Manchester United defeated Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday afternoon at Wembley Stadium to win their first trophy since 2017..
Casemiro gave Erik ten Hag’s side the lead in the 33rd minute, before Sven Botman deflected Marcus Rashford’s strike past stand-in goalkeeper Loris Karius before halftime.
It was far from a vintage second half – or final – but the Reds managed the game well and prevented the Magpies from regaining control in the second period. The cup victory was Ten Hag’s first as manager, but United still has the chance to win three more trophies this season..
Here are six things fans may have missed during United’s Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle:
The rallying cry of Casemiro
The Brazilian midfielder gave United a 1-0 lead over the Magpies at Wembley, and he was eager to get the fans going after scoring the game’s only goal. After an anxious wait to see if his goal would stand after a VAR review, Casemiro motioned to the Reds fans to keep the good vibes going.
Casemiro was clearly pumped up, letting out another roar and hyping up the fans after seeing the ball out of play for a goal kick..
He was quickly embraced by his teammates, with Diogo Dalot slapping the midfielder’s hand and Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez shouting at him from a distance.
Rashford’s witty touch
While Rashford was not given credit for United’s second goal of the afternoon, he played a significant role in it and deserved to be on the scoresheet. He and the Reds, on the other hand, are unconcerned about who scores the goal. The England star was heavily involved in the build-up before unleashing a goal-scoring effort.
The ball was passed to Wout Weghorst by the 25-year-old, who did an excellent job breaking forward and playing the perfect through ball to Rashford..
Rashford appeared to have played a simple pass to his teammate at first, but the United star actually flicked the ball with his weaker foot. In many ways, it reflected his current level of confidence.
Defensive fantasy
The United squad’s cohesion has been widely praised this season, and if one moment summed it up against Newcastle, it was Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka all fighting for the ball. Bruno Guimaraes had the ball in a dangerous position, but the Reds were able to prevent a clear-cut chance.
One of Fernandes’ most admirable qualities is his determination to track down and retrieve possession..
The Portuguese star has frequently been influential in front of goal, but his defensive work is also outstanding. United were clearly desperate to win the trophy as a group from the start.
United supporters support Glazer’s stance.
Throughout the game, United fans made their feelings about the Glazers clear. ‘We want Glazers out,’ chanted the travelling Reds supporters. Avram Glazer was in attendance at the final at Wembley Stadium, and as Ten Hag’s team celebrated, a banner with the words ‘Glazers out’ was spotted down below him..
It all comes amid interest in the club from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, as well as US hedge fund Elliott Management, which previously owned AC Milan. The Glazers, however, could still choose to remain in charge.
Biggest cheer from #mufc fans was when Ten Hag appeared. There were boos when Avram Glazer appeared on the big screen to shake Ten Hag's hand.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) February 26, 2023
Maguire’s breakthrough
During the celebrations, club captain Harry Maguire, who came off the bench in the final few minutes, beat the United crest on his shirt as he celebrated in front of the Reds fans at Wembley. The defender clearly would have preferred to start the game, but he was still buzzing from his victory.
It has been a difficult season for the England defender, and even if he does leave Old Trafford during the summer transfer window, he will leave with a trophy as United’s captain. After the game, he and Weghorst performed ‘United Road’ in front of the fans.
Sancho cracks a joke with Fernandes.
Fernandes had a chance near the end of the game to square the ball to Jadon Sancho, who was in acres of space on the left side of the pitch. However, United’s number eight chose to try and score himself, and he almost did. The Portugal international would have surely passed if United did not have a commanding lead..
Sancho was filming the antics of the Reds players as they celebrated on the field after the game. Sancho joked as Fernandes embraced the England international, “Next time you pass?”
“Next time… next time,” Fernandes replied, laughing.
Jadon Sancho – "Next time you pass?" 😅
Bruno Fernandes – "Next time… next time" 🤣 pic.twitter.com/EWfo708tvB
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 26, 2023
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