MAN UTD 2, DERBY COUNTY 2
(Derby County won 8-7 on penalties)
Jose Mourinho’s troubles at Manchester United deepened with an embarrassing home Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Championship club Derby County.
It must have been painful for the Reds’ manager to lose against a Rams’ side with his former player Frank Lampard at the helm.
Lampard’s side landed the knockout blow at Old Trafford following a dramatic penalty shootout as Phil Jones’ spot kick miss brought an absorbing cup tie to a conclusion.
When United took an early lead through Juan Mata and missed a succession of chances, it looked like being a rout.
Derby at time rode their luck and hit back in the second half through goals from Harry Wilson and substitute Jack Marriott to take a 2-1 lead with five minutes left.
It looked a good night for United, who had earlier been reduced to 10 men after goalkeeper Sergio Romero’s sending off.
The 10 men rallied and substitute Marouane Fellaini headed an equaliser in the fifth of six added minutes.
It proved only a temporary reprieve as Derby triumphed in a shootout. After the first 15 kicks were all expertly despatched, Jones stepped forward to have his saved by Scott Carson.
Lampard described it as a “romantic one” coming up against Mourinho who congratulated him afterwards.
He said: “It was a special performance to come to Manchester United and not just nick it, but play the way we played against this team on this stage.
“We are a squad of young lads and it was an immense night for the club and I wouldn’t have minded had we lost on penalties as we played without fear.
“When you are 1-0 down after four minutes you cannot afford to be weak in mind, but we weren’t and kept playing.”
Lampard added his side had practiced penalties the day before the game, adding a number ended up in the bushes.
Jose Mourinho skipped Carabao Cup press conference
Mourinho didn’t attend the pre-match press conference, his only comments coming in a television interview.
He said: “You know it happened that we didn’t score when we could and we could in the first half to kill it. We didn’t. At half-time I repeated the words I said in the last match. Their dressing room is a dressing room with belief and we need to go and kill the game which we didn’t.
“We couldn’t be dominant in the second half and only after their equaliser we get a reaction which I don’t like. I prefer to go for it but we only go for it after the 1-1. After the red card we are in difficulty but even after that we have a group that tried until the last second and then the penalties, somebody has to miss. Going after the sixth and seventh. I knew we would be in trouble with Jones and Eric (Bailly).
“You say I criticise, I don’t. I don’t think you are correct saying I am criticising the team. You want me to say we play a phenomenal match? The truth is the opponent in the second half started better than us, we responded at 1-1.
“The Carabao Cup is not a worry anymore. We don’t play again until next season. I would lie if I said we threw the match away. Like I told the players, I agree with the new rules, the favourite team is put more in danger. With a draw in the past you had 30 more minutes to play but without extra time you go straight to penalties and I think that goes against the team who with 30 extra minutes would win the match. I don’t blame a player missing in penalties because I knew if it went in the direction
United made nine changes from the side that kicked off Saturday’s home league game against Wolves.
Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard were the two survivors as Mourinho played his squad and fringe players.
Of those to start, Portuguese summer signing Diogo Dalot was making his Old Trafford debut.
Paul Pogba, told before the game he won’t ever captain the Reds again, wasn’t even included in the matchday 18.
Lampard’s philosophy was that if it ain’t broke, why fix it as he kept the same side that kicked off Saturday’s home win against Brentford.
Manchester United score early against Derby County
United made a bright start as Lukaku had a chance after only 90 seconds as his header forced a diving save from Scott Carson from an Anthony Martial cross.
It was only a temporary reprieve for the Rams as United took a third-minute lead with Martial again providing the supply line from the left.
Lukaku’s back heel released Lingard who in turn found Mata who swept home a low shot.
Derby would have been on level terms not long after but for a super save to deny Mason Bennett following a defence-splitting pass from Mason Mount.
United had two chances in quick succession to make it 2-0 as Mata, released by Ashley Young’s great through ball, was denied by Carson’s block. And from the resulting corner, Young’s kick struck the near post.
Derby had another lucky escape after a slip from captain Richard Keogh let in Lukaku who, clean through, shot wide under pressure from Fikayo Tomori.
Lukaku contrived to head over from three yards after a Martial cut back as United ought to have been out of sight midway through the opening half.
After an eventful and hugely entertaining first quarter of the game, it suddenly petered out into a mistake-littered spell in which neither side created a meaningful chance in the remainder of the half.
It looked as though United may pay the price for those missed chances when Derby almost equalised early in the second half.
Harry Wilson levels the scores for Derby County with superb free kick
The Reds’ defence was carved open and Liverpool loanee Wilson’s shot was saved by Sergio Romero, but rolled agonisingly wide of the upright.
United did not heed the warning as Derby equalised just short of the hour through a spectacular 30-yard free kick from Wilson that arrowed into the top corner. It was awarded against Young for a foul on David Nugent.
That prompted an immediate double substitution from Mourinho as Lingard and Ander Herrera were replaced by Fred and Fellaini.
But it further unravelled for United when they were reduced to 10 men following Romero’s sending off with 23 minutes left.
Wilson raced on to a long through ball from David Nugent and Romero dashed out of the penalty area to clear, but could only handle.
Mata was sacrificed as third-choice keeper Lee Grant was handed his debut.
Night goes from bad to worse and then penalties
The adversity sparked United and the crowd, that had been eerily quiet, belatedly to life as Lukaku struck an upright and Martial fired narrowly wide in the same move.
Derby came close to snatching the lead with 12 minutes left when Grant made a flying save low to his left to turn away a header from substitute Florian Jozefzoon.
And the night got a whole lot worse for the Reds when Derby went ahead with six minutes left when Mount’s shot was well saved by Grant, but substitute Marriott headed in the rebound.
There was a delay as the goal was referred to VAR as another Derby player was stood offside, but deemed not to be interfering with play.
It looked bleak for United until Fellaini saved the day with a 95th minute equaliser heading in a Dalot cross at the far post high into the roof of the net to force penalties.
But it was Derby whose nerve held as Jones cracked under pressure as the visitors booked their place in the last 16.