CASEMIRO SCORED ONE and provided another as Manchester United began their defence of the Carabao Cup with a straightforward 3-0 victory against lifeless Crystal Palace.
There were a combined 14 changes for an Old Trafford meeting that will be repeated in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, when Eagles boss Roy Hodgson will demand a vastly improved display.
United kept Palace at arm’s length in a one-sided first half that brought a pair of quickfire goals shortly after injury had ended Dean Henderson’s debut against his former club.
First good team play ended with Alejandro Garnacho turning in Diogo Dalot’s cutback, before Casemiro headed home his fourth goal of the campaign from the returning Mason Mount’s corner.
Anthony Martial rifled home from the Brazil international’s cross in the 55th minute as United rubber-stamped their place in Wednesday’s fourth-round draw by following up their much-needed win at Burnley.
Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland international Jack Taylor scored a stunning long-range winner as a second-string Ipswich side fought back from two goals down to stun Wolves in the Carabao Cup third round with a 3-2 win at Portman Road. Taylor was capped at U21 level by Stephen Kenny and has been on the fringes of the senior squad without yet making his debut.
Hwang Hee-Chan and Toti netted inside 15 minutes for the Premier League side but they still slumped to a fifth defeat in eight matches under new boss Gary O’Neil.
Omari Hutchinson started the Ipswich comeback with a fine 28th-minute finish before Freddie Ladapo ensured it was all square at half-time. Taylor’s superb 25-yard strike soon after the break handed former Manchester United assistant and current Ipswich box Kieran McKenna his first victory over a top-flight club.
Matt Doherty played all 90 minutes for Wolves, while Irish U19 international Nathan Fraser made his first-team debut as a second-half substitute. Ireland U21 captain Joe Hodge was an unused substitute after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Dara O’Shea scored his first goal for Burnley as Vincent Kompany’s side put their Premier League travails behind them with a 4-0 hammering of League Two strugglers Salford.
Sander Berge and Jacob Bruun Larsen netted before O’Shea scored Burnley’s third before half-time, while Wilson Odobert marked his full debut with a late fourth.
Luton crashed out of the Carabao Cup as they were beaten 1-0 by League One Exeter at St James Park.
Demetri Mitchell scored the only goal of an absorbing game with seven minutes remaining before he was later sent off after picking up a second yellow card.
Luton made 10 changes to the team that picked up their first point of the Premier League season with a 1-1 draw against Wolves at the weekend, while Exeter made five to the side beaten 3-0 at Oxford.
Middlesbrough secured safe passage with a 2-0 victory over Bradford at the University of Bradford Stadium.
Carabao Cup Third Round results
- Bradford 0-2 Middlesbrough
- Exeter 1-0 Luton
- Ipswich 3-2 Wolves
- Mansfield 2-2 Peterborough (Mansfield win 3-1 on penalties)
- Port Vale 2-1 Sutton United
- Salford City 0-4 Burnley
- Manchester United 3-0 Crystal Palace
With reporting by Gavin Cooney
