West Ham United defeat Derby County to book Old Trafford date

And their reward is a trip to Old Trafford to take on in-form Manchester United in late February.

David Moyes made six changes to his starting line-up from their vital Premier League win over fellow strugglers Everton nine days earlier, which led to opposite number Frank Lampard getting the sack.

However, the visitors were almost caught within 30 seconds as Tom Barkhuizen found space behind Thilo Kehrer on the left, but his cross was thankfully cut out.

Antonio screwed a shot wide on two minutes, after a turnover in midfield, and was then left waiting when Flynn Downes nudged the ball onto Bowen, whose shot was saved by Joe Wildsmith.

The warning signs were there for Derby, though, and West Ham took the lead on 10 minutes when Antonio turned his man well and saw a shot blocked, with Downes heading the ball back for Tomas Soucek to play a one-two with Antonio, then nod on for Bowen to volley home from inside the six-yard box.

The hosts looked to respond, enjoying some decent possession and seeing Conor Hourihane flash a speculative effort well wide from 20 yards.

Korey Smith was booked for catching Emerson late, before James Collins flashed a volley wide from Barkhuizen’s left-wing cross.

Antonio was playing more of a leading role for the Hammers as the half wore on, but Derby went close just before the break when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing beat Emerson to get to the byline and cut the ball back, only for Angelo Ogbonna to produce a vital interception.

The second half was barely four minutes old when West Ham doubled their advantage as Pablo Fornals found Antonio to pick out Bowen on the right and, when his cross was deflected off Craig Forsyth, head home from close range.

Derby had shouts for a penalty waved away when Ben Johnson caught Curtis Davies – a goalscorer for Hull City in the 2014 final as they lost 3-2 to Arsenal – late in the air in the box, after losing their battle for a header, and with VAR absent, it was a let-off for the visitors.

And Davies went off moments later as Rams boss Paul Warne made a triple change on the hour, with his in-form side trying to extend a 19-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Moyes removed Antonio from the firing line, with fellow strikers Danny Ings and Gianluca Scamacca recovering from injuries, to give Said Benrahma a run out from the bench, with the newcomer teeing up Bowen inside the box moments later, only for Wildsmith to make a strong save to his right.

Soucek had his name taken for a late challenge on Liam Thompson but Johnson then forced Wildsmith into a sharp save with an angled drive that was beaten away on 73 minutes.

And Moyes sent Aaron Cresswell and young striker Divin Mubama on for Emerson and Bowen for the final stages, as the 4,500 travelling fans found their voices.

Lewis Dobbin forced Alphonse Areola into a save five minutes from time as Derby’s hopes of an unlikely late fightback were comfortably extinguished, but West Ham will face tougher tests on their return to Premier League action.

It’s Newcastle away, Chelsea home, Tottenham away in their next three matches so Moyes will be very pleased he was able to give midfielder Declan Rice a rest at Pride Park as they made it back-to-back wins and clean sheets.

West Ham United: Areola, Johnson, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Aguerd, Emerson (Cresswell 78), Soucek, Downes, Bowen (Mubama 78), Fornals (Lanzini 87), Antonio (Benrahma 64). Unused subs: Fabianski, Coufal, Lucas Paqueta, Rice, Laing.

Booked: Soucek.

Attendance: 25,308.