United survives scare against lowly Rochdale in League Cup

Manchester United was taken to a penalty shootout by third-tier Rochdale before advancing to the fourth round of the English League Cup, having conceded an equalizer in normal time to a 16-year-old school kid on Wednesday.

On a night when three Premier League teams were eliminated by lower-division opposition, a United team containing Paul Pogba only just avoided a major scare at Old Trafford.

Luke Matheson took the game to penalties after scoring in the 76th minute for Rochdale, which is in 17th place in League One, to cancel out fellow teenager Mason Greenwood’s opening goal for United.

United converted all its spot kicks in the shootout, winning 5-3

While Premier League leader Liverpool eased into the fourth round by beating third-tier MK Dons 2-0 and Chelsea thrashed fourth-tier Grimsby 7-1, West Ham was humiliated in a 4-0 loss at third-tier Oxford.

Third-tier Burton Albion beat Bournemouth 2-0 in a match featuring three floodlight failures that led to 28 minutes of second-half stoppage time being played, and Sheffield United lost 1-0 at home to third-tier Sunderland.

In an all-Premier League matchup, Aston Villa beat Brighton 3-1 away.

In the fourth round, Man United was drawn away to Chelsea and Liverpool will host Arsenal. Manchester City, looking to win the League Cup for a third straight season, was drawn at home to Southampton.