Manchester United silenced their critics with a commanding 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the League Cup, securing their spot in the fourth round. This win comes as a sigh of relief for United manager Erik ten Hag and his players, who have faced intense scrutiny following a challenging start to the season.

After narrowly triumphing over Burnley in the Premier League over the weekend, Manchester United showcased a much-improved performance against Crystal Palace. Alejandro Garnacho opened the scoring in the first half, followed by Casemiro doubling the lead before the interval. Anthony Martial sealed the victory with a goal after the break.

The League Cup triumph marks a momentary respite for Manchester United, who had initially lifted the trophy in February, ending a six-year drought. However, instead of embarking on a new era of success, United has been grappling with various on and off-field issues. Follow your favourite football team with attractive football betting odds from Nextbet.

With three defeats in their first five league matches, United’s title aspirations took a severe hit. The mounting pressure on manager Ten Hag was somewhat alleviated by the back-to-back wins in the past four days.

Ten Hag’s tactical decisions paid off as he made seven changes to the lineup, aiming to rejuvenate the squad’s performance. Dean Henderson, who recently joined Crystal Palace, had a short-lived return to Old Trafford as he was forced off due to injury just 19 minutes into the match.

Manchester United swiftly took control in the 21st minute when Diogo Dalot’s precise cross found Alejandro Garnacho, who calmly fired a low shot past the substitute goalkeeper, Sam Johnstone, from close range.

Six minutes later, Casemiro extended United’s lead with a well-timed header from Mason Mount’s corner, leaving Johnstone with no chance.

The third goal for Manchester United came in the 55th minute when Anthony Martial converted Casemiro’s cross into a goal.

Sofyan Amrabat, who recently joined on loan from Fiorentina, showcased an impressive performance in his first start for United, adapting to a stand-in left-back role before transitioning to his preferred central midfield position in the second half.

With this victory, Manchester United aims to extend their winning streak when they face Crystal Palace once again at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday. Get the latest updates from the world of football only on Nextbet Sports.