be yet and emphasizing the need to continue improving both their process and their results.