Everything Manchester United did right in their win against Barnsley

The vibrant Manchester United put SEVEN past a disgruntled Barnsley and their keeper on the night, Chelsea loanee, Gabriel Slonina, winning the game in emphatic style. Here are all the things United did right against the EFL League One outfit. (BY SAHEED YUSUF)

• Starting Alejandro Garnacho: After controversially being left out over the weekend against Southampton, Ten Hag chose to start Garnacho on Tuesday night in their cup tie. The Argentine caused havoc down the left-hand side, scoring twice and setting up two goals, one for teammate Marcus Rashford, as the two seem to be linking up well so far this season. His first goal stood out amongst the brace he scored on the night, calmly slotting the ball past Slonina on the end of a rapid counterattack. Garnacho made a shout for the Man of the Match award alongside Rashford and Eriksen, ultimately losing out to the Dane, according to SofaScore ratings.

• Playing Marcus Rashford down the middle: Rashford played the best game of his season so far, being directly involved in three goals whilst playing as a striker, a position many would argue isn't his best. He looked confident as a number 9, though, showing flashes of the same Rashford that got United to the Champions League during Ten Hag's debut season: direct and clinical. He showed just that in his first goal, skillfully manoeuvring past two Barnsley defenders before an impressive finish that opened the scoring for the Red Devils on the night. United fans will be hoping for more or the same in their upcoming matches as they head to London to face Crystal Palace on Saturday (September 21).

• Dominating the middle of the park: United's midfield was imposing on Tuesday, giving Barnsley no chance to settle all game. Casemiro, captain for the night, had a lot to prove against Barnsley, and he delivered! According to SofaScore the Brazilian won 60% of his duels (5 out of 8), had a pass completion rate of 88%, and was vocal throughout the game, making use of his experience to guide the younger players through. Manuel Ugarte's started the first game of his season, barely putting a foot wrong all night. He was sweeping up in midfield, throwing his weight around, displaying calmness on the ball, and even forcing the turnover that led to United’s third goal. 

• Christian Eriksen’s Masterclass: Eriksen played the 'Bruno Role' against Barnsley, drifting across the pitch in search of space and supplying incisive through balls like the one that set up Garnacho’s goal. He finished the game with an assist and as the third player to score a brace for the Red Devils on the night, the two goals coming in quick succession as he closed the scoring. Eriksen was Man of the Match and quite deservedly so, too, boasting of a pass accuracy of 96% and managing only to lose the ball five times all game.

• Resting Key Players: Ten Hag decided to rest several key players ahead of the Premier League game on Saturday, one of which being United’s creator-in-chief Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese still featured later on, though, setting up two goals and completing a Bruno-esque six key passes in the measly 28 minutes he was on the pitch. Matthijs de Ligt also didn’t start the game after coming off seemingly injured against Southampton last weekend. Other starters that were rested include Andre Onana, Amad Diallo, and Noussair Mazraoui amongst others. 

• Clinical in front of goal: According to Sofascore, United converted six out of their seven big chances against Barnsley, getting half their total shots at goal on target. They were clinical at crucial moments and didn’t waste many chances to score on the night.

Red Devil Armada's Man of the Match: Our choice for Man of the Match and who impressed the most against Barnsley is Casemiro. The Brazilian received a lot of backlash after his poor display against Liverpool at the Theater of Dreams. He was subsequently benched against the Merseysiders as fans were calling for his head. Ten Hag decided to trust him on Tuesday, though, entrusting him with the armband, a choice that ultimately paid off well for the Dutchman.  

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