Erik ten Hag was beaming with pride as he lauded the team spirit shown during Manchester United‘s Carabao Cup thrashing of Barnsley.
The Red Devils boss watched his squad demolish League One Barnsley with a whopping 7-0 scoreline to sail through in the competition. Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Christian Eriksen all bagged a brace each. But it was Antony’s penalty that really caught Ten Hag’s eye.
The £86million flop hadn’t found the back of the net since April, but after earning a penalty in the first half, Rashford and Casemiro conspired to let Antony take the shot. The Brazilian winger coolly slotted home from 12 yards, doubling United’s lead.
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On the night, skipper Casemiro played a pivotal role, nudging the ball into Antony’s path. Initially, Rashford was set to take the penalty after Barnsley’s keeper Gabriel Slonina, on loan from Chelsea, fouled in the box.
But Casemiro gestured towards Antony, who then stepped up to the plate, reports the Mirror. And the former Ajax star delivered.
What did you think of the decision to give Anthony the penalty? Let us know in the comments section below
(Image: No credit)
Ten Hag couldn’t hide his delight at seeing his players rally around each other, especially on such a triumphant evening. Commenting on his attacking line-up’s performance, Ten Hag said: “They also give assists and they give each other the opportunity to score a goal. ]
“Like the penalty when Antony needs some confidence, then Rashy gives the pen to Antony, which is good in a team. Which they are, they are together.”
The Red Devils had a swagger in their step last night, with Ten Hag beaming at United’s largest victory under his command hot off the heels of their success at Southampton. The gaffer shuffled his pack with eight fresh faces, feeling fully justified by the outcome.
In preparation for a full-on fixture list leading to the October international break, Ten Hag has his eyes set on squad rotation. “We have to rotate because we have loads of games and we have to manage the squad,” he shared with Sky Sports.
(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United)
He stressed the importance of a team effort: “You need everyone; you can’t talk about a starting 11 players. You have to give all the players in the squad game time if they are available.”
United’s boss is on a quest for the winning formula across five competitions, promoting a healthy fight for places within the squad. “We need all the players in the squad, we are in five leagues [competitions]. We want to win but there is internal competition. We have to find out what is the best team, what is the best chemistry and this is a moment for some players to prove a point.”
Riding high with two more goals under his belt, Rashford played down the hype after being crowned man of the match versus Barnsley. He insists it’s about keeping steady: “Sometimes you have ups, sometimes you have downs,” he remarked. “We have to use these games to find momentum and consistency.”