Manchester United's English midfielder Jesse Lingard (2L) celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English League Cup fourth round football match between Swansea City and Manchester United at The Liberty Stadium in Swansea, south Wales on October 24, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff CADDICK / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / GEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images
Marcus Rashford encouraged Victor Lindelof after Jesse Lingard’s opening goal (Picture: Getty)

Jesse Lingard stole the headlines after scoring both of Manchester United’s goals in a 2-0 defeat of Swansea City to send his side through to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

The Red Devils are defending the competition they won last season and cruised to the victory as Jose Mourinho handed a number of peripheral players an opportunity at the Liberty Stadium.

Victor Lindelof, who completed a £31million move to Old Trafford in the summer, was named in United’s XI on Tuesday night and will have been desperate to impress after a difficult start to life at his new club.

The 23-year-old defender has only played two Premier League matches so far this term but has been used in cup competitions in an attempt by Mourinho to build his confidence in England.

Lindelof will have been delighted to have contributed towards United’s clean sheet at Swansea and Marcus Rashford, despite being four years his junior, was spotted encouraging the nervous centre-back after Lingard’s opening goal.

Victor Lindelof has had tough start at Manchester United (Picture: Getty)

The Swede was heavily criticised for his display in the side’s 2-1 defeat at Huddersfield and Ryan Giggs rushed to his defence after Ander Herrera slammed his team-mates after the match.

‘I am a little bit surprised at Ander Herrera’s comments though because you wouldn’t really comment about your team-mates, you leave that to the manager,’ Giggs said.

‘When you start questioning you team-mates’ work rates, even if they weren’t at it, it can set a dangerous precedent.

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‘One player who has attracted a lot of criticism is Victor Lindelof but he certainly shouldn’t be written off yet.

‘Some players come to the Premier League and bed in straight away and others can take six months or even a year, as it was for Patrice Evra, Jaap Stam and Nemanja Vidic, and they went on to be unbelievable players.

‘You win together and lose together and you can’t single out a player, especially when he hasn’t been playing regularly. He’s just got to knuckle down and come through this.’

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