Manchester United 7 Barnsley 0: Reds' brittle defensive confidence takes another hammer blow

The two most revered names which come to the fore, of course, are the late Tommy Taylor and Mark Jones, two Barnsley lads and Busby Babes who perished way back in February 1958 on one of English football’s darkest days.

In the seventies, Barnsley-born brothers Jimmy and Brian Greenhoff served the Red Devils with distinction.

The name of Scott Jones is less well known, certainly to anyone of a United persuasion. But it is certainly remembered by Reds followers with an eye for history and nostalgia.

The defender, another South Yorkshire lad, famously scored twice in a famous Oakwell cup upset in February 1998 as United were humbled 3-2.

United followers are more likely to recall a Premier League victory at Old Trafford earlier that season when Barnsley were thrashed 7-0 and Andy Cole scored a first-half hat-trick.

They will remember this latest meeting as they equalled that trouncing on a night which will be infamous as far as Barnsley are concerned.

Granted, the gap in quality between the two sides did not spelling out beforehand, with both operating at wholly different levels.

On the night, some of United’s attacking play was polished and eye-catching. Equally - and certainly in the second half - Barnsley’s defensive work, fresh from letting in three goals at Stevenage, was lamentable.

Each of United’s goals were down - or partly down - to mistakes from those in Barnsley shirts.

That was the disappointing aspect for Barnsley’s vocal 6,500 band of supporters and their head coach Darrell Clarke, a boyhood United fan.

Barnsley’s followers weren’t expecting victory. But they were entitled to expect a bit better and got short-changed on a night when Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Christian Eriksen plundered doubles.

While there were some amusing songs from the away end, there was no fun and sport on the pitch. The theatre of dreams increasingly became a nightmare for those in white.

It was also another psychological blow to Barnsley’s defensive confidence, which is looking a bit brittle.

Barnsley, who handed the stage to Fabio Jalo and Vimal Yoganathan - in what constituted key nights in their young footballing education - actually started brightly, with Barry Cotter giving United something to think about in particular, up against Toby Collyer on his first start.

United, who made eight changes from the weekend - with under-fire Casemiro starting in the midfield and handed the captain’s armband for good measure, while lining up with Uruguay international Manuel Ugarte in the centre ground, soon announced themselves.

Starting up top, Rashford looked instantly at home.

One warning, which saw him wriggle past Corey O’Keeffe and Josh Earl before seeing his near-post shot blocked by Marc Roberts, was unfortunately not headed.

United broke and Garnacho’s sweeping crossfield pass from the left found Rashford who had far too much space to attack, in the right-hand channel.

He eased past Roberts and surged towards goal before delivering a classy finish. It was vintage Rashford, who looked in the mood.

One-nil down with just over a quarter of an hour gone, Barnsley’s first base camp of not conceding early on was a mission which was not accomplished.

In fairness, they stayed in the game for just shy of 20 minutes until Slonina raced out of goal and was adjudged to have caught Antony just inside the box after the visitors were opened up by Rashford’s pass.

Contact looked minimal, but it wasn’t the best decision made by the Reds keeper to race out and he gave Gavin Ward a clear decision to make - and Anthony was not one to ask questions, firing home the spot-kick - for his first goal at Old Trafford in two-and-a-half years.

Another piece of unconvincing work at the back just before the interval put an harsher slant on the half.

Corey O’Keeffe failed to clear his lines and the hosts seized their opportunity again with the ball breaking nicely in the box for Garnacho to slot the ball home in first-half stoppage-time.

The exercise was now plainly damage limitation for those in visiting jerseys. But it soon got worse, with Garnacho afforded acres of space after being slotted in cleverly by Eriksen.

His finish was tidy, but Barnsley’s defending was of the buffet variety. Fill your boots.

Rashford’s bouncing free-kick then tested Slonina. Barnsley’s punters still sang. They hankered for something, but didn’t get it.

Things deteriorated even further.

The guilty party on this occasion was Craig, who coughed up the ball needlessly and United were on it in a flash with Rashford played in by Garnacho and he was never going to miss as the Red Devils mustered five goals for the first time under Ten Hag.

It became six when Eriksen tucked away Bruno Fernandes’ pass as the Reds were again undressed.

Eriksen fired an encore and even Barnsley’s raucous support was temporarily dimmed.

Manchester United: Bayindir; Dalot (Mazraoui 63), Maguire, Evans (De Ligt 78), Collyer; Casemiro, Ugarte (Fernandes 62); Antony, Eriksen, Garnacho (Amad 84); Rashford (Zirkzee 63). Substitutes unused: Heaton, Martinez, Wheatley, Mainoo.

Barnsley: Slonina; de Gevigney, Roberts (McCarthy 46), Earl; Cotter (Lofthouse 63), Phillips, Connell, Yoganathan (Craig 46), O’Keeffe; Jalo (Humphrys 46), Watters (Cosgrove 56). Substitutes unused: Killip, Russell, Benson, Marsh.

Referee: G Ward (Surrey).