Manchester United win the League Cup, their first title in six years

At last.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
26 February 2023 Sunday 17:28
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Manchester United win the League Cup, their first title in six years

At last. After a long journey through the desert, with a disbursement of almost 1,000 million euros in more than 30 players, Manchester United, the most successful team in England, won its first title in almost six years this Sunday, since the Europa League in 2017 with Mourinho on the bench. The red devils won the League Cup final against Newcastle at Wembley thanks to goals from Casemiro, who had become the absolute leader of the team, and Botman's own goal.

The first twist of the Ten Hag era confirmed that all the lurches during this period, with three different coaches and without a defined style of play, have been left behind to give birth to a solid team at the back, to the despair of the magpies, and sharp up front. Barça already verified it in the Europa League.

Newcastle, boosted since 2021 after being bought by an Arab fund, jumped onto the pitch without complexes, deploying the offensive and daring game that has returned them to the noble zone of the Premier. Saint-Maximin, who left Dalot seated with a large cut, caused the first stoppage of a De Gea less demanding than Karius in his first game in two years, his debut with the black and white instead of the suspended Nick Pope and Dúbravka.

However, the German couldn't do anything before Casemiro's header from a set piece after half an hour of play. With no time to react, Weghorst balanced his 1.97m on some good driving which he followed up with a pass into space for Rashford and ended in a goal. The Englishman kicked and the ball touched Botman before drawing a parable that passed Karius.

After the restart, Eddie Howe's men showed personality and locked up a Manchester United in their area that could have sentenced the counterattack if it hadn't been for Karius. The unexpected protagonist of the 2018 Champions League final deflected a low shot from Rashford and beat Bruno Fernandes one-on-one. Newcastle accumulated innumerable arrivals, but ran into a wall, the play always vanished by a miraculous leg by Lisandro Martínez, Varane, Casemiro and ultimately by De Gea.

Manchester United: De Gea; Dalot (Wan-Bissaka, m.47), Varane, Alexander, Shaw; Fred (Sabitzer, m.69), Casemiro, Fernandes; Antony (Sancho, 82), Rashford (Maguire, 88) and Weghorst (McTominay, 69).

Newcastle United: Karius; Trippier, Schar, Boatman, Burn; Longstaff (Isaac, m.46), Guimaraes (Willock, m.78), Joelinton; Almiron (Anderson, m.91), Wilson (Ritchie, m.91), St-Maximin (Murphy, m.78).

Goals: 1-0, m.32: Casemiro. 2-0, m.39: Boatman, p.p.

Referee: David Coote admonished Dalot (m.33), Fred (m.39), De Gea (m.85), Casemiro (m.87) and Shaw (m.95) by United, and Joelinton (m. .51), Botman (m.67) and Schar (m.95), from Newcastle.

Incidents: League Cup Final (Carabo Cup) played at Wembley Stadium (London) in front of 87,000 spectators.