Barnsley matched their 7-0 loss at Manchester United in 1998 with another heavy defeat in the EFL Cup third round on a miserable Tuesday night.

The Red Devils were 3-0 up at the break then continued to run riot in the second half.

The hosts’ Premier League class told but they were helped by a visiting side who gifted them the ball regularly in dangerous areas.

The Reds did not have a shot on target, with the best performers from Barnsley the more than 6,000 fans in the away end who were noisy throughout.

Darrell Clarke made four changes from the team that lost 3-0 at Stevenage in the league on Saturday.

Fabio Jalo, Vimal Yoganathan, Max Watters and Corey O’Keeffe came in for the cup-tied Davis Keillor-Dunn, and the concussed Donovan Pines as well as Sam Cosgrove and Matty Craig who were benched.

United made eight changes from their last Premier League match but still boosted a series of household names such as Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford and Casemiro.

Barnsley held their own for 15 minutes and put some dangerous balls into the box but the hosts took the lead with the game’s first real chance.

Rashford latched onto a Alejandro Garnacho pass and skipped past Marc Roberts before smashing in.

Barnsley continued to play well early on, with Adam Phillips shooting well over from the right of the box after a short free-kick by Luca Connell.

The second home goal was from the penalty spot after Gabriel Slonina raced off his line to meet a pass on the left of his box but was beaten to it by Antony. The Brazilian went to ground with little contact from the goalkeeper but referee Gavin Ward gave the spot-kick which Antony converted.

Slonina easily saved a long-range effort from Casemiro but was beaten again in first half stoppage time.

O’Keeffe did well to cut out a long ball but then passed straight to Casemiro who found Rashford to charge into the box. The ball pinballed to Garnacho who found the bottom right corner from close range.

Darrell Clarke made a triple change at half-time, taking off teenagers Yoganathan and Jalo as well as Roberts for Craig, Stephen Humprhys and Conor McCarthy.

The fourth goal arrived minutes after the break when, after Josh Earl lost the ball, Christian Eriksen put Garnacho clean through to beat Slonina.

The American goalkeeper then kept out Rashford’s long-range free-kick.

But Craig gave the ball away to Garnacho who put Rashford clean through to make it five.

Slonina then tipped over a long-range Antony effort then Garnacho smashed over from close range after a good move down the right.

Connell put a 25-yard shot just wide of the bottom left corner.

Slonina saved with his legs from a Noussair Mazraoui shot.

Eriksen made it six with ten minutes left, turning in from close range after meeting a low cross by substitute Bruno Fernandes after a flowing move down the left.

Eriksen then added another, sweeping into the bottom left corner from just inside the box after some silky football on the right including two back heels.

Antony could have added an eighth but shot straight at the goalkeeper after another good move then Slonina made a decent save after Joshua Zirkzee was picked out by a long ball.

Barnsley: Slonina; de Gevigney, Roberts (McCarthy HT), Earl; Cotter (Lofthouse 64mins), Connell, Yoganathan (Craig HT), Phillips, O’Keeffe; Watters (Cosgrove 56mins), Jalo (Humprhys HT).

Unused: Killip, Russell, Benson, Marsh.

Yellow cards: Humphrys, O’Keeffe.

Manchester United (4-3-3): Bayindir; Dalot (Mazraoui 64mins), Maguire, Evans (de Ligt 79), Collyer; Casemiro, Ugarte (Fernandes 64), Eriksen; Garnacho (Amad 84), Rashford (Zirkzee 64), Antony.

Unused: Heaton, Martinez, Wheatley, Mainoo.

Goals: Rashford 16, 58, Antony 36 (pen), Garnacho 45+2, 49; Eriksen 81, 84.