Manchester United 3, Colchester United 0 – Carabao Cup Quarter Final
Three goals early in the second half saw Manchester United beat Colchester United and become the final club in the hat for the Carabao Cup semi finals.
Embed from Getty ImagesMarcus Rashford, an own goal by Ryan Jackson, and a scruffy Anthony Martial effort saw Colchester United’s cup run come to an end at Old Trafford against a makeshift yet still decent Manchester United side.
Only Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, and Marcus Rashford retained their places from the side that beat Everton on Sunday.
Marcus Rashford had a shot that was spilled by Dean Gerken and had several more that went from wide to throw-in as United struggled to challenge the unambitious Colchester who were timewasting from the start – Gerken was booked to holding up a goal kick.
It took 44 minutes for the visitors to even attempt a shot on the United goal, with Callum Harriott unchallenged before he decided to have a pop from the edge of the area.
The Reds looked short of ideas until Ryan Jackson had Colchester’s first shot on target. Seri Romero saved it and passed to Nemanja Matic whose long pass found Rashford in space in the left channel.
The United forward carried it into the centre, along the 18 yard box before picking his spot beyond Gerken after 51 minutes.
Cohen Bramall had a shot go near before United struck again on the break with Mason Greenwood’s cross turned into his own net by Jackson four minutes later.
Anthony Martial put the game beyond the visitors when he bundled the ball home from 3 yards out – converting Rashford’s cross to make it 3-0 in the 61st minute.
Harry Maguire’s header was tipped over by Gerken as United almost made it 4-0 late on but the game was already won.
The semi final draw saw United pitted against rivals Manchester City with the first leg at Old Trafford in the week of January 6, with the Etihad hosting the return leg in the week of January 27.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 3, Colchester United 0 – Carabao Cup Quarter Final
Sergio Romero: 6. Good save from Ryan Jackson proved to be the springboard to United win. Also saved from Luke Norris as Colchester chased a consolation.
Ashley Young: 6. Put some decent crosses in before John McGreal put Frank Nouble on him.
Axel Tuanzebe: 6. Comfortable evening.
Harry Maguire: 7. Untroubled. Had a late header tipped over by Dean Gerken.
Luke Shaw: 6. Played higher up in the second half and got into more crossing positions.
Nemanja Matic: 6. Wasn’t troubled by unambitious U’s – moved into defence after James Garner came on.
Juan Mata: 6. Quiet game for the veteran.
Andreas Pereira: 6. Produced one decent moment to lift the ball into Marcus Rashford’s path but it was wasted. Blazed over from 25 yards as United struggle to piece together an attack.
Mason Greenwood: 6. Fed on scraps stationed on the right flank but managed to put in a cross to create United’s second goal of the night and also tested Gerken late in the game.
Anthony Martial: 6. Looked disinterested early on, went close with a pot shot from 30 yards out that went wide and bundled home from 3 yards out to make the game safe.
Marcus Rashford: 8. Won and took a couple of free kicks and had a shot on goal but couldn’t trouble Dean Gerken with several scuffed and wayward efforts – one of which went out for a thrown-in. He even lost the ball for a Colchester counter attack. Finally scored in the 51st minute and then crossed for Anthony Martial to bundle United’s third in.
Brandon Williams (on for Luke Shaw, 62): 6. Valuable game time.
Jesse Lingard (on for Marcus Rashford, 62): 6. Had a shot blocked.
James Garner (on for Axel Tuanzebe, 65): 6. United were cruising when he came on.
GOALS – Manchester United 3, Colchester United 0 – Carabao Cup Quarter Final
Man Utd 1, Colchester United 0: 51. Marcus Rashford ran across goal, going past 3 players, before slotting in from the edge of the area after Nemanja Matic launched the ball up to him after Sergio Romero saved Ryan Jackson’s second half shot.
Man Utd 2, Colchester United 0: 56. Mason Greenwood’s cross came off the luckless Ryan Jackson’s knee and past his own goalkeeper.
Man Utd 3, Colchester United 0: 61. Anthony Martial bundled in Marcus Rashford’s cross from 3 yards out after a quality United move.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 3, Colchester United 0 – Carabao Cup Quarter Final
Man Utd: Romero, Young, Tuanzebe (Garner 65), Maguire, Shaw (Williams 62), Matic, Mata, Pereira, Greenwood, Martial, Rashford (Lingard 62)
Man Utd Subs not used: Grant, Jones, McTominay, Chong
Booked: Young 22 (foul on Frank Nouble)
Goals: Rashford 51, Jackson og 56; Martial 61
Colchester United: Gerken, Jackson, Eastman, Prosser, Bramall, Lapslie, Pell (Stevenson 66), Comley (Gambin 73), Hariott (Poku 77), Nouble, Norris
Colchester United subs not used: Ross, Sowunmi, Brown, Clampin
Booked: Pell 18 (persistent fouling); Gerken 39 (time wasting); Harriott 73 (foul on James Garner)
Referee: David Coote
Attendance 57,559