The greatest compliment to Charlton Athletic may have come on the hour. Manchester United were leading the League One side, but by a solitary goal and Charlton were impudent enough to show plenty of resistance. And so Erik ten Hag made a triple substitution.
On came Marcus Rashford, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro and the Englishman duly scored a double, the second from the Brazilian’s pass, to take his tally to seven goals in six games. Ten Hag’s deluxe deputies duly helped United reach a third Carabao Cup semi-final in four seasons, and perhaps a third meeting with Manchester City at that stage in the same time. Yet while United posted an eighth successive win, it felt too close for comfort until Rashford’s late intervention. Harry Maguire and Tyrell Malacia were booked for fouls as Charlton sought an equaliser. Instead, Rashford took United a step nearer a first trophy since 2017.
