Why Manchester United's 7-0 Win Over Barnsley Matters

Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring the first goal with teammates Alejandro Garnacho and Christian Eriksen during the Carabao Cup third-round match between Barnsley and Manchester United at Old Trafford.

At football, you may glance at a 7-0 victory over a team that is 41 league places below you and shrug those shoulders and not think much about it. However, Manchester United's 7-0 win over Barnsley in the Carabao Cup on 17 September 2024 can prove to be that much-needed turning point for the club this season.

Any win was always a given, but this one stood out not only for the scoreline but for the warning of what it brings, especially with United not having so often produced that level of dominance under boss Erik Ten Hag. Previous high-scoring matches, like those against Real Betis and Chelsea, were always solid but had never brought on some of that mercilessness until now.

It marked United's largest win since that 9-0 thrashing of Southampton in February 2021, a far cry from the reserved approach witnessed in the last few seasons. Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United played a rather attacking style, and United scored 233 goals during his two full seasons, compared to the 196 he has managed with Ten Hag in a similar space.

Much-Needed Confidence Boost

For Ten Hag, the game was less about the scoreline and more about giving his team a boost in self-belief. Marcus Rashford was on fire, scoring twice for the first time since February 2023. That kind of performance and form that led to him being one of the best players in a season will not be easy to forget from time to time with moments of showtime footwork and goal-scoring poise.

Antony also had his best game under the circumstances for a player who had long looked to be struggling to get into the rhythm of this season. He converted a penalty and looked like his old self again, which wasn't always a guarantee before. Alejandro Garnacho revealed why he has started gaining more significance to Erik ten Hag after two goals and two assists against Fulham. For all his promise, this is Garnacho's best run since he returned from a busy summer and was eventually used sparingly through October.

The rotation of players appears to be working for Ten Hag. Each fit attacking option has scored this season, so with Rasmus Hojlund injured, the manager has deep ammunition to choose from.

It is far too early to claim that this victory is a full-scale turnaround for Manchester United, but it did give the team exactly what they needed a morale booster. For the first time, the team showed everyone they could win and, importantly, win convincingly. This performance might help instil a little bit of belief, and maybe it is beginning to mark the result of momentum as the season gets harder.

And so, this, perhaps, is not just a scoreline; this win over Barnsley is potentially that much-needed turning point for Manchester United as important players start to come good and the squad finds some cohesion. And, as Ten Hag continues to jog through the side, he, too, has to hope that this 7-0 thrashing could be that early stepping stone for even considerable successes in the coming months.