Jesse Lingard continued his romance with the EFL Cup by scoring both in Manchester United's 2-0 win over Swansea City this evening.
The England midfielder gave United a 21st-minute lead with a confident finish into the bottom corner after running onto Marcus Rashford's flick.
It was his third goal in as many EFL Cup games, and he added to that tally after the break with an inch-perfect header from Matteo Darmian's cross.
Swansea lacked an attacking threat for much of the game, but Sergio Romero had to be on guard to preserve his clean sheet late on as Tammy Abraham and Leroy Fer came close to getting the hosts a consolation.
Relive how the last-16 action unfolded at the Liberty Stadium with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates.
Good evening all! This is a match which Jose Mourinho may feel he can do without, sandwiched between humiliation at Huddersfield and a six-pointer at Spurs. But beat Swansea tonight and the Special One will be able to sniff another trophy. How will he approach the game? Let's find out with the team news...
SWANSEA: Nordfeldt; Rangel, Van der Hoorn, Mawson, Olsson; Ki, Mesa, Clucas; Routledge, Ayew, McBurnie
Subs: Mulder, Naughton, Fernandez, Fer, Fulton, Narsingh, Abraham
Subs: Mulder, Naughton, Fernandez, Fer, Fulton, Narsingh, Abraham
MAN UNITED: Romero; Darmian, Lindelof, Smalling, Blind; Tuanzebe, Herrera; Lingard, McTominay, Martial; Rashford
Subs: Pereira, Jones, Shaw, Matic, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Lukaku
Subs: Pereira, Jones, Shaw, Matic, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Lukaku
Mourinho makes seven changes from the team which went down at the John Smith's Stadium including handing a first start of the season for Scott McTominay. The 20-year-old central midfielder has previously appeared as a substitute against Burton Albion and Benfica.
Defensive midfielder Axel Tuanzebe is also brought into the side to allow Nemanja Matic a rest. Tuanzebe has had slightly more first-team exposure than McTominay but this is his first appearance of the season.
United's young midfield is compensated by a couple of match-winners in attack - Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford - who are actually almost equally young but still incredibly devastating. Rashford looks poised to lead the line, with Martial playing off the left as he has done for much of this term.
Elsewhere, there are starts for Sergio Romero in goal, and Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind in defence as David de Gea, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young are all given the night off. Injuries to Eric Bailly and Phil Jones forces Mourinho to start Victor Lindelof despite his horror show at Huddersfield.
Swansea boss Paul Clement trumps Mourinho with an extra change, making eight in total from Saturday's home defeat at Leicester. In-form striker Tammy Abraham is left out as 21-year-old Oliver McBurnie makes only his second senior start for the club.
Jordan Ayew and Wayne Routledge provide the width in the front three, and some pace which sets Swansea up nicely to play on the counter-attack. However, the absence of Abraham and Wilfried Bony, who misses a third game in a row through injury, means this team appears short on goals.
Clement also swaps his goalkeeper, with Kristoffer Nordfeldt regaining his place having deputised for Lukasz Fabianski in the previous two rounds. Angel Rangel, who has been out of the Premier League team in favour of Kyle Naughton, returns at right-back and captains the hosts.
It is a new-look midfield for the Swans as Ki Sung-Yeung, Roque Mesa and Sam Clucas all come in for Tom Carroll, Leon Britton and Leroy Fer. It is only Mesa's third start since his £11m arrival from Las Palmas.
Mesa gets his chance in midfield because of an injury to Renato Sanches, who limped off late on against the Foxes. Centre-back Kyle Bartley is also an injury absentee so Mike van der Hoorn gets an opportunity in central defence.
Clearly both managers are prioritising this weekend's Premier League matches. With a long injury list, it is understandable for Mourinho to rotate his deep squad, but it is a shame that Swansea aren't giving this more of a go.
This would have been the perfect stage, against the perfect opponents for Abraham to send a message to his parent club Chelsea. He has scored three goals in his last four games and looks an excellent prospect.
The England Under-21 international has scored as many times this season as Martial, but the Frenchman is not just a goalscorer. He has created at least one chance in every appearance he has made this term.
Martial was on the scoresheet when United romped to a 4-0 victory at the Liberty Stadium. He is the only one of United's scorers from that August meeting to start tonight, with Bailly and Paul Pogba injured and top scorer Romelu Lukaku on the bench.
Swansea's home form has not markedly improved since that hammering by the Red Devils. Although they succeeded where United failed by beating Huddersfield, they have lost four of five home league games this campaign.
Thankfully for the Welsh outfit, their path to this competition has had them on the road. They eased past League One MK Dons with a 4-1 victory in the second round and won 2-0 at Championship Reading to set up this tie.
Jordan Ayew found the net in both of those wins and in the absence of Abraham is Swansea's biggest attacking threat tonight. Along with Martin Olsson, the Frenchman is the only Swansea player to feature in every game this season.
While this is McBurnie's first outing of the season, he has already found the net for Swansea in the EFL Cup. He scored twice in last season's second round, although that was against slightly less prestigious opponents - Peterborough Town.
The Scotsman gets his chance because Clement believes the difficult start to the season, which leaves Swansea 15th in the table, has taken a lot out of his regular side.
He told reporters: "Based on some of the performances, not just today but going back eight or nine games, it's time for some other players to have some opportunity."
Clement does not have the resources that his opposite number has when it comes to rotation. In spite of this, Mourinho has still refused to pick Luke Shaw, who only makes the bench. It makes you wonder if there is any future for the full-back under his management at Old Trafford.
Just over 15 minutes to go until kickoff at the Liberty. A reminder that tonight's other EFL Cup fixtures include Manchester City hosting Wolves and Arsenal welcoming Norwich City. Keep up to date with all of the action with the Sports Mole score centre.
Having seen the teams, the United dressing room should be confident of making it through to the quarter-finals. One player whose confidence may be knocked though is Victor Lindelof, who was culpable for both of Huddersfield's goals on Saturday. He might be someone who Swansea will try to target tonight.
If things do start going wrong for Mourinho, he has plenty in reserve. Lukaku is on the bench, alongside the creative duo of Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Mourinho's priorities may be elsewhere but he's obsessed with winning trophies and won't want to go out tonight.
The two managers know each other well, with Clement having served as academy coach to Mourinho at Chelsea in 2007. The Swans boss was later tutored by Carlo Ancelotti at PSG and Bayern Munich, but is now learning how difficult things can be as a number one.
Mourinho has been speaking to United's media team before the game:
"We thought some players needed a rest and some players deserve a start, especially the two young kids."
Seven changes for #MUFC tonight! pic.twitter.com/vXkW54Uls9 — Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 24, 2017
This competition may be the last thing on Swansea's mind at the moment, but their fans will remember their historic triumph in 2013 and what that did for the positivity of the club. It might seem like a distraction but a win tonight could kickstart their league season.
Swansea have fond memories of this competition, but so does Mourinho who has won it four times across his time at Chelsea and United. February's victory over Southampton in the final was one of the games of last season.
PREDICTION: It may not be their strongest XI, but United have enough firepower to see off this Swans side. The hosts may get a consolation but will lose by a couple. I'll go for 3-1.
KICKOFF: The action is underway at the Liberty, where Robert Madley is out referee.
United win an early corner from which Chris Smalling heads a few yards wide. That was a half-decent chance for the centre-back, who may have been blinded by Van der Hoorn's jump in front of him.
Swansea have sprung one counter when McBurnie failed to get in down the right, but otherwise it has been all United in the early going.
SHOT! Martial and Lingard work it nicely between them to set up a shooting chance for the Englishman. He fires at goal and Nordfeldt tips over when he really could have caught it.
Olsson dribbles down the left and nearly pirouettes past Darmian, but the Italian stands up well to block his cross behind for a corner. That might be an outlet for the Swans to target.
Rashford wants a free kick after being tripped by Roque Mesa but nothing is given. The prodigy has taken up some good positions in the pockets already, allowing Martial to drift in from the left and occupy the last man.
Routledge gets above Tuanzebe at the back post but his header is comfortably held by Romero. The cross came in from Olsson, who has got forward well in the opening salvos of this match.
Tuanzebe is actually operating as part of a back three, rather than in defensive midfield as was expected. Darmian and Blind are at wing-backs but have been pretty cautious so far.
A sniff at each end as Ayew skips past Smalling and nearly through on goal but for Romero's quick reactions off his line. Rashford almost gets in himself but Mawson squeezes him out.
A needless slide tackle on Martial from Ki over by the left byline gives United an opportunity to swing a ball in. Rashford has taken charge of set-piece and a fizzed delivery to the near post wins a corner from Rangel.
Ayew has booked himself a prominent spot on Twitter this evening with a skilful nutmeg of Herrera. The former Aston Villa striker has been the most lively player on either side so far.
GOAL! SWANSEA 0-1 MANCHESTER UNITED (JESSE LINGARD)
Jesse Lingard loves a cup goal! It is a lovely move from United as Rashford flicks a Herrera pass into the path of Lingard's unchecked run, and the midfielder, who scored in last season's final and when United lifted the FA Cup in 2016, finishes confidently into the bottom corner.
There was very little sign that a goal was coming prior to that, but United really turned it on there with Rashford at the heart of things. That goal will bring Swansea out and make them vulnerable to United's pace on the counter-attack now.
McTominay shows a turn of speed to get away from Rangel, although the veteran isn't as quick as he used to be and was never too speedy in his day. That is the first thing of note that we've seen from the United youngster tonight, and it wins his team a free kick.
This is where Swansea have struggled this season - when the onus is on them to create. We've seen them sit in to earn a point away at Tottenham this season, but goals have been the problem and their top scorer is sat on the bench.
Routledge is four or five yards offside but a deflection off Lindelof fools the assistant into keeping his flag down. The winger must have been surprised because he dallies on the ball when he had a chance to get a shot away, and Lindelof gets back to clear.
CLOSE! Olly McBurnie has probably dreamed about scoring against Manchester United since he was a boy, but not like this. Blind gets a defensive header horribly wrong and it bounces off the 21-year-old's thigh and narrowly wide of Romero's post.
Swansea get a corner but they want a penalty for a Tuanzebe foul on Routledge. The young defender was tugging on Routledge's arm but most of the contact was outside of the box.
SHOT! Some of Lingard's movement has been excellent. This time he is found by Martial inside the box but he snatches at a half-volley which brushes the side-netting, with Nordfeldt well positioned to cover.
UPDATE: No signs of an upset here but there is at Arsenal where Championship Norwich lead thanks to a goal from Josh Murphy. You can imagine the atmosphere inside the Emirates!
SUBSTITUTION: A real concern for Swansea as Olsson is forced off with what looks like a hamstring injury. The Swede, replaced by Kyle Naughton, has been an ever-present for Clement this season.
Swansea's much-changed lineup have been better in this first half than they were at Leicester, but still they are struggling to create chances. They have £27m worth of midfielders in Sam Clucas and Roque Mesa but they are showing to be little but industrious.
SHOT! Martial gets in down the right flank and tees up McTominay on the edge of the box, but the youngster's first-time shot lacks composure and soars way over the crossbar.
CLOSE! Clucas is not too far away from bringing Swansea level with a measured 25-yard effort which goes just by the post. The shot did not have much power behind it so Romero might have got there, but it did have the Argentine goalkeeper scrambling.
McBurnie has come alive in the closing moments of this half. He skips in between two United defenders following some good hold-up play, and a minute later he engineers a shooting chance from a tight angle by turning away from Tuanzebe, but blazing over.
HALF TIME: SWANSEA 0-1 MAN UNITED
United were well matched by the Swans for much of that half but put together one moment of quality to take a lead into the break courtesy of Jesse Lingard's third EFL Cup goal in as many games.
Marcus Rashford played an important part in the goal but otherwise Swansea have kept him and Anthony Martial pretty quiet. Their problem is at the other end where, aside from a Jordan Ayew piece of inspiration, it is difficult to see how they are going to score.
The closest that the hosts came to equalising was when Daley Blind headed the ball against Oliver McBurnie's thigh and it rolled narrowly wide. McBurnie has been the most impressive of the three youngsters on the pitch - him, Tuanzebe and McTominay.
Not that either of these teams will want extra time, but if Swansea can keep the deficit at one going into the final 20 minutes, they do have Tammy Abraham on the bench to come on and make a difference.
UPDATE: Here are the half-time scores from the rest of tonight's EFL Cup action:
Arsenal 0-1 Norwich; Bournemouth 0-0 Middlesbrough; Bristol City 2-1 Crystal Palace; Leicester 1-1 Leeds; Man City 0-0 Wolves (L)
Confirmation that Angel Rangel was booked late on in that first half for a foul on Anthony Martial. United may want to try to exploit the Spaniard with their speedy front line in the second half.
STAT: Swansea have not won any of the five games this season in which they have gone behind. Equally ominously for the Swans, United have won every game in which they have scored first.
KICKOFF: We are back underway in Wales, with both sides unchanged...
Martial has the physio on after tacking a blow to the back. The Frenchman has two goals in his last three games against Swansea so will be determined to continue to try to add to that tally.
It has been a stop-start beginning to the second half with a clash of heads between Blind and Routledge causing a break in play. Both of them team fine to continue, even though Blind took a really nasty knock on the jaw.
Swansea have lost one of their best attacking outlets with Olsson having gone off injured. Naughton is a solid defender but does not pose the same threat, particularly when on his left side.
The hosts waste a good opening on the break when Mesa runs into trouble, with Ayew having made a dangerous run in front of him. The Spaniard has done little so far to get himself closer to a regular Premier League berth.
YELLOW! Clucas barges into Rashford and earns himself a booking.
McTominay has shown some nice touches in the last few minutes to help United keep the ball in midfield with minimal concern. The 20-year-old started a Premier League game against Crystal Palace last term so is clearly rated by Mourinho.
GOAL! SWANSEA 0-2 MAN UNITED (JESSE LINGARD)
Lingard clearly fancies another EFL Cup medal because he's just about put United into the last eight with his second of the game. It's another really well worked move, started by Tuanzebe impressively bringing the ball out from the back and spreading play to Darmian. Lingard starts his run from outside of the box when Darmian releases the cross, and the goalscorer meets it with a pinpoint header into the bottom corner.
Last year it was Manchester City who knocked them out, and this season it appears as though Swansea's EFL Cup run will end at the hands of their red neighbours. Clement won't be too disappointed to see the back of this competition with a relegation battle on the horizon.
SHOT! Lingard goes close to a hat-trick as Blind slips him in down the left edge of the area, but the first-time shot on his weaker foot is dragged off target. The movement again was superb from the England international.
Some might think that Swansea have been prematurely written off here, but they have barely touched the ball since United's second, and Mourinho is preparing some subs which will close out the game.
SUBSTITUTION: On come Lukaku and Matic for Rashford and Herrera. Swansea also make a change as Leroy Fer replaces the ineffective Roque Mesa, who has it all to prove in English football.
More bright play from McTominay as he runs onto a Darmian pass which is dummied by Lukaku, but Van der Hoorn shepherds the youngster out of play at the expense of a corner.
CHANCE! United's other rookie - Tuanzebe - really should score as McBurnie gets in Nordfeldt's way from a corner, with the loose ball dropping to the defender six yards out, only for him to poke over the crossbar.
SUBSTITUTION: Clement at least feigns interest in getting back into this tie by throwing on Abraham for McBurnie, who has played well enough to give his manager some food for thought.
SAVE! Two minutes after Abraham's introduction, Swansea finally work Romero as the Chelsea loanee bends a 20-yard shot towards the top corner with the United goalkeeper tips round his post.
YELLOW! Tuanzebe's strong second-half showing is blighted by a booking for a foul on Ayew, whose resultant free kick is on target but straight into the arms of the suddenly-busy Romero.
YELLOW! Swansea are enjoying their best passage of the game and Routledge gets down the outside of Blind, forcing the Dutchman into a blatant body check which earns him a card.
SHOT! Lingard has hat-trick attempt number two with a powerful skimmer which Nordfeldt does well to hold with Lukaku lurking. The Belgian is without a goal in three games and would love to eat up an easy rebound.
Swansea looked for a while as if they were going into damage limitation mode, but they continue to take the game to United, albeit with not much gusto. A goal now would set up an interesting finish though.
United appear to have snuffed out the relative danger that Swansea were posing and are now winding down the clock with some tidy possession play.
SUBSTITUTION: The travelling United fans are treated to a rare sighting of Luke Shaw in a Red Devils shirt as he replaces Martial for the final three minutes plus stoppage time.
There will be THREE minutes of added time. Long enough for Lingard to seal the match ball?
Impressive endurance from the veteran Rangel, who gets to the byline in stoppage time only to knock a cross over Clucas at the back post. The Swans have lacked a cutting edge all evening and it will be a worry for Clement.
SAVE! Kyle Naughton has a late swinger which takes a deflection behind for a Swansea corner, and Romero somehow preserves his clean sheet with a great reflex save at the back post from Leroy Fer.
FULL TIME: SWANSEA 0-2 MANCHESTER UNITED
A very comfortable passage into the quarter-finals for the Red Devils, who exorcise the demons of Saturday's defeat at Huddersfield thanks to a match-winning performance from Jesse Lingard. The midfielder loves the EFL Cup and took his two goals very well.
Paul Clement may be secretly relieved to be out of the competition, but he will be fretting about his side's home form. Swansea have now lost five of their last six matches at the Liberty Stadium.
That's it from me but please stay with Sports Mole for coverage of Arsenal versus Norwich, which has gone into extra time. We'll be with that one until the bitter end. Here is our match report from South Wales - Jesse Lingard might get a mention or two! Goodbye!
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
