Manchester United’s Under-21s THRASHED 8-1 by League One Bolton in their EFL Trophy clash…as Wanderers notch up their biggest win for 40 years

Manchester United may have bossed Crystal Palace as they reached the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford, but just 17 miles away their Under-21 side learned a lesson from Bolton.

United’s under-21s were beaten 8-1 by League One side Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Trophy at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on a cathartic evening for coach Travis Binnion.

Sections of United’s support – many of whom traveled with anti-Glazer banners – opted to attend the match in Bolton instead of the senior team’s 3-0 win over Palace.

But United’s youngsters were blown away by Bolton, who won the EFL Trophy last season, as the home side recorded their biggest league win in four decades.

Wanderers had wrapped up the game before half-time as they led 4-0 thanks to two goals from Josh Sheehan and strikes from Dan Nlundulu and Gethin Jones.

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Nlundulu scored his second just minutes after the restart before Wanderers added further goals from Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and substitutes Nelson Khumbeni and Luke Matheson to complete the rout.

Matheson is no stranger to scoring against the Red Devils, having famously scored against United’s first team as a 16-year-old while playing for Rochdale in 2019 in a match that the Premier League side eventually won on penalties.

United did pull one back and prevented Neil Baxter when Omari Forsen scored midway through the second half, but it was little consolation for Binnon’s side.

While their youngsters faltered in the EFL Trophy, Erik ten Hag’s first team made their first game in defense of the Carabao Cup easy.

Goals from Alejandro Garnacho, Casemiro and Anthony Martial put them past Palace in a match that saw Sofyan Amrabat make his full debut and Mason Mount return from injury.