Manchester United’s Carabao Cup campaign came to an end with a thrilling 4-3 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night. The visitors, managed by Ruben Amorim, made five changes to their starting lineup, including the omission of Marcus Rashford, who had expressed a desire to leave the club earlier in the week.
Tottenham seized the initiative early, capitalizing on Manchester United’s rotated squad. Pedro Porro’s shot from a free-kick routine was parried away by stand-in goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, allowing Dominic Solanke to volley home unmarked at close range.
Despite dominating possession and territory, Manchester United found themselves two goals down at halftime. James Maddison’s cut-back was only partially cleared by Lisandro Martinez, and Dejan Kulusevski reacted quickly to convert and double Tottenham’s lead. The hosts soon added a third, with Djed Spence’s through ball releasing Solanke, who fired past Bayindir with his stronger right foot.
Amorim’s triple substitution paid dividends as Joshua Zirkzee pulled one back for Manchester United. Fraser Forster’s loose pass was pounced upon by Bruno Fernandes, who squared for Zirkzee to tap in. Spurs continued to crumble as Forster gifted Manchester United a second goal, kicking straight into the onrushing Amad Diallo. Diallo’s 25-yard shot then caught Forster off guard, and nerves gripped the stadium.
However, Tottenham managed to weather the storm and scored a fourth in the closing stages. Son Heung-min’s wicked corner floated over Bayindir, who claimed he was fouled by Lucas Bergvall, and into the net. A late header from Jonny Evans proved too little, too late, as Spurs advanced to the semi-finals.
The defeat marks the end of Manchester United’s Carabao Cup campaign, while Tottenham continues their push for silverware. The result highlights the challenges facing Amorim’s side, particularly with key players like Rashford struggling for game time.
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