On an evening where there were 35 goals scored during normal time across 10 ties, there were several players putting in claims for the headlines on Tuesday with big shouts coming from Old Trafford where Derby County’s Liverpool loanee, Harry Wilson, scored a stunning 30-yard free-kick to draw them level against the 2017 champions Manchester United, who had taken the lead through Juan Mata’s early goal.
Another player expected to have a big future in the game is Harvey Elliott and he came on to become Fulham’s youngest ever player at the age of 15 years and 174 days with nine minutes of their tie at Millwall left. At that point, the Cottagers had already secured their passage into the next round, courtesy of a 3-1 win.
Sergio Romero was dismissed for the home side after 67 minutes and Rams’ substitute Jack Marriott sent the travelling support into raptures with five minutes to go with his first goal in a Derby shirt. It looked like it would prove to be the winner but Marouane Fellaini restored parity to take the game to penalties with an equaliser five minutes into injury time.
From there the two teams exchanged 15 perfect penalties before Scott Carson denied Phil Jones to hand Frank Lampard a famous win over his old boss early in his managerial career.
United’s fierce rivals and the current Carabao Cup holders Manchester City fared better, securing a convincing 3-0 win at Oxford United. Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez netted either side of half-time before highly-rated young talent Phil Foden scored his first professional goal in injury time to seal the win.
Fellow Premier League outfits Crystal Palace and Bournemouth also progressed with wins over Sky Bet Championship opposition, but Burnley came unstuck at League One’s Burton Albion. Jamie Allen scored the all-important goal with seven minutes to go and booked them a place in the fourth round for the first time in their history.
Blackpool, who sit seven places above the Brewers in League One, pulled off a similar shock, beating Queens Park Rangers 2-0 thanks to strikes from Armand Gnanduillet and Jay Spearing.
Leicester City and Middlesbrough progressed via penalties after draws at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Preston North End respectively, while Jordan Rhodes hit a hat-trick as Norwich City eventually saw off a brave Wycombe Wanderers side at Adams Park.
The former Blackburn man claimed the matchball six minutes into the second period, and, with Tom Trybull having also netted the Canaries had a comfortable 4-1 advantage but goals from Sam Saunders and Jason McCarthy kept the hosts in the hunt, before eventually bowing out by the odd goal in seven.