Sports
Manchester United Win EFL Cup to End 6 Year Wait
Manchester United won their first trophy since 2017 when they defeated Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium in Wembley, London.
Newcastle’s own wait for silverware, which dates back to 1969, continues after two goals in the first six minutes established Manchester United’s superiority and set them on their way to their first success under manager Erik ten Hag.
After 33 minutes, Casemiro broke the deadlock by heading home Luke Shaw’s free kick.
Sven Botman deflected Marcus Rashford’s shot out of the reach of Newcastle debutant keeper Loris Karius, who was filling in for the suspended Nick Pope. Newcastle attempted to rally in the second half, but the goals dried up at an inopportune time for Eddie Howe’s side.
It meant Manchester United were back in the title picture after winning the Europa League and this competition in the same season six years ago under Jose Mourinho.
United’s renaissance under Ten Hag now has tangible reward in the shape of a trophy, with the power to add more this season.
Since that nightmare start to the season, when they lost at home to Brighton and shipped four first-half goals in a humiliating loss at Brentford, the Dutchman’s strong leadership and tactical acumen has transformed them.
The arrival of the outstanding Casemiro, the superb development of the combative Lisandro Martinez, and the rejuvenation of Rashford have all contributed to the Old Trafford outfit’s resurgence.
They weren’t at their best, but once they took control of the final, they didn’t let Newcastle back in – and mission accomplished.
Casemiro, a truly transformative acquisition, was at the heart of it all. The Brazilian not only scored the game-winning goal, but he also stamped his years of trophy-winning experience with Real Madrid all over this showpiece with his expert positioning and authority.
It will also strengthen the growing belief that Ten Hag is the manager who can lead Manchester United out of the wilderness that had engulfed them prior to his arrival at the start of the season.
Manchester United’s Ten Hag a Transformative Manager
Erik ten Hag exudes the authority and tactical acumen of a transformative manager, and he now has a trophy to prove it. It is a success Manchester United have been craving for almost six years.
It is too early to make definitive judgments after only a few months on the job, but Ten Hag has won the first trophy he could, capping off a week in which Barcelona was also knocked out of the Europa League on a thunderous night at Old Trafford.
There is, however, a shift in mood at the club, and Ten Hag’s work has played a key role in this shift.
The opening weekend defeat at home to Brighton seems a lifetime ago, and the humiliating 4-0 thrashing at Brentford in United’s second league game appears to be a watershed moment.
Ten Hag cancelled his players’ day off after that defeat, in which United conceded four goals in the first half, and ordered them on a 13.8km run – the distance by which Brentford had outrun his team the day before.
The 53-year-old joined his players on the run, sending a clear message that, while failings at Brentford would not be tolerated, this would be a managerial reign in which collective responsibility and team ethic would be paramount. Everyone was in it together, an instant fix for the flaws that had grown prior to his arrival.
Ten Hag’s team won their next game against archrivals Liverpool, who had a humiliating 9-0 aggregate scoreline in their two Premier League wins over United last season, and have barely looked back since.
The Dutchman also followed in the footsteps of one of his Old Trafford predecessors, Jose Mourinho, the manager responsible for those recent successes by making the League Cup a top priority in order to secure the first trophy as soon as possible.
United and their supporters are increasingly convinced that Ten Hag is the man to lead them forward and back into the elite, which they have been missing for much of the last few years.
