Tom Hancock analyzes the latest round of EFL Cup matches.

United are again among the goals

Manchester United 5-2 Leicester

With Ruud van Nistelrooy taking over as interim manager following the departure of Erik ten Hag on Monday, manchester united They have now had as many managers in the 11 and a half years since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement as in the 68 years between the end of the Second World War and then.

Media reports suggest United have their sights set on Sporting manager Ruben Amorim as Ten Hag’s successor, but Van Nistelrooy looks likely to be on the bench for Sunday’s Premier League game at home against Chelsea.

And the Old Trafford faithful may not care about that.

With a former Premier League Golden Boot winner at the helm, United produced a goal-laden display to reach the EFL Cup quarter-finals for the fifth time in six years, finding the net as many times as they had done before. in their previous six league games. .

Fernandes’ goal against Leicester

Van Nistelrooy did not make any radical changes to the system, sticking to Ten Hag’s basic 4-2-3-1 configuration and maintaining the attacking midfield trio of Mark Rashford, Bruno Fernandez and Alejandro Garnachobut he got a lot of goals from a team that lately has been struggling to score them.

In the league this season, United have scored just eight goals out of a total expected goals (xG) of 14.8, the sixth-highest in the division. Last night they substantially exceeded their xG.

There is obviously still some defensive weakness in United, but their problems would never be solved overnight, and Van Nistelrooy has at least shown what could be possible for whoever is next in the Premier League’s most popular positions. League, which could still be him.

See: Manchester United report

Confidence boost for Werner

Spurs 2-1 Manchester City

Timo Werner showed he has something to offer Spurs as his first goal of the season helped inflict city ​​of manchesterThe first defeat of 2024/25.

Having chosen to start the 17-year-old sensation Mikey Moore against Crystal Palace in the Premier League last time, Ange Postecoglou He returned Werner to the starting XI as he continued his quest to deliver the North Londoners’ first trophy since winning this competition 16 years ago.

And Postecoglou backed the German striker to find some form. “For him to score tonight and at an important moment in the game was great,” he said. “Hopefully that will help him move forward.”

Werner’s goal against Manchester City

However, it was not an entirely positive night for the Spurs. They will be evaluating the aptitude of Micky van de Venafter their standout defender left the field clutching his hamstring in the first half.

pep guardiolaMeanwhile, he committed to “playing against the second team” in this round of the EFL Cup, and he did, partially. The tastes of Stephen Ortega, James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly entered the starting eleven at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Despite the result, Guardiola must be glad that he did not risk his main men more after seeing the impressive Savinho carried out on a stretcher – having lost Manuel Akanji in warming up and replacing the central one, Ruben Dias at break.

Ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Bournemouththe champions have a long injury list that includes Rodriwho has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker.

See: Spurs report | city ​​report

Szoboszlai impresses in his new position

Brighton 2-3 Liverpool

Arne Slot threw some kind of curveball like Liverpool faced Brighton and Hove Albion three days before the first meeting of the Premier League campaign between the teams, using Dominik Szoboszlai as a “false nine”.

The Hungarian playmaker excelled in an unfamiliar role, keeping things going well as he completed 22 of 23 passes before being substituted.

Five second-half changes from the home side and four from the visitors changed the tone of the tie and led to a thrilling final 10 minutes in which the Seagulls twice reduced the Reds’ lead to a single goal, while Slot like his rival Fabian Hurzeler – going head to head for the first time – demonstrated the wealth of talent that could make Saturday’s encounter at Anfield equally exciting.

Highlights from Liverpool’s victory at Brighton

That game is one of 12 for Liverpool in the seven weeks until Christmas, and Slot will need to rotate well to maintain the eye-catching start he has made to his tenure.

One man who is surely sniffing out the opportunity to get more involved is Cody Gakpowhose decisive double in his sixth start of the 2024/25 season did not surprise his boss.

“He’s been a good player for Liverpool for a long time and that’s a good thing,” Slot said.

See: Brighton report | Liverpool Report

History of Nwaneri

Preston 0-3 Arsenal

ArsenalThe routine away win against Championship side Preston North End marked the end of an unwanted run.

By giving the Gunners a 2-0 lead in Lancashire, Ethan NwaneriAt the age of 17 years and 223 days, he became the youngest player to score in each of his first two starts for the club, having scored a brace during the 5-1 thrashing of Bolton Wanderers in the previous round. .

Nwaneri’s sublime left-footed shot from the edge of the area set him up Gabriel Jesuswho had broken the tie with a momentous goal: it was the Brazilian’s first in 25 appearances, since the 2-1 victory in the Premier League in Nottingham Forest on January 30.

Highlights from Arsenal’s win at Preston

Doing it against top-flight opposition is another matter, and Arsenal have not been short of goals this season, but this will have been a welcome confidence boost for Jesus.

The Gunners return to league action with a trip to Newcastle UnitedEdit on Saturday lunchtime, having kept their fourth clean sheet in six away games in all competitions this season.

See: Arsenal report

Isak gives Chelsea the blues

Newcastle-Chelsea 2-0

Alejandro Isak scored two goals in two games as Newcastle avenged Sunday’s league defeat to Chelsea by knocking them out of the EFL Cup.

It is the first time Isak has found the net in consecutive games since the end of last season, when he racked up a career-high 25 goals in all competitions, including 21 in the Premier League.

Isak’s goal against Chelsea

Eddie Howe highlighted after the recent home defeat to Brighton how his team were creating chances but not converting them and this small upturn in form for his star centre-forward will please the Magpies boss as he prepares for the visit of Arsenal on Saturday.

Enzo MarescaThe slightly experimental selection of the Chelsea team, which included starts for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to the right and Renato Veiga in the center of the field, it did not work, but the Italian was satisfied with the performance of his team.

“I think (making 11 changes) worked if you look at the performance,” he said. “If we look at the result, then it didn’t work.”

See: Newcastle Report | chelsea report

palace search form

Aston Villa 1-2 Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace They seem to have discovered a semblance of form, striking Villa Aston record back-to-back wins for the first time this season and further ease the pressure on Oliver Glasner.

In triumphing at Villa Park for the fourth time in their history, Palace also did something they had not achieved since the final day of last season: scoring twice on the road.

that was against Wolverhampton Wandererswho Glasner and company will face in another trip to the West Midlands on Saturday.

As for the defeated Villa, the next rival in the Premier League is Spurs. It will be super-sub John Duran Will he finally make his first start of the campaign? Probably not – Olivia WatkinsHis form remains such that it will cost him some defeat, but the clinical Colombian striker extended his purple streak by scoring three goals in three starts in all competitions this campaign.

See: Villa report | palace report

Saints frustrated despite victory

Southampton 3-2 Stoke City

At one point during the second half of their narrow victory over championship-fighting Stoke City, Southampton had a whopping 91 percent possession.

By full time, that figure had fallen to 78 percent, but the Saints’ ball-monopolizing performance solidified what we already knew: Russell Martin He has a philosophy and he will stick to it.

However, despite dominating possession so completely, Southampton only managed to push forward, blowing a 2-0 lead before James Bree secured the win two minutes from time.

And the players didn’t seem to be in much of a celebrating mood. “The guys were a little upset and frustrated (after the game),” Martin said. “They didn’t seem very happy, so I reminded them that they could smile.”

Bree’s winner against Stoke

The Saints haven’t had much to smile about this season – they are still searching for their first Premier League win, and it will take more than Guardiola’s impressive possession stats to do so when they host a resurgent. Everton on Saturday.

See: Southampton report

Flekken sends bees

Brentford 1-1 Sheff Wednesday

Goalie Mark Flekken He was the hero when Brentford beat Championship side Sheffield Wednesday on penalties, but the Dutch goalkeeper knows he could have made it easier for his team.

Before making the crucial penalty shootout save to deny the Owls’ Liam Palmer a goal, Flekken was at fault for the visitors’ equalizer.

Flekken saved the penalty to win the game

In his haste to launch a quick counter-attack, Brentford’s number one rolled the ball straight towards Djeidi Gassama, whose superb strike from 25 yards opened up a previously one-sided encounter.

“The moment I took the corner kick, I had a lot of chances, but I made a mistake,” Flekken said. “The mistake I made helped a lot to bring down our mental side. It took away the control we had. It went from a controlled game to an open game. I need to learn from that.”

Thomas Frank He would no doubt love to have a controlled game when he takes his team to Craven Cottage for a west London derby against Fulham on Monday night, where a win could see Brentford rise to sixth place in the Premier League.

See: Brentford Report

EFL Cup quarter-final draw

For the first time since 2010, all four EFL Cup quarter-final matches will be contested by Premier League teams.

Spurs vs Man Utd
Arsenal-Crystal Palace
Newcastle-Brentford
Southampton-Liverpool

These quarterfinals will be played in the week beginning December 16, after matchday 16 of the Premier League.