You must flip through five decades to locate the last time Manchester United went six years without winning a trophy. Ron Atkinson’s 1983 squad of Norman Whiteside, Gary Bailey, and Bryan Robson won the FA Cup to close the gap with Tommy Docherty’s 1977 squad of Stuart Pearson, Brian, and Jimmy Greenhoff, who had won the same competition.
Erik ten Hag desires to end the club’s 40-year trophy drought. The Europa League triumph of May 2017 under Jose Mourinho is the last of United’s 66 pieces of silverware (including Charity/Community Shields), with the 2021 final of the same tournament being the closest United has been since.
United stay alive on all four fronts – Premier League, both domestic cups, and Europa League – and on Wednesday, when they travel to Nottingham Forest for the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, they can take a huge step towards victory. Ten Hag believes the delay will motivate his team.
This club’s responsibility is to win trophies, therefore we must get back on track,” he stated. He does not believe that his players will falter under the pressure of high expectations. “We enjoy and require pressure — that’s a good thing. We must address this; it increases our motivation.”
Manchester United can overcome its trophy drought
Ten Hag is aware of what a trophy could accomplish for his burgeoning career. “It gives you confidence, and winning [championships] gives you confidence that you can do it. And in the difficult moments, you learn how to stay in the game, how to stay in to win games knowing that opportunities will present themselves, as well as what you must do to get there.
Trophy winning is also mental. Winning games is distinct from winning trophies. In these crucial occasions, it is necessary to know what to do. I believe it is a fine line where we are. We make great mental progress, but we still have a ways to go. It’s all about winning trophies, so we have a decent chance but must take each game individually.”
As a manager, Ten Hag won three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch cups with Ajax between 2018 and 22. “Winning a trophy is the nicest feeling a person can have, and I’ve had the good fortune to win a few in my career.
Manchester United won a title
It’s a wonderful experience, especially for the spectators. The fans here are knowledgeable, particularly the older ones. Too much time has passed since Manchester United won a title. We are aware of this fact and must resume our efforts.”
Forest’s wait has been even longer. Since 1990, when Nigel Jemson’s goal against Oldham secured the League Cup, a club that has won two European Cups has not tasted glory. The last time United visited the City Ground, in February 1999, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored four goals in an 8-1 victory, and they return to a place that is certain to be hostile.
Ten Hag says, “Playing in front of a passionate audience is enjoyable. It will be a positive environment that will motivate the players, so we must be prepared.”
After Sunday’s 3-2 loss at Arsenal, Ten Hag criticized his team’s defense. In general, he is pleased with a rearguard that has thwarted the opponent 13 times. “We performed well in several games: we kept several clean sheets,” he says. “We defended well against Manchester City [in the 2-1 victory]. In general, we defended well against Arsenal. Except a free-kick, they did not have any clean shots.
“Many defenders stood between the ball and the goal. All the aims could have been avoided, and that is my point: it cannot occur. When conceding three goals in a top game, it is impossible to win.
