Man Utd, Newcastle bid to end trophy droughts in League Cup final

United haven´t won a major trophy since the 2017 Europa League — AFPLONDON: Manchester United will aim to end their six-year trophy drought when Erik ten Hag´s resurgent side face Newcastle in Sunday´s League Cup final, while the Magpies´ Saudi-funded revolution could produce the club´s first major prize since 1969.As underachieving members of English football´s aristocracy in recent years, United hope the showpiece at Wembley can serve as a long-awaited rebirth. However, revelling in their role as nouveau riche irritants to the Premier League´s established powers, Newcastle believe the final can serve as concrete proof they are now a force to be reckoned with.United haven´t won a major trophy since the 2017 Europa League, a prize they claimed just weeks after beating Southampton in their most recent League Cup final appearance.As if their longest trophy drought for 40 years wasn´t bad enough, United also suffered the indignity of watching bitter rivals Manchester City surpass them as England´s preeminent football force.United, who last won the title in 2013, finished a dismal sixth in the Premier League last term.But after a decade in the wilderness, they have been revived by Ten Hag since his arrival from Ajax last year.Crucially, Ten Hag´s handling of Cristiano Ronaldo showed he would not be intimidated by player power, bringing an end to the Portugal star´s second spell at United."He first arrived and the training sessions we had, he demands ´you do it or you´re out´. You don´t play," United midfielder Bruno Fernandes said."Everyone was a little bit like ´If a big player doesn´t do what he wants will he pull him apart or not?´ And he did that many times, he did it with Cristiano, with Jadon (Sancho), with Marcus (Rashford)."There is no more tangible sign of Ten Hag´s impact than the blistering form of revitalised United forward Rashford, who is battling to be fit for Wembley after suffering an injury in Thursday´s Europa League win against Barcelona.Ten Hag has tried to temper expectations in his first season but he knows victory this weekend would be a meaningful moment for a club climbing out of the doldrums."It´s a great opportunity to get the silverware. The fans are really waiting for it and so we do everything we can to give them their honour," Ten Hag said.´Rewrite the story´Fuelled by the astute management of Eddie Howe and the financial muscle of their Saudi-backed owners, Newcastle are unlikely to be a pushover.Once regarded as the laughing stock of the Premier League, Newcastle are emerging as a genuine force for the first time since Kevin Keegan´s ´entertainers´ came close to winning the title in the 1990s.It is an astonishingly rapid rise for a team who were mired in the relegation zone when Howe was hired soon after the £305 million ($376 million) takeover from unpopular former owner Mike Ashley in late 2021.Saudi´s Public Investment Fund holds an 80 percent stake in the club, but Howe is the public face of Newcastle´s renaissance.Despite a recent dip in form, Newcastle are fifth in the Premier League, just two places behind United.For this weekend, they are focused on winning the club´s first major trophy since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.Newcastle´s last major domestic prize came in 1955 when they lifted the FA Cup.For such a football-obsessed city to go decades without a trophy has been cruel punishment for the long-suffering ´Toon Army´, who will be watching Newcastle´s first domestic final appearance since losing to United in the 1999 FA Cup.Fittingly for a final offering potential catharsis to both clubs, Newcastle are set to start much-maligned goalkeeper Loris Karius.Nick Pope´s suspension has given Karius a chance at redemption in his first competitive match in almost two years.Karius is best known for his costly howlers in Liverpool´s 2018 Champions League final defeat against Real Madrid."It would be a magnificent chance for him to rewrite the story of his career," Howe said."That´s the beauty of football. We never know what is going to happen. This unpredictability is what makes it such an amazing thing to watch." Comments Submit مضمون کا ماخذ:نتیجہ لوٹومینیا