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Carabao Cup holders Manchester United reached the quarter-finals with a comfortable victory at Swansea City.
A much-changed United side controlled the tie and led at half-time as Marcus Rashford’s deft back-heel allowed Jesse Lingard to score with a neat low finish.
The visitors doubled their lead in fine fashion after an hour, with a sweeping team move teeing up Lingard to head in his second.
Swansea, who had made eight changes themselves, offered precious little in attack as they succumbed to a fifth defeat from six home games this season.
Although United manager Jose Mourinho has won the League Cup four times during his career, he had suggested after the third-round win over Burton Albion that teams in Europe could benefit by not playing in this competition.
It was therefore no surprise that United made seven changes for their trip to south Wales, having suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season at Huddersfield on Saturday, after which Mourinho criticised their “poor attitude”.
The barb seemed to have the desired effect, with three of the players involved at Huddersfield – Lingard, Rashford and Anthony Martial – setting the pace for a vibrant United start in Swansea.
The first two combined beautifully for the opening goal, as Rashford artfully flicked an Ander Herrera pass into the path of Lingard, who guided his low finish into the bottom corner.
United’s second goal was equally impressive. Axel Tuanzebe started the move with a marauding run from defence and spread the ball to Matteo Darmian, whose pinpoint cross was headed in by Lingard.
Mourinho said that his side’s application and concentration, like the result, were much improved from the weekend defeat at the John Smith’s Stadium.
“Our attitude was very good. I’m really happy,” he said.
“We were solid, we were comfortable, we were in control.”
The victory marked Mourinho’s 400th game in English football, accumulated over two separate spells at Chelsea as well as his time at Old Trafford.
“Of course I still get the same thrill from it, but 2004 was a long time ago,” said the Portuguese.
“I am more mature and have a different way to react to things. I’m the same. I want to win and I hate losing.”