After Wembley springboard, Man Utd can seize the opportunity to create another dynasty

If the club sale works out, Eric ten Hag could oversee another period of success at Old Trafford.

Mon, 27 Feb, 2023 - 06:40

Chris Hatherall

Manchester United’s project under Erik ten Hag is in a really good place after his side claimed their first trophy in six years - and the frightening thought for Newcastle’s wealthy owners is how much they, and the rest of the Premier League, are going to have to spend to keep pace with them in future.

The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund has already spent €338million buying the club and another €280m on players since arriving in 2021. But despite an estimated wealth of €360billion, it looks like the price of success on a football pitch is only going to grow after their team was comfortably beaten at Wembley.

Manchester United’s revival has, so far, been built on the foundation of a hugely talented manager who has brought ambition back to Old Trafford, together with some clever signings – not least Wembley goalscorer and man of the match Casemiro. But with a potential €5.2bn sale of the club to Qatari, American or British investors on the horizon, they won’t be short of finances themselves in future – and with Marcus Rashford in such remarkable form (his goal against Newcastle was his 28th of the season) they aren’t ruling themselves out of the title race either.

What a sobering thought for any club owner who wants to win trophies in England, and what a moment of opportunity for current league leaders Arsenal who have also spent big to get there but certainly not on the scale of some of their rivals Next year it is going to be whole lot more difficult, you suspect, and that’s why this win for United was so important if they want to re-join the elite and bring back the kind of silverware that fans took for granted in the Ferguson era.

A League Cup is just a League Cup, of course, but what happens next will decide whether United can seize the opportunity to create a dynasty more recognisable to those Old Trafford has witnessed in the past.

That hangs on finance but also on ten Hag, who has done a remarkable job rebuilding confidence, belief and tactical solidity since he arrived to take over what was an under-achieving and publicly lambasted squad.

Remember this same team, just before pivotal signing Casemiro arrived, lost 4-0 to Brentford in August on a day which saw them labelled a laughing stock with no hope of a top-four finish, let alone a title tilt or a dream of silverware.

Now, everything seems different. Ten Hag’s men handled this game and the emotion of the boisterous Geordie crowd, who had partied all weekend in London, with real professionalism.

They were comfortably the better side in the first half, scoring two well-taken goals and looking menacing whenever they broke. Then they showed they could defend after the break as Newcastle gave it everything they had, but were eventually worn down by United’s defensive shape and tireless energy to cut off space. It’s easy to forget that is something United were accused of failing to do under previous managers – so ten Hag, who famously shipped out Cristiano Ronaldo to build a new style, deserves huge credit.

If Newcastle’s project is not yet at its peak, that’s hardly surprising - they started from an incredibly low bar (a battle against relegation if you remember) and with no trophy in the cabinet since 1969. And this game showed they aren’t quite there yet.

Perhaps Eddie Howe’s side have over-achieved in the first half of the season because recent slip-ups suggest it may be too soon for Champions League football, too, and there was a sense of acceptance mixed with pride in the Newcastle end that this wasn’t going to be their day – but it wouldn’t be their last.

The Toon Army truly believe they will be back, and under such wealthy owners there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be. But how much it is going to cost to make it happen is another matter.

In a year in which Chelsea, despite a mind-blowing splurge in the January transfer window under new owner Todd Boehly, are nowhere in sight, there are clearly no guarantees.

For Manchester United, however, the future looks bright – whether that’s the near future or longer term.

This was their 20th win in the last 25 matches in all competitions (a run which has also seen three games drawn) and you sense ten Hag’s ambition extends far beyond a victory in the Carabao Cup.

What happens next will depend on finance, transfer policy and on whether the Glazers sell (some reports suggest €4.5bn offers won’t be enough).Maybe that is why United fans still sung 'we want Glazers out' amidst all the celebrations.

But for any potential investor this was a day that showed United is worth buying. There’s one trophy in the bag, a very good manager in place and no reason why they shouldn't be a match for any rival - if the right number of zeros is on the end of that takeover cheque.