Big teams fielding full-strength sides, crowd trouble and David Moyes sent to the stands – the sponsor-less EFL Cup creates a wild night of headlines.
Throw in an ineffective cameo from Sergio Aguero, Zlatan Ibrahimovic jumping on the suspension tightrope and Diego Costa avoiding a ban yet again and maybe it won’t be sponsor-less for much longer.
Here’s the low-down on a night of high drama.
Man United 1 Man City 0
If the FA Cup had become an ‘always the bridesmaid’ kind of competition, then the EFL Cup was so unloved it didn’t even get an invite to the wedding.
Not anymore.
Jose Mourinho fielded close to his full-strength team in the 1-0 win over the noisy neighbours, with Juan Mata (7.4) scoring from a Zlatan Ibrahimovic (11.3) assist.
Rather than gaining local bragging rights or a place in the quarter finals, the match was as much about redemption for coach and club after their 4-0 drubbing by Chelsea. And for Pep Guardiola and City, it was a chance to win for the first time in six attempts.
But the repercussions of the tie will be felt by both parties.
Mourinho selected Ibrahimovic and then played him for the full 90 minutes. The 38.3%-owned Swede picked up a booking in time added on which means he now has four cautions for the season – one away from an automatic single-match ban.
United’s attacking resources are getting stretched. The out-of-favour Wayne Rooney (8.7) has a muscle problem and Marcus Rashford (6.9) left the field – and walked straight down the tunnel – in the second half of the win with a knock that will be assessed later today.
Despite his form, Mourinho can hardly afford to lose Ibrahimovic to a ban in Saturday’s home match with Burnley.
He also has concerns in defence, after Chris Smalling (5.9) joined Eric Bailly (5.5) on the sidelines.
Guardiola, meanwhile, went back to a four-man defence – possibly to blood young right back Pablo Maffeo (4.5) in the light of injuries to both Bacary Sagna (5.3) and Pablo Zabaleta (4.7) – only for the just-returned Vincent Kompany (5.9) to be withdrawn at half-time.
The Spaniard played down the problem post-match.
“It is important after two years injured. Three days ago he played 70 minutes, here 45 and no injury. That is a good step, the first step. After we have to see. The important thing is he is not injured. Of course he felt not good. That’s why we made the substitution, knowing what happened in the past.”
Kelechi Iheanacho (6.8) was again preferred to Sergio Aguero (13.1), presumably with the Argentinian being preserved for the now-vital trip to West Brom.
City also face Barcelona just three days after that fixture, which was likely to play a part in their manager’s thinking last night.
Aguero was given a run-out in the final 20 minutes but failed to make an impression. He’s now failed to score in six successive matches for City.
Manchester United XI: de Gea, Valencia, Blind, Rojo, Shaw, Carrick, Herrera, Mata (Schneiderlin 73), Pogba, Rashford (Lingard 82), Ibrahimovic.
Subs not used: Romero, Depay,Young, Fellaini, Darmian.
Manchester City XI: Caballero, Maffeo, Otamendi, Kompany (Kolarov 45), Clichy, Navas, García, Fernando, Nolito (Aguero 71), Sané (Sterling 63), Iheanacho.
Subs not used: Gunn, Gundogan, Fernandinho, Adarabioyo.
West Ham United 2 Chelsea 1
Another close to full-strength side prevailed as West Ham were good value for their win over a much-changed but still strong Chelsea.
Cheikhou Kouyate (5.2), from a Mark Noble (6.3) assist, and Edimilson Fernandes (4.9) got the goals, with Gary Cahill’s (5.9) second strike in as many matches coming far too late to turn the tide at a febrile London Stadium.
Hammers boss Slaven Bilic again went for three centre-halves, with midfielder Kouyate among them and the 12.8%-owned Michail Antonio (7.0) back up front as Fernandes took on the right wing-back role.
Fernandes impressed and drew praise from Bilic, which could see him maintain his starting role and help keep Antonio deployed in the attack.
Antonio has been sold by more FPL managers than any midfielder in the Gameweek, yet his remaining owners may now be persuaded to hold in light of last night’s change of position.
But the West Ham boss does now have more options available in that department.
Bilic seems eager to give Simone Zaza the opportunity to show his worth and, with the Italian benched last night, he could be in line for a recall at Everton. Equally, Andre Ayew (7.1) returned to the fray to earn a late run-out for the first time since his cruel Gameweek 1 injury.
With Lanzini and Payet seemingly assured of berths in two of the attacking positions, a shift up front could actually put Antonio’s start in doubt.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte gave the returning John Terry (5.4) the full 90 minutes, which meant Cesar Azpilicueta (6.0) moved to wing-back.
Willian (7.2) played for the first time since the death of his mother, which puts the in-form Pedro’s (7.1) place in doubt, although Conte brought on the Spaniard, and big guns Diego Costa (10.3) and Eden Hazard (9.8) with the second half in its infancy to try and spark a comeback.
The Costa move was particularly risky as a caution would have seen him banned for Sunday’s trip to Southampton, but the striker again kept himself out of trouble.
Joining him on four yellows for the season were the Hammers duo of Noble and Winston Reid (5.0), who will now tread the suspension tightrope at Everton on Sunday.
West Ham XI: Randolph, Kouyaté, Reid, Ogbonna, Fernandes (Feghouli 66), Noble, Obiang, Cresswell; Payet, Lanzini (Ayew 78); Antonio (Zaza 82).
Subs not used: Nordtveit, Adrián, Collins, Fletcher.
Chelsea XI: Begovic, David Luiz, Cahill, Terry, Aina (Pedro 67), Kanté, Chalobah (Hazard 63), Azpilicueta, Willian, Batshuayi (Costa 54), Oscar.
Subs not used: Alonso, Matic, Eduardo, Solanke.
Southampton 1 Sunderland 0
The footballing lord giveth and he taketh away, as Southampton coach Claude Puel found out in the narrow win over Sunderland.
A quarter final berth in the EFL Cup means the Saints squad will have to deal with three competitions before the FA Cup even enters the equation, and Puel’s attacking options will have been boosted by a superb match-winning goal from record signing Sofiane Boufal (6.8), his first for the club.
But by then Jay Rodriguez (6.3) had been taken off with concussion and with Shane Long (6.1) unlikely to figure short-term because of a hamstring injury, Southampton’s busy schedule – including Europa League duties – could mean unwanted extra minutes for Charlie Austin (6.6) and the in-form Nathan Redmond (5.9), owned by 10.7% and 6.5% of Fantasy Premier League managers respectively.
Puel blooded six Academy youngsters against a Sunderland side that had won only two matches under David Moyes all season – both in the EFL Cup. With seven players now potentially out injured, his squad is now looking seriously stretched.
As for David Moyes, is situation is edging closer to crisis. Sunderland’s winless streak went on at St Mary’s and so incensed was the Scot by the non-award of a penalty that he ended up being sent to the stands.
Saturday looks crucial for the Black Cats and Moyes but, having fielded a strong line-up last night, you have to fear for Sunderland’s prospects against a largely rested Arsenal in the early kick-off.
Given that the Gunners have seven clean sheets in eight, things are looking ominous for the Wearsiders.
Southampton XI: McCarthy, Yoshida, Fonte, Stephens, McQueen, Reed (Clasie 82), Ward-Prowse, Højbjerg, Boufal, Rodriguez (Olomola 26), Isgrove (Redmond 72).
Subs not used: Austin, Martina, van Dijk, Lewis.
Sunderland XI: Pickford, Jones, Koné, Djilobodji, van Aanholt, Rodwell, McNair (Pienaar 87), Ndong, Watmore (Gooch 87), Anichebe, Khazri (Defoe 72).
Subs not used: Mika, O’Shea, Manquillo, Love.
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