Manchester United have ended their trophy drought, winning their first piece of major silverware since 2017 by lifting the Carabao Cup this evening.
Their final between themselves and Newcastle United was billed as a meeting of two sides who had made major strides this season, and while that may be the case, only one of them performed at Wembley Stadium on this occasion.
Manchester United took control of the game in the first half, scoring two quick-fire goals that ultimately proved to be the difference between the sides. The first came via Casemiro, with the Brazilian heading home from a set-piece.
CASEMIRO!! 🇧🇷
LIFT OFF AT WEMBLEY!! MANCHESTER UNITED LEAD!! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/tP3nznAnOQ— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 26, 2023
The second would arrive a few minutes later.
Marcus Rashford was the scorer, with his strike helped into the net by a deflection which lifted the ball above Loris Karius.
RASHFORDDD!! 👉🥶
It had to be HIM! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/FGhvKMvi48— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 26, 2023
From this point, it looked as though there would be only one winner.
Newcastle huffed and puffed in the second half in an attempt to get back into the game, and while they would apply some pressure after the interval, Manchester United looked reasonably comfortable throughout as they saw out the remainder of the game.
This is their first triumph in this competition since 2017, and their first major trophy since their Europa League win later that season.
Roy Keane approves of Erik ten Hag dance moves
Erik ten Hag will be thrilled to get a trophy under his belt at this early stage in his tenure, further validating the good work he had already done up to this point in the campaign.
He received the largest cheers out of all first team personnel when lifting the trophy, pointing to his popularity among the club's fan base.
He certainly enjoyed the post-match celebrations, with even the notoriously anti-dancing Roy Keane approving of the Dutchman throwing a shape or two at Wembley.
Party time 🕺🕺 pic.twitter.com/6Im4RT7gNQ
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 26, 2023
The lads are having a bit of a dance there, my goodness.
Not bad actually to be fair!
That's a big compliment coming from Keane.
However, he did take it all back soon after when he told ten Hag during their post-match chat: "You should resign after that, tonight!"
"You should resign after that." 🤣
Roy Keane shares his thoughts on Erik ten Hag's dancing 🕺 pic.twitter.com/gCJKlReB1A— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 26, 2023
The Cork man would go on to further praise ten Hag for the work he has done since his arrival at Old Trafford.
The way he has come across in the media, he seems like a really honest guy. The players appreciated that, he wasn't bluffing anybody and said there was work needed to be done.
He has made some big changes at the club, gotten rid of big personalities, dropped [Harry] Maguire. He has got his rewards because ultimately he is here to win trophies.
Manchester United fans will be hoping that they can add to their trophy haul in the months ahead, with the club still competing in the Europa League and FA Cup.
A top four finish in the Premier League also looks very likely, with some feeling the team could even make a title push.
It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
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