Goals from Christian Eriksen and Marcus Rashford earned Manchester United a 2-0 win over Burnley and a place in the quarter-finals of the League Cup on Wednesday night.
Eriksen’s opener on 27 minutes came after Aaron Wan-Bissaka - who was starting his first game under Erik ten Hag - latched onto an overhit Bruno Fernandes ball to direct it into the Dane’s path.
Rashford put the game to bed 12 minutes after the break when his direct run saw him beat the defence to ping home his ninth goal in United colours this season. The result takes United’s unbeaten home run to seven games ahead of Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
READ MORE: Erik ten Hag sets the tone in first minutes during win vs Burnley
United fans exited Old Trafford pleased with a positive result to kick off the second half of the season. Here are three moments they may have missed throughout the game.
Eriksen’s reaction to Dubravka
Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka made his second United appearance and had more than a handful of hairy moments. The first one saw him fail to properly punch clear a cross which led to a Rashford ricochet causing him to parry the ball towards his own goal.
His blushes were spared by Casemiro’s clearance but Eriksen was less than impressed. He held out his arms and gestured a watching pose to Dubravka, asking him why he didn't elect to hold onto the ball.
Right-back trialling
With Diogo Dalot absent due to “some complaints” after being forced off in Portugal’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to Morocco, Wan-Bissaka started at right-back. He ended the night with a clean sheet to add to his assist.
He was taken off on 72 minutes with Luke Shaw coming on to push Tyrell Malacia over to the right flank, where he played when Dalot was injured in the 2-1 win over Fulham just before the mid-season break. Five minutes from the end, fellow natural left-back Brandon Williams made his return from injury by replacing Malacia as Ten Hag tested his back-up options.
Elanga’s pressing
After entering the field at the same time as Shaw, Elanga put in the hard yards for the remaining 18 minutes of the match. The winger has fallen down the pecking order at United but with Jadon Sancho still away from the squad on an individual training programme, the Sweden international will be looking to spy his chance.
He showed the right intentions by carrying out the press his manager had clearly instructed, even beckoning 85th-minute substitute Fred to do the same when he was holding off and sitting back. Elanga’s willingness to close down even the goalkeeper will have gone down well with his boss.
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