• Capital One Cup round-up

United & L'pool through, Arsenal hit six

ESPN staff
September 26, 2012
Anderson was a constant threat for Manchester United © PA Photos
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Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Norwich and Reading all booked their place in the fourth round of the Carling Cup on Wednesday, a night that saw the nine Premier League teams on show make a combined 77 changes to their starting line-ups.

Wayne Rooney returned from his injury layoff for Manchester United at Old Trafford, and he helped his side to a 2-1 triumph at home to Newcastle. Rooney was part of an inexperienced home line-up featuring several academy players, but they still beat a much-changed Newcastle side thanks to goals from Anderson and Tom Cleverley.

Rooney had not played since August 25 when he received a deep gash to his leg against Fulham - forcing him to endure a spell on the sidelines. Upon his return he enjoyed an understated appearance, but Anderson proved to be a midfield force for United in an entertaining match.

Nuri Sahin netted Liverpool's winner © Getty Images
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Darren Fletcher also made his first start for 10 months, but it was midfield partner Anderson who had the first real chance on goal, forcing a top drawer one-handed save from Rob Elliot after bursting into the area. Danny Welbeck then drew another stop from Elliot, before Cleverley missed a gilt-edged chance when placing the ball wide from 10 yards.

The breakthrough arrived a minute before the interval when Anderson drove forward and rifled home from outside the area, and then Cleverley doubled the lead not long before the hour when he curled home his first United goal. Papiss Cisse ended his drought with a 63rd-minute header, but Newcastle could not find another as Cisse hit the bar with an audacious overhead kick nine minutes from time.

Cup holders Liverpool began their defence of the competition successfully after they avenged their opening day loss to West Brom with a 2-1 win at the Hawthorns. Brendan Rodgers played plenty of youth players - including Jerome Sinclair who became the club's youngest ever player at 16 years and six days, and they repaid him with a superb footballing display that yielded two Nuri Sahin goals.

Rodgers handed a start to highly rated German teenager Samed Yesil, but the Merseysiders fell behind inside four minutes as Gabriel Tamas capitalised on Brad Jones' fumble to score the opener. Both goalkeepers were failing to cover themselves in glory though and Liverpool deservedly equalised on 17 minutes when Ben Foster failed to stop Sahin's tame effort from 25 yards.

Liverpool dominated possession for the rest of the match, prompting the fans to chant Rodgers' name, and they got their reward eight minutes from time when Sahin netted his second from Oussama Assaidi's cross.

Olivier Giroud opened the scoring for Arsenal © Getty Images
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Olivier Giroud scored his first Arsenal goal - but also missed a penalty - as the Gunners enjoyed a comfortable 6-1 victory over Coventry at Emirates Stadium. Giroud netted in the 38th minute to open the scoring, and he was joined by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andrey Arshavin, Theo Walcott (2) and Ignasi Miquel on the scoresheet.

Giroud, by his own admission, had been snatching at chances this season, but the France international showed supreme composure to open his Arsenal account, dinking the ball home to the delight of the home crowd.

He then missed a penalty early in the second period after two pitch invaders had caused an unwanted delay, but it mattered little as Oxlade-Chamberlain crashed home from 25 yards before Arshavin netted a rare goal. Walcott (2) and Miguel added further strikes, rendering Callum Ball's goal for Coventry mere consolation.

There were few scares for Tottenham as they won 3-0 at Carlisle courtesy of goals from Jan Verthonghen, Andros Townsend and Gylfi Sigurdsson. Andre Villas-Boas' team made it six games unbeaten at Brunton Park, although the goalkeeping situation grows ever more intriguing after he once again overlooked Hugo Lloris, this time starting Carlo Cudicini in goal.

The Italian had to see off some early pressure too, but Verthonghen broke the deadlock eight minutes before half-time through a glancing header. Townsend then doubled the advantage in the 53rd minute, and Sigurdsson killed things off after great work by Kyle Walker.

Alexander Tettey won it for Norwich © PA Photos
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Elsewhere, QPR were beaten 3-2 in the all-Premier League tie by Reading, who won thanks to strikes from Kaspars Gorkss, Nicky Shorey and Pavel Pogrebnyak. Jimmy Kebe made a return from injury for the Royals, playing 69 minutes in the victory.

Junior Hoilett opened the scoring for QPR with a cracker in the 14th minute, only to see Gorkss respond immediately at a set-piece. Djibril Cisse thought he had found a winner 19 minutes from time, firing home in unerring fashion, but Shorey levelled moments later with a stunning strike before Pogrebnyak - who missed a last-minute penalty - won it nine minutes from the full-time whistle.

And in the night's other fixture, Norwich beat Doncaster 1-0 at Carrow Road thanks to a goal from Alexander Tettey.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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