On Tuesday, Manchester United will face Barnsley in the EFL Cup Third Round, with the League One side getting a dream draw at Old Trafford. United, fresh off a win over Southampton, are looking to build on their recent success.
Manchester United clinched this trophy 18 months ago, marking Erik ten Hag’s first silverware with the club. They head into this match on a high note, having bounced back from a 3-0 drubbing by Liverpool with a solid 3-0 victory over Southampton.
After their heavy loss to Liverpool before the international break, United needed a strong performance, which they delivered against Southampton. Despite an early penalty scare from a Diogo Dalot foul, Andre Onana’s save and goals from Matthijs de Ligt and Marcus Rashford gave them a comfortable lead by halftime. Alejandro Garnacho added a late goal to wrap up the 3-0 win after Southampton had a player sent off.
Looking ahead to the cup, United are aiming to progress beyond the Fourth Round, where they were knocked out last season by Newcastle United. Even though United later redeemed themselves by winning the FA Cup, they need to do better in this competition this year.
Barnsley, currently in League One, shouldn’t intimidate United, but lower-league sides have caused them trouble in the past. Since 2011, United have lost five times to teams from lower divisions in this competition.
Barnsley, led by Darrell Clarke, come into this match after a recent 3-0 loss to Stevenage, their first league defeat since the season opener. Despite this setback, they are still in a good position in the League One standings. They have previously beaten Man United's Under-21s in the EFL Trophy and will be hoping for another upset.
This will be the first time these teams have met since United eliminated Barnsley from the EFL Cup in the Round of 16 in 2009. However, Barnsley did get one over on United in the FA Cup back in 1998.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Erik ten Hag is expected to use this match as a chance to rotate his squad, giving some of the fringe players a run out, especially with defensive injuries adding to his selection challenges.
De Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, and Noussair Mazraoui all had to come off during the weekend game, though De Ligt has confirmed it was just cramp. Martinez and Mazraoui will be assessed before the match, so we might see Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans, who last played against Barnsley in 2009, take to the field.
Manuel Ugarte might make his full debut after a cameo at Southampton, while Casemiro, Antony, and Alejandro Garnacho could also see more action.
For Barnsley, the only definite absentee is Conor Hourihane, who is out of action. On the plus side, attackers Max Watters and Fabio Jalo made their return from injury over the weekend, albeit from the bench.
Defender Donovan Pines was substituted at halftime during the loss to Stevenage, but it's thought to be a precautionary move, so he should be available for this game.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Bayindir; Dalot; Maguire, Evans, Amass; Casemiro, Ugarte, Collyer; Antony, Zirkzee, Garnacho
Barnsley possible starting lineup:
Slonina; Cotter, De Gevigney, Pines, Earl, Lofthouse; Connell, Phillips; Keillor-Dunn, Jalo, Humphreys
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
[SPOILER="TAP TO SEE OUR PREDICTIONS"]Manchester United 3-0 Barnsley[/SPOILER]
With crucial domestic and European matches coming up, United are expected to make significant changes to their lineup. However, even their second-string squad should be strong enough to handle Barnsley, who are playing in the third tier.
While Barnsley have made a solid start in their quest for promotion, a deep cup run seems unlikely given the challenge posed by United.
