MANCHESTER, Dec22: Goals from Christian Eriksen and Marcus Rashford earned Manchester United a comfortable 2-0 win over Burnley in the League Cup fourth round on Wednesday as third-tier Charlton Athletic knocked out Brighton & Hove Albion on penalties.
Playing their first game since the World Cup break, United went ahead after 27 minutes when Aaron Wan-Bissaka sent a cross into the six-yard box and Eriksen smashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range.
Erik ten Hag’s side, featuring several players who played in the World Cup in Qatar, could have doubled their lead when Anthony Martial’s shot was well saved by Burnley goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
Championship leaders Burnley had chances to equalise but Marcus Rashford made it 2-0 with a fine individual effort, the 25-year-old collecting the ball in his own half and outpacing the defence before finishing neatly at Old Trafford.
Charlton upset Brighton
League One Charlton caused a major upset by eliminating Brighton, seventh in the Premier League, after their goalless clash went to a penalty shootout.
Three days after Alexis Mac Allister won the World Cup his Brighton team-mates were on the wrong end. While Mac Allister partied in Buenos Aires, having been given a fortnight off following his heroics in Qatar.
The rest of the Brighton team faced a far less appealing trip to chilly south-east London as domestic football resumed.
Both sides missed three spot-kicks but in the seventh round Charlton goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer denied Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo and defender Samuel Lavelle converted to send his side through.
Forest crush Blackburn
Four-times winners Nottingham Forest crushed Championship side Blackburn Rovers 4-1.
Striker Brennan Johnson giving the Premier League side an early lead from the penalty spot.The Reds looked the brighter of the two sides on their return to competitive action for the first time since November 12 and Johnson had the first chance of the game five minutes in when he was set free with acres of space down the right but drilled his effort straight at Pears.
The Blackburn keeper was forced into a second save two minutes later when Awoniyi tapped a close-range effort straight at him as Johnson proved to be the livewire in the first few minutes.
Blackburn equalised before halftime through defender Scott Wharton but Lingard restored Forest’s lead soon after the interval and Awoniyi and Johnson completed the rout. (Agencies)
