Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag will hope to end the club’s longest trophy drought when he leads the Red Devils in what will be his first cup final against Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium later in February.
United secured their spot in the Carabao Cup final after cruising past Nottingham Forest in a two-legged contest, winning 2-0 (5-0 on aggregate) at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, thanks to goals from returning Anthony Martial and Fred.
Ten Hag has been a breath of fresh air since taking over the coaching role, bringing in a group of experienced and world-class players in five-time UEFA Champions League winner Casemiro, World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez, playmaker Christian Eriksen and recently signed Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer from Bayern Munich, among others.
The former Ajax Amsterdam manager has since restored hope to the United faithful in a short space of time. However, the Red Devils will be up against an Eddie Howe-coached Magpies side that also finds itself in a season of trophy drought, having last tasted silverware in 1969.
Howe and his charges booked their spot in the final after beating relegation-threatened Southampton 3-1 on aggregate. Newcastle have been surprise top-four contenders in the English Premier League since the Saudis takeover in 2021, who injected a huge financial boost to the club.
The Magpies and Red Devils are currently occupying third and fourth position on the log, respectively, with 39-points each and are both on a mission to qualify for the Champions League next season.
The Carabao Cup final takes place on February 26. Kick off is 6.30pm (SA time).
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