Wayne Rooney failed to convert a spot-kick as Manchester United lost 3-1 on penalties to second-tier Middlesbrough in the League Cup on Wednesday, while Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool edged Bournemouth.
Wayne Rooney failed to convert a spot-kick as Manchester United lost 3-1 on penalties to second-tier Middlesbrough in the League Cup on Wednesday, while Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool edged Bournemouth.
After 120 goalless minutes at Old Trafford, the fourth-round tie went to penalties and with Rooney, Michael Carrick and Ashley Young all fluffing their lines, Championship side Middlesbrough pulled off a memorable win.
United followed holders Chelsea and Arsenal in exiting the competition, while Middlesbrough set up a home quarter-final with Everton.
“You can say it’s unlucky, but I said that after the City match also,” said United manager Louis van Gaal, whose side drew 0-0 with Manchester City on Sunday. “You have to force the luck, but we didn’t do that because we didn’t score. That’s why I’m disappointed.”
A low-key game that saw van Gaal make nine changes to his starting XI sprang to life mid-way through the second half, with home defender Daley Blind the central figure.
The Dutchman was involved in two huge scares for United — first hacking the ball into his own net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside, and then dispatching a back-pass that stand-in goalkeeper Sergio Romero almost allowed to bobble in for what would have been a comical own goal.
Rooney’s opening penalty was brilliantly saved by Tomas Mejias and with Carrick blazing over the bar and Mejias also denying Young, spot-kicks from Leadbitter, Downing and Ben Gibson took Aitor Karanka’s men through.
City breeze through Liverpool’s new manager Klopp tasted victory at the fourth attempt as his side beat Bournemouth 1-0 at Anfield.
Liverpool had recorded draws against Tottenham Hotspur, Rubin Kazan and Southampton in Klopp’s first three games after succeeding Brendan Rodgers, but Nathaniel Clyne’s first-half strike got the German off the mark.
“It’s better than a draw,” Klopp told Sky Sports with a wry smile.“I’m really satisfied tonight because this team never played together since I’m here — young players, new players, players who didn’t play for a long time because of injuries — and they did really well.”
Clyne struck in the 17th minute, following up after Joao Teixeira's audacious back-heel had been cleared off the line to score his first Liverpool goal and set up a quarter-final at his former club Southampton.
Premier League leaders Manchester City will host Hull City in the last eight after a routine 5-1 home victory over Crystal Palace, which came at the cost of an injury to right-back Pablo Zabaleta.
Wilfried Bony headed City in front from Aleksandar Kolarov’s 22nd-minute corner before Kelechi Iheanacho teed up Kevin De Bruyne to tap in his sixth goal in nine club games shortly before half-time.
Second-half goals by Iheanacho, Yaya Toure, from the penalty spot, and 17-year-old substitute Manu Garcia sealed victory, with Palace replying through Damien Delaney’s 89th-minute header.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa began life without sacked manager Tim Sherwood by losing 2-1 at Premier League rivals Southampton, who won courtesy of second-half goals from Maya Yoshida and Graziano Pelle.
