Erik ten Hag celebrated a “perfect night” as Manchester United triumphed over Barnsley with a 7-0 victory in the Carabao Cup. The match saw standout performances from Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and Christian Eriksen, each scoring twice, while Antony contributed with a penalty.
This win marked Ten Hag’s largest victory since taking over the team and was United’s biggest margin of success since their 9-0 rout of Southampton in February 2021 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Ten Hag remarked, “Not for me but for the team, this is the perfect night. We executed our plans effectively, advanced to the next round, scored some fantastic goals, entertained the fans, and worked on our game model, so we are pleased.”
The manager made significant squad rotations for the match, fielding eight different players from the 3-0 win against Southampton, while Rashford was one of three to retain his position. He capitalized on his recent form by netting two goals, marking his first multi-goal game since February 2023 against Leicester.
Ten Hag praised Rashford’s impact on the game, stating, “When he scores, it makes things easier for the team. A player who consistently finds the net can truly make the difference.”
Following the setback against Liverpool, United bounced back impressively, netting ten goals without reply against both Southampton and Barnsley. Ten Hag remained grounded, expressing, “I wasn’t devastated after Liverpool, nor am I celebrating now. Our journey is continuous. I have clear ambitions for our direction. We have shown speed, dynamism, and strong possession skills today, but we need to work harder to refine our game.”