Bristol City clinch shock injury-time win over Manchester United
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Updated 21/12/2017 at 07:13 GMT
Carabao Cup, Ashton Gate - Bristol City 2 (Bryan 51', Smith 90') Manchester United 1 (Ibrahimovic 58')
Bristol City's English midfielder Korey Smith celebrates with teammates
Image credit: Getty Images
Korey Smith grabbed a 93rd minute winner for Bristol City to give them a sensational 2-1 victory over Manchester United at Ashton Gate.
A shock appeared to be on the cards when Joe Bryan's superb shot across Sergio Romero gave Bristol City a 51st minute lead. Zlatan Ibrahimovic's ferocious free-kick - his first goal since rejoining United - levelled things up seven minutes later as United seized control of the gripping encounter.
However, as United missed several chances to snatch the win, the hosts broke, with Smith finishing under Romero as City claimed their fourth successive top-flight scalp - the first side to ever accomplish such a feat - in the most dramatic fashion.
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Victor Lindelof of Manchester United and teammate Sergio Romero look dejected after conceding during the Carabao Cup Quarter-Final match between Bristol City and Manchester United at Ashton Gate on December 20, 2017 in Bristol, England.
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United named a strong line-up as they looked to take a step closer to a 46th major trophy, with Paul Pogba and Ibrahimovic starting, and the Swede, making his first start in eight months, almost broke the deadlock as early as the 11th minute, but his deflected effort came out off the crossbar. Marcus Rashford was next to be denied by the frame of the goal, as his thunderous strike cannoned out off the post, but it wasn’t all United, with Daley Blind making a goal-saving tackle to deny Smith as the first half drew to a close.
Then, just six minutes after the interval, Bryan started and finished a fine move by rifling the ball into the top corner to give the home side the lead, and almost lift the roof of the redeveloped Ashton Gate.
However, seven minutes later, Ibrahimovic netted his first goal for United since scoring the winner in last season’s EFL Cup final, and it looked like United would then go to another semi-final appearance. Chances came and went, but as United pressed forward, City countered, and Smith wrote his name into Bristol folklore with a wonderfully crafted winner. Football, bloody hell.
TALKING POINT
Much-changed or not, this was a strong United. Talk has already shifted onto whether Jose Mourinho was right to make so many changes, but regardless of the fact that only Marcus Rashford started in the weekend win over West Brom, United had more than enough quality in the ranks to win this. At one point, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba were all on the pitch and all firepower couldn’t find that second goal. Bristol City went toe-to-toe with a heavyweight and put him on the canvas, fair and square.
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Bristol City's Scottish defender Joe Bryan celebrates with teammates, scoring the team's first goal during the English League Cup quarter-final football match between Bristol City and Manchester United at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol, southwest England
Image credit: Getty Images
MAN OF THE MATCH
Korey Smith. The hero of the hour. Smith doesn’t score too many goals, but he won’t forget this one in a hurry. Smith was just one of so many City players who weren’t overawed by the occasion. They played their football, and did not look out of place up against the might of Manchester United. The composure showed for the winner was just phenomenal.
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Bristol City fans invade the pitch after the Carabao Cup Quarter-Final match between Bristol City and Manchester United at Ashton Gate on December 20, 2017 in Bristol, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Bristol City: Steele 8, Wright 7, Flint 9, Baker 8, Magnusson 7, Brownhill 6, Smith 9, Pack 9, Bryan 9, Paterson 8, Reid 8... Subs: Eliasson 7, Taylor 7.
Manchester United: Romero 7, Darmian 5, Shaw 6, Rojo 6, Lindelof 6, Blind 6, McTominay 6, Pogba 6, Rashford 6, Martial 6, Ibrahimovic 6... Subs: Mkhitaryan 6, Lukaku 6.
KEY MOMENTS
15’ - WOODWORK! Superb play from Martial, as he beats his man, cuts inside onto his right, clips a cross to the back post, Ibrahimovic is there, he side-foots for goal, but it is deflected on to the cross off Nathan Baker and is cleared.
21’ - POST! Patient build-up from United works the ball to Rashford, he throws the dummy, makes space for the shot, thunders an effort towards the bottom corner, but it cannons out off the post and away from danger.
25’ - CLOSE! Pogba this time has an effort from goal from distance, but the ball flies just wide. United continue to create openings here.
31’ - SAVE! Great desire from Hordur Magnusson to get there before Rashford, the ball bounces up inviting for the Icelandic full-back, he lashes a strike at goal, but Romero beats it away. 41’ - CHANCE! McTominay nods on from a corner, it falls for Ibrahimovic, who watches the ball onto his right foot, volleys for goal, but slices wide.
51’ - GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!! Bristol City 1-0 Manchester United. What a story in the offing! What a strike! Bryan rifles into the net to send Ashton Gate into raptures. On first viewing, it seemed like Romero should do better, but having seen it again, the finish is just too good. Bryan starts the move with a great bit of skill, keeps going, and going, Pack returns the pass to Bryan, who then arrows the ball into the top corner from a tight angle.
58’ - GOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLLL! Bristol City 1-1 Manchester United. The big man his back! Ibrahimovic thwacks a free-kick into the bottom corner to equalise. On his first start in eight months, Ibrahimovic nets his first goal since re-signing for United, and what a time to do it. He hasn't really been at it here, but what a strike. Steele will be unhappy with it, as it was on his side, but the sheer ferocity of the strike got the better of the City stopper.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Carabao Cup Quarter-Final match between Bristol City and Manchester United at Ashton Gate on December 20, 2017 in Bristol, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
77’ - SAVE! United really turning up the heat here. Great cross from Pogba lands right on the head of Lukaku, who guides the ball towards the bottom corner, but Steele flings himself across to make the stop.
85’ - SAVE! Brilliant stop from former United stopper Steele. Lukaku couldn't get the ball out of his feet, but somehow stabbed for goal, through a sea of legs, Steele sees it late, but flings out a left arm and claws the ball out. Sensational stop.
90+3’ - GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bristol City 2-1 Manchester United. Would you believe it! Smith wins it for the Championship side!!!!!!!! What a night this has turned out to be. Mighty Manchester United on their knees. It was a super winner, too. Super ball over the top from Taylor, Smith made the run, brought the ball out of the sky, before firing under the advancing Romero. Incredible scenes here.
KEY STATS
Manchester United have been knocked out in four of their last seven League Cup ties against sides from a lower league.
Bristol City are only the second side from a lower division to eliminate four top-flight teams in one League Cup campaign – after Sheffield Wednesday in 1990-91.
The Robins have now scored 16 goals in this League Cup campaign – more than any other side in the competition.
Bristol City became only the second lower division side to knock Man Utd out of the League Cup as holders, after Southend United in 2006-07.
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