Eriksen’s long-range strike crept under the bar in the 31st minute, and then the Danish midfielder poked the ball through the keeper’s legs to double the lead early in the second half.
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First, Ander Herrera hit the post, and then, with 68 minutes gone, Rashford teed him up to send a stonking drive hurtling past Adam Smith. United started well, as they should have against a League One side. Rooney has always been the darling of the Old Trafford crowd and he will always have a place in United history but this situation does come to big players at big clubs.
A victory over lower-league opposition will serve as only brief respite for Mourinho, who will be back under scrutiny if United loses to Leicester on Saturday after successive losses to Manchester City, Feyenoord and Watford in the space of nine days. I guess the relief will have been there after scoring the opening goal of the match. United found themselves under the cosh with the match heading towards the 40th minute with Kenji Gorré, the former United Academy player heading towards goal, with his shot going over the crossbar.
United looked fragile every time Northampton attacked, encouraging the home side to come out of its shell.
Two of the stand-out games in the fourth-round are Manchester United hosting Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur travelling to Anfield to play Liverpool. Marouane Fellaini replaced Schneiderlin, who had a good game.
Rashford chased Herrera’s hacked clearance – a lost cause that became a gift as Smith hesitated and missed the ball, allowing the substitute to smash into an empty net.
“And obviously players change during the years, their qualities, their characteristics, it’s normal a player at his age changes a little bit but there is something that will never change and that is the natural appetite to put the ball into the net”.
They are the big favourites and that is why United’s and Mourinho’s situation is doubly hard at present and why everyone is looking for a response from them after this mixed start to the campaign.
Manchester United have ended a three-match losing streak with a 3-1 win over Northampton in the EFL cup, setting up a tantalising derby clash with Manchester City in round four.
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“But they fought, they played with their strength and they tried to create us problems, which they did sometimes”.
