Preview: Ugarte to be tested to form partnership with Mainoo in midfield? Rashford & Zirkzee to continue promising start?

United will be aiming to make it into the fourth round draw of the Carabao Cup this season

Manchester United -v- Barnsley

Carabao Cup

Old Trafford, Manchester

Tuesday 17 September 2024, KO 20:00 BST

Manchester United face their first test in the Carabao Cup this season as they welcome Barnsley to Old Trafford for the first time in about 26 years. United will be seeking to do much better in this tournament than they did last season – exiting at the fourth round stage.

Erik ten Hag saw his fortunes change after the international break as United defeated Southampton 3-0 at St Mary’s on Saturday which ended the poor form of two defeats on the bounce in the Premier League. September is where the season opens up with other competitions commencing.

Barnsley have started the season well, sitting seventh in League One just three points from the top of the league. They will relish this clash at the Theatre of Dreams having not played at the historic stadium since early 1998. United will also welcome the challenge to Old Trafford.

United – Form, Goals Scored & Assists

Southampton 3-0 W, Liverpool 3-0 L, Brighton 2-1 L, Fulham 1-0 W, City 1-1 (7-6) L

Goals: 2 – Alejandro Garnacho, 1 – Amad, Matthijs de Ligt, Marcus Rashford, Joshua Zirkzee

Assists: 2 – Bruno Fernandes, 1 – Amad, Diogo Dalot, Alejandro Garnacho, Noussair Mazraoui

Barnsley – Form, Goals Scored & Assists

Stevenage 3-0 L, Bristol 2-1 W, Crawley 3-0 W, Sheffield United 1-0 W, Northampton 2-2 D, United 3-2 L

Goals: 4 – Adam Phillips, 2 – Donovan Pines, Max Watters, Vimal Yoganathan, 1 – Luca Connell, Sam Cosgrove, Marc Roberts

Assists: 2 – Luca Connell, Barry Cotter, Kyran Lofthouse, Adam Phillips, 1 – Sam Cosgrove, Georgie Gent, Corey O’Keeffe

Previous Meetings & Connections

United and Barnsley have met once in the Carabao Cup with United winning the match 2-0 with goals from Danny Welbeck and Michael Owen – that was back on the 27 October 2009 at Oakwell – which was the last meeting. United and Barnsley have met 38 times in all competitions

United have won 22 times, drawn 11 times, losing just five times. The last match at Old Trafford was a 1-1 draw in the fifth round of the FA Cup back in February 1998, resulting in a replay at Oakwell, which resulted in a 3-2 defeat for United, exiting the competition that season.

Zeki Fryers, Ben Pearson, Joe Rothwell, Callum Evans, Ashley Fletcher, John Cofie, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Danny Drinkwater, Ritchie Jones, Adam Eckersley, Daniel Nardiello, Kohn Curtis, Deiniol Graham, Neil Whitworth, Andy Rampell, Ernie Hine and Tommy Taylor have played for United and Barnsley.

Team News

Manchester United: United have started the season in mixed form; winning two matches and losing two matches in the Premier League. On Tuesday evening, United commence in the Carabao Cup, which will allow them to play lesser known players in a bid to blood them into the squad.

Ruled Out: Victor Lindelof (ankle/foot), Mason Mount (thigh), Rasmus Hojlund (thigh), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Leny Yoro (ankle/foot) and Luke Shaw (calf/shin/heel)

Suspended: None

Close to Returning: Lisandro Martinez (unspecified), Noussair Mazraoui (unspecified)

Barnsley: Barnsley have started the season well and sit in seventh place in the League One – three points from the summit. Their form this season has been mixed though – coming off a 3-0 defeat to Stevenage at the weekend. This will be their second match against Manchester United this season.

Ruled Out: Donovan Pines (concussion)

Suspended: None

Close to Returning: None

Predicted United Starting XI – 4-2-3-1

Onana;

Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot;

Ugarte, Mainoo;

Amad, Fernandes, Rashford;

Zirkzee

Predicted Barnsley Starting XI – 4-1-4-1

Slonina;

de Gevigney, O’Keeffe, Roberts, Earl;

Craig;

Cotter, Phillips, Connell, Keillor-Dunn;

Cosgrove

Match Prediction

United should start this match like they did against Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday afternoon. Ten Hag will need to get as many wins under his belt as he can which will bring up morale and squad confidence and start to get the season going, prior to the next international break.

Barnsley will do all they can to try and get a result against United but it is United who are the much stronger side, which will give Ten Hag different options as he will be able to rest a few players – not that I think he will do this. He could make changes when United get comfortable, if they do.

United will be seeking to get themselves into the fourth round draw of the Carabao Cup this week to see who they can face next, should they get through this Barnsley side – and I think they will. United have been hit hard this season and now it is the time for them to bounce back and be counted.

Manchester United 4-0 Barnsley

Written by Paul


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I support Manchester United, the greatest English football team to have ever existed. Bruno Fernandes is the latest in a long line of players with great ability to play for the club. I idolised Bryan Robson, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Eric Cantona growing up.