Colchester United played Manchester United in EFL Cup

The U's went in at half-time on level terms having more than held their own in the first half on their first-ever visit to Old Trafford, before goals from Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and a Ryan Jackson own goal sealed the Red Devils' progress to the last four, in front of a crowd of 57,559.

The Gazette looks at the Colchester team that featured in the 3-0 defeat that day and where they are now.

DEAN GERKEN

The experienced keeper was the U's first-choice throughout the 2019-20 season, after returning to the club from Ipswich Town.

He made 80 appearances for Colchester in his second spell before retiring at the end of the 2021-22 season.

He is now an academy goalkeeper coach at former club, Bristol City.

RYAN JACKSON

Jackson played a big part in Colchester's run to the quarter-finals, in the 2019-20 season.

The reliable right-back returned to play for the U's in the play-offs, having a few weeks earlier been informed by the club that his contract would not be renewed following the financial implications of the pandemic.

Jackson joined Gillingham soon after the Exeter defeat and went on to join Cheltenham Town last summer, making 43 appearances for the League One side, this season.

He is currently playing his football back in League Two, at Sutton United.

TOM EASTMAN

Long-serving Eastman was a mainstay for Colchester, in the 2019-20 season.

The popular defender featured 47 times for the U's in that campaign and spent a further three years at the JobServe Community Stadium before being released in the summer, after more than a decade at the club.

Eastman is now playing his football in the National League with Dagenham and Redbridge.

LUKE PROSSER

Prosser led the U's team out at Old Trafford and made more than 100 appearances during his four-year spell at the club, many as captain.

He joined League Two club Stevenage soon after the Exeter City play-off defeat at the end of that season and made 57 league appearances for them over a two-year period, before being released in the summer of 2022 and then retiring from football.

COHEN BRAMALL

Bramall was a key player for Colchester in the 2019-20 season, helping them reach the play-offs.

He scored the only goal of the game in the play-off semi-final first leg against Exeter, giving his side a slender lead to take down to Devon.

Bramall played a further 25 times for the U's in the 2020-21 season before leaving to join League One outfit Lincoln City in January, 2021.

He made 18 appearances for the Imps in the 2020-21 campaign, helping them reach the play-offs before moving onto Championship outfit Rotherham in the summer of 2022.

Bramall has played 23 times for the Millers so far, this season.

HARRY PELL

Pell missed a chunk of the first half of the 2019-20 season due to injury but returned before Christmas to help Colchester reach the play-offs.

The midfielder had another injury-interrupted time in the 2020-21 campaign but still made 28 appearances for the U's and helped them stay in League Two.

Pell left Colchester in the summer of 2021 to join League One club, Accrington Stanley.

He left the Reds in the summer of 2022 to join Johnnie Jackson's AFC Wimbledon, where he has made 51 appearances in total to date.

TOM LAPSLIE

Lapslie made 170 appearances for Colchester after coming through their academy system.

The dynamic midfielder played 26 times in the 2019-20 season, memorably scoring the winning spot-kick in the U's penalty shoot-out win over Spurs earlier in their Carabao Cup run.

Lapslie left Colchester in the summer of 2021 to join his current club Torquay United, where he has played 68 times, to date.

BRANDON COMLEY

Comley was a regular in John McGreal's side in the 2019-20 season under McGreal, making 33 appearances.

The former QPR midfielder left the U's at the end of the campaign and went on to play for Bolton Wanderers and Dagenham and Redbridge, before joining current club Walsall in the summer of 2022.

Comley has made more than 50 league and cup appearances for the Saddlers to date and helped them to a 1-0 win over Tranmere Rovers, at the weekend.

CALLUM HARRIOTT

Skilful winger Harriott played his part in Colchester reaching the League Cup quarter-finals, in the 2019-20 season.

The former Charlton Athletic youngster stayed at the U's until May 2021 and went on to play briefly for their League Two rivals Gillingham, before having a short spell at Yeovil Town last season.

Harriott is currently playing his football at National League side York City and featured in their 0-0 draw at Rochdale, at the weekend.

FRANK NOUBLE

Like Prosser and Jackson, forward Nouble had been told that his contract would not be renewed by the U's in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic but played in both legs of the play-off semi-final.

Nouble joined League One outfit Plymouth Argyle following his exit from the U's, in August 2020.

However, he returned to Colchester in the January transfer window and played his part in keeping them in League Two.

He signed permanently for the U's again in the summer of 2021, penning a two-year deal at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Nouble left Colchester in March 2023 to join National League side Torquay United and now plays for Yeovil Town.

LUKE NORRIS

Striker Norris spent two and a half years at Colchester.

He made 42 appearances for the U's in the 2019-20 season, scoring 11 times to help them reach the play-offs.

Norris made 18 appearances for Colchester in the first part of last season before leaving them to join their League Two rivals Stevenage, in the 2021 January transfer window.

The striker has gone on to play 123 times for Boro, scoring 37 times and has helped them win promotion to League One, last season.

Norris now plays for Tranmere Rovers, in League Two.

Used substitutes: Stevenson, Poku, Gambin. Not used: Clampin, Sowunmi, Brown, Ross.

MANAGER - JOHN MCGREAL

McGreal went on to lead Colchester to the League Two play-offs where defeat in the second leg at Exeter City ultimately proved to be his final game in charge.

After four years as the U's head coach, he parted company with the club a few weeks after their heartbreaking loss.

McGreal took over as manager of League Two club Swindon Town in May 2021 but left the role, a few weeks later.

He is currently back at former club Ipswich Town, where he coaches the club's under-21s.