Manchester United beat Barnsley 7-0, Marcus Rashford scores twice | Carabao Cup

Antony's penalty in that defeat means the maligned winger needs just two more goals to equal the three he scored last season for Manchester United. The poor record sums up just how poor he has been. Goals against weak opposition are not a phoenix rise from the ashes, but a step towards restoring his standing under Erik ten Hag. Marcus Rashford's expertly executed brace can be seen as clear evidence that he is back to his best after scoring for the first time this season at Southampton on Saturday.

Twenty-six years ago, this was a Premier League match that ended 2-0 to United, giving Sir Alex Ferguson's side a 9-0 aggregate win for the 1997/98 season. Tonight, as their great rivals Liverpool faced Milan in a clash of Champions League aristocrats at the San Siro, Ten Hag's men progressed in the country's second-tier cup, beating Barnsley, who had arrived in League One in seventh place and were coming off a losing effort.

The subplot before kick-off revolved around Antony, United's second-highest signing at £87 million and a flop so far. Anyone who interpreted Ten Hag's statement that the Brazilian would have to fight for a place as another ban was wrong, because the 24-year-old formed a strike quartet alongside Christian Eriksen, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford.

Rashford was in the mood. Corey O'Keeffe amazed with his devilish footwork before firing a powerful shot that Marc Roberts blocked near the goal line.

Antony, who was determined to follow his coach's advice that he had to fight, raced down the right flank but was unable to beat O'Keeffe and lost the ball. Manuel Ugarte had previously failed to find a teammate with a mid-range pass on his debut as a volley player, and the Uruguayan obviously needed to calm down first.

United then managed to do so, with a beautiful move that allowed Rashford to score the opening goal. Casemiro played the ball across the field to Eriksen, who passed it on to Garnacho. A long diagonal pass followed, landing at the number 10's toes. As Barnsley's rearguard retreated, Rashford danced forward and fired high into Gabriel Slonina's goal.

Barnsley were able to retain a midfielder in Vimal Yoganathan who had already scored against a United side this season. He scored both goals in the 3-2 defeat in the Football League Trophy, an Under-21 match. But the next chance for Barnsley's senior team to counterattack fell to Adam Phillips, who fired over the bar from a free kick.

Ten Hag liked the pace of his team, with Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, Eriksen, Garnacho and Rashford circling the ball and moving into the gaps to get it back. After two clumsy fouls, Ugarte did his best work and enjoyed a free kick that earned him a free kick.

When Rashford passed the ball to Antony in the penalty area, he got there first before the diving Slonina, was knocked over by the goalkeeper and the Brazilian converted with a curved shot.

“2-0 and you still look like shit,” chanted the Tykes fans, but United looked like the exact opposite: a nasty and hungry machine chasing Casemiro’s shot for a third goal.

Barnsley were in turmoil and needed the break to regroup, but not before Ugarte was trampled by Luca Connell after another attack from the newcomer, but despite being left covered in blood, he carried on.

Then Garnacho scored the third goal. Casemiro passed to Rashford and as he tried to make space, the ball flew to the Argentine, who stepped in and beat Slonina.

Four minutes into the second half, Barnsley were defeated. Rashford found Eriksen from the halfway line and his sliding ball gave Garnacho plenty of space to burst into the box. With Slonina unsure whether to stay or turn, the winger headed past him.

4-0 almost became 5-0 when Rashford converted a 25-yard free kick that Slonina had to parry to the right. For Barnsley, it was an exercise in damage limitation to fail against an opponent and turn the whole thing into a duck shootout.

Rashford joined Garnacho with an immediate left-footed shot after Antony had complained for handball. The ball found its way to Garnacho, who passed it on to the No.10 and did the rest. Moments later, Garnacho or Rashford should have scored a hat-trick. The former broke through again and tried to create for the latter instead of shooting, but his radar was off. Eriksen slotted in first from close range, then from further away to ensure Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace is tackled particularly well.