Man Utd suffer embarrassing defeat to Derby in EFL Cup

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Manchester United failed to win at home for the third match in a row, as Derby County edged them in an EFL Cup penalty shootout.

Marouane Fellaini’s stoppage-time equaliser gave United – who had Sergio Romero sent off – a second bite, but after 15 successful penalties between the two sides, Phil Jones saw his feeble effort saved by Carson.

The hosts wasted little time before taking the lead in the regulation 90 minutes, as Juan Mata rounded off a lovely early move, but Derby looked capable of troubling United and deservedly levelled early in the second half through Liverpool loanee Harry Wilson’s stunning free kick.

Things got more difficult for United when Romero was dismissed for handball outside his area and Derby capitalised through Jack Marriott, but Fellaini forced a shootout with a last-gasp equaliser.

United were unable to bail themselves out again, however, as Derby scored all of their spot-kicks and edged through when Jones failed from 12 yards.

United went ahead after just three minutes, doing so in style.

Anthony Martial’s pass across the edge of the area was backheeled to Jesse Lingard by Romelu Lukaku, and the England midfielder found Mata, who finished with aplomb.

Derby stepped things up after the break and Wilson – who had previously gone close to an equaliser – found the net brilliantly in the 59th minute, picking out the top-left corner with a 30-yard free kick.

The 21-year-old then played a role in Romero’s sending off, as the goalkeeper handled when trying to prevent Wilson getting past him.

Derby thought they had won it five minutes from time when Marriott nodded in from close range, but Fellaini headed a deflected cross beyond Carson deep into stoppage time.

The quality in the shootout was high, with all of the first 15 penalties beating Lee Grant – Romero’s replacement – and Carson, but the latter dived down to his left to foil Jones and book Derby’s passage into round four.

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Marshall Gouts