hero-image

Carabao Cup 2017/18, Swansea 0-2 Manchester United: 5 Talking Points

Swansea City v Manchester United - Carabao Cup Fourth Round
Swansea City v Manchester United - Carabao Cup Fourth Round

Manchester United eased to victory over Swansea City in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

Jesse Lingard opened the scoring in the first half, slotting the ball into the bottom corner of the net after a tremendous flick from Marcus Rashford.

Lingard doubled the holders' lead after the interval, guiding a header home from the edge of the box following a cross from Matteo Darmian.

It was a comfortable night for Jose Mourinho's men, who will learn the identity of their quarter-final opponents on Thursday.

Here are 5 talking points from last night's match at the Liberty Stadium:


#1 United's 3-4-1-2 formation works well in straightforward win

Swansea City v Manchester United - Carabao Cup Fourth Round
Swansea City v Manchester United - Carabao Cup Fourth Round

Jose Mourinho shuffled his pack in terms of personnel on Tuesday, while he also switched to a new-look 3-4-1-2 setup. Ander Herrera was paired with Scott McTominay in the centre of the park, with Lingard selected as a nominal No.10 and Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial employed as a strike duo at the top of the formation.

The approach worked well, with Lingard, Rashford and Martial particularly impressive. The latter two were given the freedom to roam across the final third, with Martial often drifting out to the left flank before cutting inside. Rashford was also comfortable on the wing, delivering a tremendous cross in the direction of the Frenchman in the second half.

There was a fluidity to United's attacking, although Mourinho will have been slightly disappointed by his side's lack of control in the final 20 minutes of the first half. Overall, though, United were well worth their victory.

You may also like