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 scoring versus lowly opposition is no phoenix-from-the-flames return more a step on the path to rebuild his standing under Erik ten Hag. Marcus Rashford’s expertly executed double, though, can be taken as evidence that he is returning to his best after Saturday’s goal at Southampton. With Alejandro Garnacho also scoring twice this was a satisfying outing for the three wingers.
“They are very ambitious, hungry but what you also see is they give each other the ball,” Ten Hag said. “They also give assists and each other the opportunity to score a goal – like the penalty, when Antony needs some confidence, Rashy [the normal taker] gives it to him, which is good in a team.” Of the No 10’s upturn in form, Ten Hag said: “Confidence is a big part of it, it is not everything, and Rashford is a big guy, scored so many goals, he’s on the list of United goalscorers. But you are as good as your last game and every time you have to prove it. The biggest guys, the biggest football players, when they are not scoring, they drop in performance, it doesn’t matter who.”
Twenty-seven years ago this was a Premier League fixture that ended 7-0 to United and gave Sir Alex Ferguson’s vintage a competition aggregate 9-0 for the 1997-8 campaign. This evening, as their great rivals Liverpool faced off against Milan at San Siro in a clash of Champions League aristocrats, Ten Hag’s men progressed in England’s second-tier cup, dispatching Barnsley, who arrived seventh in League One and departed on the wrong end of a hiding.
Antony, intent on heeding his manager’s talk of having to fight to regain his place, zipped along the right. Before this Manuel Ugarte, on his full debut, failed to pick out a teammate with a mid-range pass, the Uruguayan needing to settle.
Then United did, via the sweet move that created Rashford’s opener. Casemiro flipped the ball crossfield to Christian Eriksen, who relayed it to Garnacho. A sweeping diagonal pass landed at the England striker’s toes. As Barnsley backed off, Rashford danced forward, then rifled high into Gabriel Slonina’s goal.
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 got there ahead of Slonina, the goalkeeper upending him in the process; the Brazilian converted with a curled finish.
“Two-nil up and you still look shit” sang the Tykes faithful but United were the opposite: a mean and hungry machine who hunted for a third when Casemiro shot. Barnsley rocked and needed the break to regroup. Before that 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.
The second half was four minutes old when this became a thrashing. From near the centre circle Rashford found Eriksen and his sliding ball put Garnacho into acres of space and haring towards the area. As Slonina only half-came out to meet him, the Argentinian steered home.
Four-nil nearly became five when Rashford zipped a 30-yard free-kick, Slonina needing to dive to his right. For Barnsley, a damage-limitation exercise was failing against an opponent turning the tie into a duck-shoot.
Rashford joined Garnacho in the two-goal club with an instant left-foot shot after Antony appealed for a handball. The ball broke to Garnacho who teed up Rashford 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.
Finally, 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. Ten Hag said: “I was not devastated after Liverpool [United lost 3-0], I am not now celebrating. We are on a journey and we will see where we are in May because then we have to be good, you have to be at your best and every time progress the team.
“I know where I want to go, in which direction, I know we have a lot of speed and we have seen this today.”
