Man United routs third-division Barnsley 7-0 in English League Cup

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag savored the “perfect night” after routing third-division Barnsley 7-0 in the English League Cup on Tuesday.

It was United's biggest margin of victory under the Dutchman, who has been in charge for more than two years.

Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Christian Eriksen all scored two goals each in the third round match at Old Trafford, with Antony also on target.

“Not for me, but for the team, this is the perfect night. I think we could do everything that we planned to do. We won, (we are in) next round, scored some great goals, entertained the fans and we worked on our game model, so we are happy,” Ten Hag said.

The size of the victory surpassed United's previous best under Ten Hag: 4-1 wins against Real Betis and Chelsea in his first season at the club. It was the biggest since a 9-0 win over Southampton under former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021.

Encouragingly for Ten Hag, Rashford's scoring touch appears to have returned after a troubled season last year when he managed just nine goals.

Rashford's double came after he ended a 12-game barren run with a goal against Southampton over the weekend.

“Football is football. Sometimes you have ups and sometimes downs, but we have to use these games to get momentum and consistency," Rashford said.

Garnacho also scored in that 3-0 win in the Premier League and emulated Rashford by making it three goals in his last two games.

Eriksen struck twice late on.

Rashford blasted United in front after cutting inside Marc Roberts in the 16th minute. Antony doubled the lead when winning and then converting a penalty in the 35th.

Garnacho poked home from close range in the second minute of first-half stoppage time.

United overpowered Barnsley after the break with Garnacho scoring his second when racing through on goal in the 49th. Rashford scored again in the 58th.

It was the first time Rashford has scored more than one goal in a game since February 2023.

Eriksen's double came in the 81st and 85th.

Bottom of the Premier League and without a point, Everton’s troubled campaign went from bad to worse after it was eliminated by second-to-last Southampton — losing 6-5 on penalties.

The Merseyside team had taken the lead through Abdoulaye Doucoure in the 20th at Goodison Park, but Taylor Harwood-Bellis evened the game in the 32nd.

Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy saved Ashley Young's penalty in sudden death to seal Everton's fate.

Eberechi Eze struck the winner as Crystal Palace beat second-division Queens Park Rangers 2-1 and Brentford survived an early scare against third-tier Leyton Orient to win 3-1.

Brandon Cooper fired Orient ahead in the 11th, but Fabio Carvalho, Mikkel Damsgaard and Christian Norgaard eased Brentford to victory.

Second-division Preston secured the biggest shock of the night by beating Fulham 16-15 in an epic penalty shootout.

The game ended 1-1 at full time with Ryan Ledson putting Preston ahead in the 35th and Reiss Nelson equalizing for Fulham in the 61st.

What followed was the longest shootout in League Cup history with Preston eventually triumphing after 34 spot kicks.

After 32 penalties were successfully converted, Fulham's Timothy Castagne missed the target and Ledson made no mistake to fire Preston into the fourth round.

It was a different story as Stoke overcame Fleetwood 2-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Sheffield Wednesday beat Blackpool 1-0.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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Crystal Palace's Eddie Nketiah, center, celebrates scoring during the English League Cup third round soccer match between Queens Park Rangers QPR and Crystal Palace at the Loftus Road Stadium, London, Tuesday Sept. 17, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Queens Park Rangers' Karamoko Dembele, left, and Crystal Palace's Tyrick Mitchell in action during the English League Cup third round soccer match between Queens Park Rangers QPR and Crystal Palace at the Loftus Road Stadium, London, Tuesday Sept. 17, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Leyton Orient's Sonny Perkins, left, and Brentford's Christian Norgaard battle for the ball during the English League Cup third round soccer match at the Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford, Tuesday Sept. 17, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)

Preston North End's Ryan Ledson, center, celebrates scoring during the English League Cup third round soccer match between Preston and Fulham at Deepdale, Preston, England, Tuesday Sept. 17, 2024. (Richard Sellers/PA via AP)

Everton's Michael Keane, left, and Southampton's Adam Armstrong battle for the ball during the English League Cup third round soccer match between Everton and Southampton at Goodison Park, Liverpool, England, Tuesday Sept. 17, 2024. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho is celebrated by Manchester United's Casemiro after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English League Cup soccer match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Christian Eriksen celebrates after scoring the 6th goal during the English League Cup soccer match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford after scoring the fifth goal during the English League Cup soccer match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, top, is tackled by Barnsley's Barry Cotter during the English League Cup soccer match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag claps hands prior to the English League Cup soccer match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford scores the opening goal against Barnsley's goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina during the English League Cup soccer match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Antony, right, reacts to Manchester United's goalkeeper Altay Bayindir at halftime during the English League Cup soccer match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Antony, left, celebrates scoring with Alejandro Garnacho during the English League Cup soccer match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English League Cup soccer match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford celebrates with Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho, left, after scoring the fifth goal during the English League Cup soccer match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Brayan Rocchio singled in Andrés Giménez with the winning run as the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians scored three times in the 10th inning to beat the Minnesota Twins 5-4 on Wednesday night, reducing their magic number for clinching a playoff berth to one.

Kyle Manzardo and Will Brennan had RBI singles off Ronny Henriquez (1-1) before Michael Tonkin entered and gave up Rocchio’s second career walk-off hit, a chopper to right through a drawn-in infield.

Josh Naylor hit a pair of solo homers and scored three times for Cleveland, which leads the division by 5 1/2 games over Kansas City. Naylor’s first shot was a 445-foot rocket to right-center, giving him his first 30-homer season.

Carlos Correa had a two-run single off Hunter Gaddis (5-3) that gave the Twins a 4-2 lead in the top of the 10th. Correa finished with four RBIs and extended his hitting streak to 16 games, matching his career high with Houston in 2019.

Minnesota entered the night with a 1 1/2-game lead over Detroit for the final AL wild-card position.

Twins right-hander Bailey Ober struck out a career-high 12 over seven innings, but remained winless in seven starts since Aug. 9. He allowed two runs without issuing a walk.

Guardians starter Tanner Bibee worked 6 2/3 innings and gave up two runs. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.82 ERA in four games against Minnesota this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: OF Trevor Larnach (hamstring), who has a career-high 15 homers, served as the designated hitter for his sixth game in a row. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Larnach should return to his regular spot in left field before the start of the postseason.

Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb (right third finger blister), who is eligible to come off the injured list on Sept. 24, will determine whether he throws a simulated game or makes a start for Triple-A Columbus. “Really, Alex is driving the bus on this,” manager Stephen Vogt said.

UP NEXT

Twins RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-5, 4.08 ERA) faces Guardians LHP Joey Cantillo (2-3, 4.99 ERA) in the four-game series finale.

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Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee tosses to first base to get out Minnesota Twins' Christian Vazquez during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor catches a fly by hit by Minnesota Twins' Jose Miranda during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio misplays the ball hit by Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa hits into a fielders choice during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa hits an RBI single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. Willi Castro scored on the play.(AP Photo/David Dermer)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez flips the ball to shortstop Brayan Rocchio to get out Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)