Manchester United -v- Charlton Athletic
Carabao Cup
Old Trafford, Manchester
Tuesday 10 January 2023, KO 20:00 GMT
Manchester United welcome Sky Bet League One side Charlton Athletic to Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup quarter final on Tuesday evening. United have earned their place in the last eight of the competition after beating Aston Villa 4-2 and Burnley 2-0. Charlton have earned their place after beating Queens Park Rangers 5-3 on penalties, Walsall 1-0, Stevenage 5-4 on penalties and Brighton and Hove Albion 4-3 on penalties.
Erik ten Hag could well be looking at the Carabao Cup as his first trophy at United this season with his club still in the Emirates FA Cup after beating Everton 3-1 in the third round at Old Trafford on Friday evening. Charlton will be seeking to stay in the competition, earning a semi final place this season, giving them two more matches this season. Granted, if United get there, the two semi final matches will bulk up their season.
United still have two Premier League matches which need to be rearranged plus the UEFA Europa League play off double header against Barcelona next month, which will see United with a bit of a fixture overload with the half way stage of the Premier League still a fortnight away for United with them playing Manchester City next weekend and Arsenal the weekend after. Ten Hag’s season is about to start getting a lot more competitive.
Manchester United – Form, Goals Scored & Assists
Everton 3-1 W, Bournemouth 3-0 W, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 W, Nottingham Forest 3-0 W, Burnley 2-0 W, Fulham 2-1 W
Goals: 13 – Marcus Rashford, 5 – Anthony Martial, 4 – Antony, 3 – Bruno Fernandes, Own Goal, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, 2 – Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Fred, Alejandro Garnacho, Scott McTominay, 1 – Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw
Assists: 8 – Christian Eriksen, 4 – Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, 3 – Alejandro Garnacho, 2 – Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luke Shaw, 1 – Diogo Dalot, Anthony Elanga, Scott McTominay, Jadon Sancho, Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Charlton Athletic – Form, Goals Scored & Assists
Lincoln City 2-1 W, Portsmouth 3-1 W, Oxford United 3-1 L, Peterborough United 1-1 D, Brighton and Hove Albion 0-0 (4-3) W, Bristol Rovers 2-1 L
Goals: 6 – Miles Leaburn, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, 5 – Scott Fraser, 4 – Corey Blackett-Taylor, Jack Payne, 3 – Chuks Aneke, Charlie Kirk, Jayden Stockley, 2 – Ryan Inniss, Albie Morgan, 1 – Sean Clare, George Dobson, Aaron Henry, Diallang Jaiyesimi, Eoghan O’Connell, Terell Thomas
Assists: 4 – Scott Fraser, Charlie Kirk, Jack Payne, 3 – Corey Blackett-Taylor, Miles Leaburn, Albie Morgan, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Jayden Stockley, 2 – George Dobson, Steven Sessegnon, 1 – Chuks Aneke, Tyreece Campbell, Ryan Inniss, Diallang Jaiyesimi, Daniel Kanu
Previous Meetings & Connections
United and Charlton have met 59 times in all competitive competitions in the history of both clubs. United have won 38 times, drawing 10 times with Charlton winning 11 times. United were last defeated by Charlton back on the 4 November 1989 at Selhurst Park in the old Football League Division One. United and Charlton have played 18 times since that defeat with United undefeated – winning 16 times – 10 of them in a row – drawing twice.
It has been almost 16 years since both teams last met competitively, which was in the Premier League. 16 of the last 18 matches played were in the Premier League and United will be seeking to keep their undefeated run going. United and Charlton have only ever met in the League Cup once, which was back on the 11 September 1974 with United winning 5-1 with goals scored by Sammy McIlroy, Stewart Houston, a brace by Lou Macari and an own goal by Charlton.
Frank Haydock, Tony Young, Paul Rachubka, Jonathan Spector, Lee Martin, Davide Petrucci, Nicky Ajose, Ben Amos, Dylan Levitt have all played for United and Charlton. Haydock, a centre-half played for United from 1957 to 1963. Young, a fullback, was at United from 1969 to 1976. Rachubka, Spector, Martin, Petrucci, Ajose, Amos and Levitt were all youth players for United and were either loaned to Charlton or signed for Charlton after leaving United.
Team News
Axel Tuanzebe and Donny van de Beek are the only United players on the sidelines through injury ahead of the Carabao Cup quarter final against Charlton at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening. Jadon Sancho is still training on an individual schedule to get back up to speed and playing again this season. Van de Beek’s knee injury and Bruno Fernandes’ suspension in this match has slightly reduced United’s midfield for this match – but Ten Hag has options.
Jack Butland could make his debut for United against Charlton, keeping David De Gea on the bench for this match, just in case he is needed. It could well be that Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are rested ahead of the Manchester City match this weekend with Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire possibly playing against Charlton. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Tyrell Malacia could complete the defence. It’s possible that Zidane Iqbal of Kobbie Mainoo could be on the bench.
Mandela Egbo is the only main absentee for Charlton for the clash with United although Ashley Maynard-Brewer missed the victory over Lincoln City at the weekend because of concussion. He could feature against United if he is fit enough to play at the Theatre of Dreams. Eoghan O’Connell also made his return to action in the victory over Lincoln at the weekend so this Charlton side are looking good ahead of the clash against United.
Predicted Manchester United Starting XI – 4-3-3
Butland;
Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire; Malacia;
McTominay, Fred, Iqbal;
Antony, Martial, Garnacho
Predicted Charlton Athletic Starting XI – 4-3-3
Maynard-Brewer;
Clare, O’Connell, Inniss, Sessegnon;
Fraser, Dobson, Morgan;
Rak-Sakyi, Stockley, Blackett-Taylor
Match Prediction
United and Charlton have met 59 times in all competitions with United winning 38, drawing 11 and losing ten. The last time these two teams faced each other was back in 2007 in the Premier League. United last lost against Charlton in 1989, undefeated in the last 18 matches – winning 16 and drawing twice. This United team, despite the heavy rotation ahead of the clash with Manchester City at the weekend, will be good enough to get a win here.
Charlton are in some good form at this time but so are United and they have been playing teams streets ahead of Charlton in terms of ability. Not disrespectful to Charlton but they are in League One for a reason. Granted, they may win promotion this season based on their good form – providing that continues, but they are still not a Premier League team and will remain a long way off that status. United have to win this match to reach the semi finals.
Ten Hag will have his tactics ready to implement for this match and will be wanting to continue United’s good run of seven wins in a row since that defeat to Aston Villa prior to the FIFA World Cup. United have improved in leaps and bounds this season and have already won 19 matches this season in all competitions when they only won 20 throughout last season. It seems clear that Ten Hag has been a positive at United this season and will continue that way.
Manchester United 3-0 Charlton Athletic
Written by John Walker
