Man United Eliminated from League Cup
Published on: November 3, 2023.
Filed under:
Manchester United and Arsenal Suffer Defeat in League Cup
Manchester United’s defense of the League Cup came to a disappointing end on Wednesday as they were defeated 3-0 at home by Newcastle. Arsenal also struggled, losing 3-1 to West Ham.
Liverpool managed to overcome Bournemouth 2-1 to secure their place in the quarter-finals, while Chelsea saw off Championship side Blackburn 2-0.
At Old Trafford, both Manchester United and Newcastle fielded heavily changed sides compared to last year’s final, which Newcastle won 2-0. However, it was Newcastle’s depth that proved to be the difference as United suffered their eighth defeat in 15 games this season, marking their worst start since 1962/63.
Following the defeat, United manager Erik ten Hag expressed his disappointment, stating, “This is not good enough. We have to take responsibility, I have to take responsibility. I feel sorry for the fans, it is below our standards and we have to put it right.”
For Newcastle, young full-backs Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall played crucial roles in the victory, with Livramento providing the assist for Miguel Almiron’s opening goal, and Hall scoring a stunning volley from the edge of the box. Joe Willock later added a third goal, securing the win for Newcastle.
In their next match, Newcastle will face a tough challenge away to Chelsea in the quarter-finals.
In the Arsenal vs. West Ham clash, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made the questionable decision to leave out Declan Rice, who was returning to the London Stadium. The absence of Rice was felt, as West Ham emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline.
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale had a forgettable night, conceding goals from Ben White’s own goal, Mohammed Kudus, and Jarrod Bowen. Arsenal did manage to score a consolation goal in stoppage time through Martin Odegaard, but it was too little, too late.
Reflecting on the loss, Arteta took responsibility, saying, “I am responsible for that. We’re out of the cup and we wanted to play a very different game.”
Liverpool faced a spirited Bournemouth side and challenging weather conditions caused by Storm Ciaran. Despite the adversity, Liverpool emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline.
Justin Kluivert scored his first goal for Bournemouth to cancel out Cody Gakpo’s opener, but substitute Darwin Nunez secured the win for Liverpool with a spectacular long-range strike.
Loading the team bus instead of flying due to the stormy weather, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expressed his satisfaction with the victory, saying, “Now we drive home. Long trip. But with going to the next round it feels much better.”
In the quarter-finals, Liverpool will face West Ham.
Chelsea secured a rare home win under manager Mauricio Pochettino with a 2-0 victory over Blackburn. Benoit Badiashile and Raheem Sterling were on target for Chelsea.
Furthermore, Everton’s strong form continued as they comfortably defeated Burnley 3-0. Goals from James Tarkowski, Amadou Onana, and Ashley Young sealed the win for Everton.
In other matches, Fulham triumphed 3-1 against Championship high-flyers Ipswich, and League One Port Vale will host Middlesbrough in the next round.
