Manchester United eased into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup after they won 2-0 at Everton courtesy of late goals from Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial.
Cavani found the bottom corner two minutes from full time to break the deadlock in their quarter-final clash on Wednesday night, while substitute Martial sealed the win with the last kick of the game at Goodison Park.
It leaves Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still vying for his first piece of silverware as United boss, while Carlo Ancelotti, who had taken this competition seriously in an effort to end Everton’s 25-year trophy drought, will have been left extremely frustrated.
United will now face Manchester City in the semi-finals of the competition for the second year in a row. They were knocked out by Pep Guardiola’s side over two legs at the same stage last season, but on this occasion, they will welcome their rivals to Old Trafford for a one-off tie in the first week of January.
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Watch the highlights of the match below
Stats from the match
- Manchester United have reached the League Cup semi-finals for the 16th time, second only to Liverpool (17) in the competition’s history.
- Everton failed to register a single shot on target in the second half, with Gylfi Sigurdsson having 57 per cent of their total attempts (4/7).
- Manchester United have scored in each of their last 25 away games in all competitions, since a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool in January.
- Anthony Martial is the third substitute to both score and assist a goal for Manchester United in all competitions this season (Mason Greenwood v Luton, Edinson Cavani v Southampton), with no sub having done this for the club in either 2018-19 or 2019-20.
Stoke 1-3 Tottenham: Spurs reach Carabao Cup semi-finals after easing past Championship side
Tottenham Hotspur also continues their hunt for the first piece of silverware since 2008 after beating Championship side Stoke City 3-1 to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
Spurs will clash with Brentford in the last four of the cup competition.
Gareth Bale scored the first goal of the game to send Jose Mourinho’s side on their way in the 22nd minute, but Stoke leveled after the breakthrough Jordan Thompson’s smart finish.
Spurs, who were forced to introduce Heung-Min Son in place of Bale at the break because of a calf injury, eventually regained control of the match as Ben Davies struck a long-range effort before Harry Kane made sure of his side’s place in the final four nine minutes from time.
Watch the highlights of the match below
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho, after the match, said: “To win this trophy we need to win two matches. But they are two very difficult matches. To win other trophies you need to win more matches. The FA Cup didn’t start for us. The Europa League we are in the last 32.
“We are really far from getting there. In the Premier League I told you already what we are. But they are a very difficult two matches. If you win the first one you have to win the second.
“The teams that are going to be there are very difficult teams. Man City are very difficult. Brentford, for me, the way they play they are not Championship, they are Premier League. And Everton or Manchester United are one of the very top teams. But we are in the semi-finals and we will be there to fight.”
Stats from the match
- Jose Mourinho has reached the League Cup semi-finals for the fifth time, going on to win the competition on each of the previous four occasions his sides have got to this stage (2004-05, 2006-07, 2014-15 and 2016-17).
- Spurs have reached the League Cup semi-finals for the second time in the last three seasons, eventually being knocked out by Chelsea in 2018-19.
- Gareth Bale has scored in consecutive League Cup appearances eight years and 53 days apart, with his previous goal coming against Norwich in October 2012.
- Harry Kane has scored 10 goals in 11 games against Stoke in all competitions, making the Potters the 5th team he’s reached double figures against in his club career.
- Stoke City have lost each of their last six matches against Spurs in all competitions, their worst ongoing losing run against any side.
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