Rampant United ease past Hammers; Saints shock Arsenal

Two goals from Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic helped fire Manchester United into the semi-final of the EFL Cup as Jose Mourinho’s side ran out 4-1 winners over West Ham at Old Trafford.

West Ham took an early lead in last Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in the Premier League and they received a taste of their own medicine when the infuential Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s flick to Ibrahimovic was dispatched by the Swede with just two minutes on the clock; before the former PSG man scored his second in the 90^th minute after Ander Herrera picked him out from inside the area.

Out-of-favour Mkhitaryan bagged his second assist of the night when he played in Martial who tucked away his effort with power at the back-post, before adding his second 14 minutes later when the 20-year-old dispatched his effort from close-range after clever work from Ibrahimovic on the wing.

Former Manchester United player Ashley Fletcher equalised for the visitors just before half-time when David De Gea slopply pushed Dimitri Payet’s shot into the path of the 21-year-old who stroked his effort home from close-range.

United seem to have turned a corner in terms of converting chances into goals and will hope they can replicate their recent cup wins when they face the tough trip to Goodison Park on Sunday to take on Ronald Koeman’s Everton in the Premier League, while West Ham will look to get back to winning ways when they host Arsenal on the Saturday.

Ibrahimovic and co should have extended United’s early lead in the sixth minute when Rooney’s dissecting ball found the 35-year-old just inside the box, before his shot was saved not once, but twice by Adrian.

West Ham struggled to deal with the Jose Mourinho’s side’s fast start and Rooney, who is one goal off Bobby Charlton’s scoring record, had his free-kick pushed away from danger by the ever-present Adrian in the 24^th minute, although the former Everton striker’s effort seemed to be dipping narrowly wide.

Mkhitaryan and Martial combined well all evening, and the duo nearly doubled the Red’s advantage when the Armenian found the former Monaco striker with an accurate pass before the Frenchman tamely hit his shot on target.

Rooney’s creativity created problems for Slavan Bilic’s side and it was United’s record European goal-scorer who played in Martial, although the impressive French-man seen his shot parried away by Adrian.

In what was almost a complete performance from the hosts, one of the main highlights was Bastian Schweinsteiger's apperance from off the bench in the 86^th minute in what his first appearance for United since his exile from the squad.

Southampton booked their place in the last four of the EFL Cup after pulling off the shock of the round with a 2-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates.

Jordy Clasie opened the scoring for the Saints in what was his first goal for the club after the Dutchman stroked home before Ryan Bertrand smartly finished to book the Saint’s first League Cup semi-final in 29 years.

The hosts made ten changes before the game and this proved pivotal in what was an under-par performance from a weakened Arsenal side, whose fans will no doubt feel the frustrations of yet another quarter-final defeat.

Arsenal provided little in terms of an attacking threat in the second-half, with only a long-range effort in the later stages and a half-chance from substitution Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the 79th minute, much to the dismay of the home crowd.

Arsene Wenger will look to shake of the loss when his side face a daunting trip to face West Ham on Saturday in the Premier League, while the Saints make the journey to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace on the same date.

EFLC semi-final draw:

Manchester United v Hull City.

Southamton v Liverpool.

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