Manchester United saw their defense of the League Cup come to an end in a disappointing 3-0 defeat at home to Newcastle United. This defeat marked United’s eighth loss in 15 games this season, making it their worst start to any campaign since 1962/63. Both teams fielded much-changed lineups in a repeat of last year’s League Cup final, which Newcastle had won. Tino Livramento’s impressive run set up Miguel Almiron to open the scoring for Newcastle, and Chelsea loanee Lewis Hall volleyed in a brilliant goal eight minutes later. Joe Willock added to United’s woes with a solo run and a stunning finish. Newcastle’s reward for eliminating both Manchester United and Manchester City is a challenging draw away to Chelsea in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Arsenal suffered a 3-1 defeat at West Ham, with manager Mikel Arteta regretting the omission of key players like Declan Rice. Ben White scored an own goal for Arsenal, and Mohammed Kudus added another for West Ham. Although Declan Rice was later introduced, West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen sealed the victory with a strike from the edge of the box. Martin Odegaard managed to score a late consolation for Arsenal, but it was insufficient to end their 30-year wait for a League Cup win.
Liverpool advanced to the quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth, battling both spirited opposition and challenging weather conditions. For Chelsea, a 2-0 victory against Championship side Blackburn secured their spot in the next round. Everton continued their good form with a comfortable 3-0 win over Burnley, while Fulham overcame Ipswich 3-1 and earned a place in the quarter-finals. In the remaining fixture, League One’s Port Vale will host Middlesbrough in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.
