Manchester United will feel they conducted the smartest business of any Premier League side during the January transfer window, improving the quality of Jose Mourinho’s starting XI through a swoop for Arsenal attacker Alexis Sanchez without spending a penny.
Indeed, the Red Devils swapped the Chile international for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who never convinced after arriving from Borussia Dortmund and was always a rather marginal figure in Mourinho’s first-team plans.
In United’s other two pieces of business last month, youngsters Axel Tuanzebe and James Wilson were allowed to leave on loan for Aston Villa and Sheffield United respectively.
But could United have done more last month? They’ve certainly got the capacity to spend and they’re certainly a long way off Manchester City right now, so a few more mid-season additions to the first-team squad wouldn’t have gone amiss.
It’s all a matter of perspective though, so we have a simple question for United supporters – are you happy with your club’s efforts during the January transfer window? Let us know by voting below…
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What a stunning season of Premier League football it’s truly been. The relegation dogfight has been turbulent to say the least, the battle for fourth spot has taken a late, deviating twist, but it’s the English top flight’s title race that’s been by far the most captivating contest.
Billed as a six-horse affair back in the summer, 652 Premier League fixtures later, and the race for the English crown has whittled down to just three parties – Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.
Jose Mourinho has claimed, with the Blues four points off the pole position pace, that his side’s title chances are over, which, as we learned from Roberto Mancini in the 2011/12 campaign, means in fact they are anything but.
Likewise, Brendan Rodgers insists his odds-defying Liverpool outfit can only look as far as their next game, which is coincidently against title rivals Manchester City, but leading the Premier League’s summit with just five fixtures remaining, the Reds undoubtedly have their greatest chance to date of claiming their first league title since 1990.
And the Citizens, are by far the most complete title-hunting outfit of the three, possessing world-class stars and a squad depth currently unrivalled in the top flight. They also have two games in hand on Chelsea and Liverpool, but the pressure of putting these fixtures to the Etihad’s advantage could work against them.
But as much as you can highlight all of the mitigating variables, Mourinho’s press conference mischief and tactical mastery, Luis Suarez’s world-class form and Liverpool’s unique sense of fearlessness, Yaya Toure’s new-found lethality from midfield and the potency Sergio Aguero’s return to fitness could provide, in truth, the Premier League title race now depends firmly on two Anfield fixtures alone.
This weekend, Manchester City visit Merseyside in what has already been billed as the ultimate title decider. Most excitingly for Premier League neutrals, it has all the makings of a classic multi-goal thriller. City and the Reds have been by far the Premiership’s most free-scoring sides this season – the Citizens have netted 84 times in 31 fixtures, equating to an average of 2.7 per match, whilst their Mersey counterparts have generated 90 goals from 33 games, averaging out, coincidentally, to 2.7 per match also.
Likewise, you have the awesome fire-power of the SAS, whose 49 goals this season represents four more than the entire Tottenham roster combined, verses the world-class marksmanship of the expected to return Sergio Aguero, who had netted 15 in 15 before being sidelined with a hamstring injury in January.
But in truth, the Anfield fixture against Chelsea at the end of April has the potential to be the most defining. Providing City haven’t run away with the league by then, the Blues have a monumental opportunity jump to the forefront of the title race with just two fixtures remaining, should they beat Liverpool on their home soil.
Furthermore, one could argue that the Liverpool tie only plays to the Blues’ strengths. Jose Mourinho has illustrated his ability to record vital away results on numerous occasions this season, and the West Londoners’ 1-0 win at the Etihad earlier in the season, in which they contained the potent threats of Serigo Aguero, Yaya Toure and Alvaro Negredo whilst also making the most of their opportunities on the counter-attack, will undoubtedly serve as a template for their visit to Merseyside.
There are some interesting scenarios to consider. The lowest projected points total of the three is Chelsea, who can now only finish the campaign with 87. But if Liverpool beat Manchester City, then the highest possible return for the Etihad side is only one point more. setting up for an incredible season finale. Likewise, if the Blues were to win all their final games, including against Liverpool, then the Reds can only amass at most 86 points, setting up for an incredible end of season finale.
Similarly, should Liverpool win every match between now and the end of May, their total would be 89, and having beaten Manchester City and the Blues at Anfield, the Citizens would at most be able to secure only 88, whilst Chelsea would be left some way short with 84.
If both Anfield fixtures end in draws however, City could finish the year with 89, Liverpool with 85 and Chelsea with 85. Drawing against City but winning against Chelsea would leave the Reds with 87, which probably wouldn’t be enough to stop the Eastlands club, who still have the potential to grab two points more.
With that in mind, regardless of Manchester City’s two games hand, the title ball firmly lays in Liverpool’s court. They are the variable in which the other title contenders vitally depend upon, and as demonstrated above, the Merseysiders’ hopes rest on both fixtures ending in wins – something which they’re more than capable of, and in fact is a scenario far better suiting of their cavalier, seemingly fearless style and mentality.
Furthermore, not only do the Reds have the intrinsic home advantage, having won 13 out of a possible 15 matches in front of the Kop already this year, but most importantly, Liverpool have hit form with perfect timing; Brendan Rodgers’ side haven’t lost in 15, in turn winning their last nine on the bounce.
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Comparably, although the Citizens haven’t lost in the Premier League since February, they were held to a draw against Arsenal two weekends ago, and were defeated by Wigan and Barcelona in the space of three days back in March. Chelsea, similarly, have lost their last three away fixtures in a row, and Jose Mourinho’s dismissals of his side’s title chances have become incredibly self-fulfilling in recent weeks.
More important than any other factor however, or any likely or unlikely mathematical scenario one could conjure up out of the remaining fixtures, two Liverpool victories would send out a huge psychologically-debasing message to both Chelsea and Manchester City. Regardless of the Citizens’ other remaining Premier League opponents including such rank-and-file sides as Sunderland and West Brom, the hangover from losing by far their most crucial match of their season would surely trickle in to later performances, whilst victory against the Blues would simply give them no time to recover.
In a nutshell, more than Manchester City or Chelsea, the Premier League title race now firmly depends on Liverpool. They’re currently the division’s most in-form side, and having finished seventh last season, it’s still incredibly unclear what they’re actually capable of. As much as I’ve praised the Reds throughout this article, the ultimate test remains whether or not they have the quality and mindset to handle the pressure.
We will get our answer on Sunday afternoon, in what will be remembered as one of the two most defining fixtures of an unforgettable season.
The concept of ‘player power’ was once a mere zit on the beautiful game, but over the years it has slowly mutated into an inoperable tumour. Football clubs up and down the country, across all divisions, are continually held to ransom by the demands and ultimatums of their narcissistic employees. However, despite its repeated occurrence in domestic football, I would argue that it’s even more rife on the International stage.
Nowadays it’s painfully obvious that our nation’s stars harbour an unwavering allegiance with their respective club. The juvenile tug of war between club and country is an all too familiar affair, which threatens to dominate the headlines once more should Andy Carroll pick up an injury over the next few days. How many times have we heard troublesome stories of players feigning injury just to secure a prolonged period of rest?
An international call-up is no longer an honour but an extra circular activity that players can chose to participate in. Last summer’s squad selection debacle highlighted a number of players, including Micah Richards and Peter Crouch, who refused to be listed on standby. Whether they believe they should be the first name on the teamsheet is irrelevant, the level of egotism on display is frightening.
There are a growing number of former England internationals that have gone one-step further and retired altogether, dishing out the tired cliché that they have been ‘unfairly treated’. In the minority of cases it’s understandable, especially if their devotion towards the national team has never been questioned. However, it astonishes me that players can even contemplate refusing a distress call from their country, just imagine how different Euro 2012 might have been with Paul Scholes pulling the strings in midfield?
Without wanting to be cruel, the majority of players that have omitted their name from potential selection are no great loss. Unfortunately this is not the case with the latest retiree John Terry, who in the eyes of many remains England’s best defender. Perhaps no one knows this better than Terry himself and I fear he has made this drastic decision just to prove a point, knowing full well that if England look fragile in his absence, the cries calling for his return will quickly increase in volume.
Thankfully England are not the only team to suffer the perils of player power, with their dismal performance during the summer overshadowed by events in the Dutch camp. The Netherlands were heavily tipped to excel at Euro 2012 despite being drawn in the ‘group of death’ and possessing a defence that resembled a house of cards. However, their winless campaign was dogged by rumours of unrest featuring the tantrums of part-time player Rafael van der Vaart and the egotistical nature of Robin van Persie.
Their plight was epitomised no more so by the performances of Gregory van der Wiel, who appeared to abandon his defensive duties at every inconceivable moment. His selfish displays were perhaps unsurprising given that former footballer Johan Derksen, now chief editor of Dutch football magazine Voetbal International, revealed that he had spent a lot of time “doing a lot of things, except playing football”.
“He’s running his own fashion line, working on his music and getting his hair done every day. The players did not see him without headphones on.” (goal.com)
Further evidence perhaps that you can have the best players in the world and not have the best team.
Roy Hodgson cannot rely on the same luxuries with England as he could in the Premier League. Should he make a mistake, he risks upsetting an entire nation and if relations between individual players break down beyond repair, there is no transfer kitty to find a suitable substitute. The pool of potential replacements is significantly smaller, especially in England’s case.
Perhaps this is why morale in the Spanish squad always appears sky high. There are three or four exceptional individuals vying for every position in the starting XI, but unlike with the Dutch this helps create healthy competition. Manager Vicente del Bosque recently admitted he couldn’t find a place in his latest squad for the brilliance of Juan Mata, which highlights how each player must act as model professionals, in every sense of the word, just to maintain their inclusion.
England on the other hand have several indispensible figures inclduing the likes of Joe Hart, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole. It was perhaps the Chelsea defenders status as one of the best left-backs in the world coupled with his impending milestone that ensured he avoided a more severe punishment for his Twitter outburst. However, the 31-year-old needs to justify his selection tonight, especially considering it’s no longer only Evertonians calling for Leighton Baines to be installed as the first choice left-back.
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Swindon manager Paolo Di Canio was recently asked about the subject of player power in his latest blog with the BBC and accurately summarises the growing consensus amongst supporters.
“There is a different way in England, the players seem to be able to do what they want and you have to ask yourself: is this why the national team is not going close to winning something at the moment?”
Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I would like to remind everyone that it’s Non-League Day tomorrow, so why not support your local club.
According to London Evening Standard, Tottenham have been given an extra 48 hours to decide where they’ll play their Premier League home games next season.
Premier League rules state that no club can play their home games at two venues in the same season, but the project to rebuild White Hart Lane after a season-long stay at Wembley has fallen behind schedule and may not be completed for the start of the coming campaign.
Daniel Levy and the club’s other paymasters were supposed to make a decision by the end of May but the Premier League initially extended the deadline until this Wednesday. Per London Evening Standard though, they’ve now been given until Friday with three options seemingly on the table: either play the whole of next season at Wembley, convince Richard Scudamore and his colleagues to make an exception to Premier League rules or reverse the early fixtures of 2018/19 likely resulting in their first three top flight outings being away from home.
The latter scenario may initially seem superficial change, but to what extent could it affect Tottenham’s campaign and their chances of holding onto a Champions League qualification slot for another season? Three clubs have been in exactly the same situation before at Premier League level, so here’s a quick look at what history tells us about Tottenham’s predicament…
Blackpool – 2010/11
What happened? Due to rebuilding at Bloomfield Road Blackpool started their first and to date only Premier League campaign by playing four of their first five fixtures away from home. Two of them proved disastrous – battered by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium to incur a ten-goal deficit – but the other two produced surprising wins as Ian Holloway’s boys beat relegation rivals Wigan and Newcastle.
Did it make a difference? Not as much as it could have done, simply because Blackpool carried huge momentum with them from the Championship and proved to be something of an unknown proposition for many of the clubs they faced in the early stages of the campaign. In fact, the Seasiders ended up finishing 10th in the Premier League’s away table, compared to a mere 19th in the home one.
How did the season end? Relegation by a single point, although that was predominantly caused by a run of just two wins from Blackpool’s last 18 games. That being said, they did beat Liverpool and Tottenham at Bloomfield Road that season, so perhaps those early visits to Chelsea and Arsenal would have panned out incredibly differently if they’d been played at home when Blackpool clearly had momentum on their side.
Liverpool – 2016/17
What happened? Jurgen Klopp’s first full season in charge at Anfield was somewhat curtailed by the rebuilding of the Main Stand, obliging Liverpool to play their first three fixtures of the campaign on the road and producing three different results in the process – a dramatic 4-3 win over Arsenal, a shock 2-0 defeat to Burnley and a 1-1 draw with Tottenham.
Did it make a difference? On the surface, not a huge one. Liverpool grabbed two important results against big six rivals away from home that eventually lead them to finishing in the top four, and in some ways it was probably an unforeseen benefit to play those games so early in the campaign when a lack of true match sharpness acted as something of a leveller. Later in the season, Liverpool won the reverse fixtures at Anfield as well.
How did the season end? Liverpool finished above Arsenal to make the top four but also fell one win short of beating Manchester City to third place. That difference could well have been the defeat at Turf Moor; although the Reds have made a habit of losing on the road under Klopp to lesser teams built upon organised, deep-sitting defences, Sean Dyche’s side seemed to catch them cold that day – scoring two incisive breakaways. At another point in the campaign, perhaps Liverpool would have done enough to win.
West Ham – 2017/18
What happened? Due to the World Championships being held in the capital that summer, West Ham were forced to play their first three games on the road as the club converted the much-maligned London Stadium back into a footballing venue, swapping the running track for extra seats.
And although there were other factors, it had a huge impact on West Ham’s results, dropping to 20th place on the opening day after a 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford while also losing to eventual relegation rivals Southampton and Newcastle.
Did it make a difference? A massive one. The Hammers started the season on the back foot and would spend all but seven of the Premier League’s first 19 matchdays in the relegation zone.
Furthermore, the results – and the angered response to them – inevitably influenced the club’s decision to sack Slaven Bilic in early November and replace him with David Moyes. That instantly changed the mentality of West Ham’s season; they were meant to be masterminding a break into the top seven, but spent the remainder of it fighting off relegation to the Championship instead.
How did the season end? The Irons eventually finished up nine points clear of the drop line but it was only during the latter stages of the campaign in which they truly pulled away from relegation bother. And even that wasn’t enough to keep Moyes in the job, having since been replaced by Manuel Pellegrini due to a negative style of football that was no doubt caused by the mess he inherited just eight games on from West Ham’s away-game stretch.
It would be wrong to describe it as the most determining factor, but those early results went a long way to defining West Ham’s season, which was so disastrous it almost manifested into a full-scale riot at the London Stadium during a 3-0 loss to Burnley.
Tottenham – 2018/19
Which games would change? The fixtures are officially announced on Thursday, meaning Tottenham will still have around 24 hours to make their decision, and the quality of the opposition could well be a decisive factor in this.
Tottenham’s biggest struggles away from home last season were against top six rivals, a 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge being the only exception in four defeats and one draw at Old Trafford, so a batch of heavyweight contests during the early weeks of the campaign could cost them dearly.
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How will it affect them? History aside, the big concern for the Lilywhites is how every season to date under Mauricio Pochettino has started half-paced. In fact, from the first 48 games of the last three seasons (16 per term), Tottenham have won less than half, 22, and lost eight to average just 1.75 points per game.
To give some context, Tottenham required an average of more than two points per game last season to finish fourth. Add in the extra disadvantage of beginning the season with three away games and Spurs could really end up in a compromising position before the campaign truly gets going.
Missing out on top four? It’s certainly a possibility considering the competitiveness at Tottenham’s end of the Premier League looks set to jump up another gear in 2018/19. Starting the season with three modest results could well be decisive come the close of the campaign, although the counter-argument is how the power of the new White Hart Lane – which will far more like home than Wembley ever has for Spurs fans – will help Tottenham over the line for those rescheduled home clashes.
The overriding message though, is not to downplay the psychological importance those first three games could have.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”253257″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Flashback Spurs and the ‘Lasagne Gate’ incident”]
According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Paris Saint-Germain attacker Javier Pastore has turned down the chance to join Liverpool.
What’s the story?
Pastore, who is valued at £16.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is widely expected to leave PSG this month after seven years with the French outfit.
The Argentine has scored five times in 19 appearances in all competitions during the 2017-18 campaign, but his time in Paris looks to be coming to an end.
According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Liverpool made an offer of between £22m and £35m for the 28-year-old.
Pastore, however, was not said to be interested in the move as he wants to return to Serie A.
Inter Milan are believed to be the favourites for Pastore, and the Italian side could step up their interest after allowing Portugal international Joao Mario to join West Ham United.
Do Liverpool need another attacker?
Having sold Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona earlier this month, it is not a surprise that Liverpool are being linked with a move for a number of attackers.
Leicester City’s Riyad Marrez was believed to be on the club’s radar, but talk of a deal for the Algerian international has gone cold over the last week or so.
Pastore would have been perfect, with the Argentine a classy performer who is capable of operating in a number of positions in the final third of the field.
Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat at Swansea City on Monday night showed that Jurgen Klopp’s side are still far from the full package, and fresh blood is needed in order to challenge for titles.
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Monaco’s Thomas Lemar, meanwhile, now looks set to stay at the Ligue 1 champions until at least the end of the season in what is another blow to Liverpool.
The January transfer window closes next week, and Liverpool fans will be hoping that their club has something up its sleeve.
The sense of Champions League or bust doesn’t just seem to be a sentiment held by the manager at Tottenham. Both Jan Vertonghen and Hugo Lloris have hinted in recent weeks that failure to achieve that coveted fourth place could prompt them both to reconsider their futures at the club.
More upheaval is possibly the last thing Spurs want this summer if they genuinely have designs on Premier League success next season. Therefore it will be music to Spurs fans ears to hear that midfield maestro Christian Eriksen has today come out in a show of loyalty to the club that saw so much potential in him last summer. Speaking to the Mail he confirmed that he was in it for the long haul in the North London:
“I don’t know how other guys are thinking, but I’m happy where I am, and hopefully we’ll get to the Champions League anyway,” he said.
“I think it is important for the club, and the calibre of player that could come, or stay. I think everybody wants to go to the Champions League. I’ve tried it before at Ajax, and you see everything is bigger, the atmosphere, the TV rights, the people watching. The Europa League is great, but the Champions League is what everybody wants, it’s the best place to play.”
Eriksen is clearly saying all the right things, but whether he means any of it we will surely find out during the run in and in the summer itself. For Spurs, keeping hold of the diminutive Dane is of the upmost importance. The prodigious youngster is the man to build this Spurs side around for years to come; with his technical abilities and creativity he could yet be the man to fill the gaping void left by Luka Modric.
Some of Spurs’ recent signings have verged on the luxury, unnecessary but aesthetically pleasing acquisitions that will thrill with their brief moments of quality. For me the likes of Chadli, Lamela and Paulinho fit into this category; they aren’t the lifeblood of the current side and I would expect Spurs to survive without them.
Keeping hold of Eriksen is different; successful Spurs sides of the past have been founded upon their creative force from the late great John White to the modern day Luka Modric, Spurs fans appreciate their importance. For me Eriksen sits alongside both Vertonghen and Lloris as fundamental components of the so-called ‘project’ at Spurs.
So for the Dane to come out and say all these things is clearly a huge boost regardless of how much you want to read into it. Eriksen was keen to stress the importance of a change of manager, something that has given him a second lease of life at the club:
“Recently I’ve been really satisfied with how it’s gone,” he said.
“I think he (Sherwood) is more English in his style than Villas-Boas of course, you can see that in the way we play. But for me it’s been good, for me personally I’ve had the chance to play, so of course it’s been great.”
“A win would show everyone that we are top-four contenders, it would show we are still in the race, that’s what we want. If we want to get to the top four we have to win these games, and that’s what we’ll try to do.”
Even at the age of just 22 it is important to recognise just how crucial Eriksen is. Of course he needs careful managing, but he also needs the stage to showcase his abilities week in week out. Without him in the side Spurs look toothless and unimaginative, with him then they are definitely a side to strike fear into any opposition.
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5th place could spell the end for Tim Sherwood at Spurs; it could also prompt the exits of a number of others. The key for Spurs though is that whatever happens doesn’t derail the overall trajectory as a whole.
It is easy to be cynical about Eriksen’s comments, but for me the show of passion is exactly what Spurs fans need at the moment.
Click below to watch West Brom vs Man United LIVE!
A subjective list of some of the best stars to have played in the North East of England.
This list has foreign stars and local heroes galore, spanning two centuries, many of the players on this list helped the often underachieving area to major trophies.
Current players have been ignored but who knows an updated chart in say five years time, could see Yohan Cabaye, Hatem Ben Arfa and Stephane Sessegnon, joining Peter Beardsley and Alan Shearer as all-time greats, in an area that lives and breathes football.
Please note before butchering me in the comment section for players who have or haven’t made this list, that covering over a century of football across three major teams is no easy feet. Comparing and considering players at Newcastle and Sunderland was also not easy considering both clubs enjoyed the most success in their clubs respective histories over 50 years ago. Also any constructive criticism is welcome, this is by no means a definitive list.
Click on Alan Shearer below to unveil the 15
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Arsenal fans are showing the love for Emil Forsberg, after a report named the Gunners as one of three clubs chasing the Leipzig playmaker.
According to Swedish outlet Expressen, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Juventus are all eyeing a summer swoop for Emil Forsberg.
The Red Bull Leipzig star broke onto the scene in 2016-17 as part of the German club’s rapid attack, alongside the likes of Timo Werner and Liverpool bound Naby Keita.
Following on from that incredible 19-assist season, the Swedish international only managed five goals and four assists this season, as he struggled with injuries.
The 26 year-old would be a perfect fit for Unai Emery’s high tempo press thanks to his experience in Ralph Hasenhüttl’s incredibly fast paced Leipzig system, and adding more creativity to the likes of Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan could make the Gunners a real force again.
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It would reportedly take at least £40m to bring the Swedish international to North London, but Arsenal fans are completely behind the move, as a whopping 84 per cent say they should take the plunge.
According to Italian media outlet Gianluca Di Marzio on Monday, out of favour Southampton striker Manolo Gabbiadini, who is rated at €15m (£13.3m) according to Transfermarkt, is a target for Serie A side Bologna before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.
The Italian outfit could be on the verge of losing star attacker Simone Verdi to Napoli, and they want to bring Gabbiadini in to replace him if the 25-year-old does end up leaving.
The Saints man made such a positive start to life at St Mary’s after joining them from Napoli a year ago, but he has struggled for goals and to get into the team this season despite the south coast outfit’s struggles – they currently lie just one place and one point above the Premier League relegation zone – and he may want to leave to play more regularly.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United’s situation worsened on Wednesday when it was revealed that owner Mike Ashley had pulled out of talks to sell the club to PCP Partners, which has left a bit of a cloud over Rafa Benitez’s transfer dealings this month – the Spaniard had initially said last month he wanted all business done by January 20.
The Magpies certainly need reinforcements to boost their own survival bid and bringing Gabbiadini to St James’ Park could prove to be a shrewd move.
Here are three reasons Newcastle must consider a shock deal to sign the Italy international…
They need a striker
With Joselu, Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic scoring just eight Premier League goals between them in 23 top flight games – and with the team netting just 21 times in total it is clear to see where their problems lie.
Benitez won’t want a lack of goals to be their downfall in the second-half of the campaign as they look to avoid an instant return to the Championship, and bringing a new striker to the club may well be one of his priorities in the remainder of January – especially if Gayle or Mitrovic leave.
Goals
While Gabbiadini has struggled for goals so far this season – he has netted three times in 20 Premier League appearances for Southampton – he has hardly been helped by a lack of support and service from the players behind him.
Saints haven’t played to the Italy international’s strengths as they did when he first arrived in the Premier League this time last year, when he scored six goals in his first four outings for the south coast outfit – including a brace in the EFL Cup final defeat against Manchester United.
The 26-year-old has shown that he can find the net if he has the right players around him and is confident, and those goals could be crucial to helping keep Newcastle in the top flight if they bring him to St James’ Park.
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Point to prove
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Even though Southampton have been struggling to find the net, Gabbiadini has only started one of their last 12 Premier League fixtures and he will certainly have a point to prove to the south coast outfit if he does end up departing this month.
The 26-year-old will also look to ensure that he finds some form in order to keep his place in the Italy squad despite the fact that they won’t be competing at the 2018 World Cup, and to do that he needs regular minutes on the pitch and to be finding the net consistently – with Newcastle likely to be willing to give him that opportunity.
The newly appointed Manchester United manager hasn’t had the start he’d have hoped for at Old Trafford, having seen his side struggle to contend at the top of the league in this opening half of the season.
However, despite feeling the pressure as his side find themselves outside of the European places, the Scotsman will do himself a world of favours if he can win the Capital One Cup.
The Red Devils have played a lot better in the Capital One Cup, having knocked out an impressive Liverpool side and two other Premier League opponents in Norwich and Stoke. The fans at Old Trafford will be hoping for some silverware if they don’t see their side qualify for the Champions League this season and the Capital One Cup could well be their best chance to add to their trophy cabinet.
More to the point, United as a club need to win trophies no matter where they finish in the league. Similar to what the Anfield faithful had to go through, where they had to witness their club re-shaping after falling down the pecking order in the Premier League, United may have to rebuild.
Failure to finish in the top 4 and qualify for the Champions League will mean that financial income will have to come from elsewhere – adding to the idea that the Capital One Cup is a must win for David Moyes and United if they are to continue their dominance.
Having been drawn against Gus Poyet’s Sunderland side, Moyes will be fancying his chances of reaching the Final, having beaten the Black Cats once already this season. The return of Robin van Persie will be a massive boost for the fans too, as well as their side’s recent run of good form.
A result in the first leg at the Stadium of Light would put United in a very strong position, going to Old Trafford as even stronger favourites. The only worry for David Moyes is a potential Manchester derby in the final, where the fans will be hoping they don’t see a repeat result of that in the league – seeing their side losing 4-1.
The Capital One Cup would also give David Moyes that first taste of success as United manager, which could prove to be a huge contribution to his long-term triumphs at the club. With Sir Alex Ferguson reminding the fans to back his successor, David Moyes will be hoping he can start his first season with success, giving himself and the club a platform to build on for the future.
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