Manchester United’s six-year drought without a title finally came to an end on Sunday following their 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the final of the Carabao Cup.
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ #CarabaoCup winners: Manchester United 🏆🤩 pic.twitter.com/7EbRHBihqe
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 26, 2023
The fully-packed Wembley Stadium in London played hosts to two of England’s most prestigious clubs with both of the verge of breaking a lengthy jinx – the Red Devils were without a title since 2017, while the Magpies last won a major trophy in 1954-55 season.
Two first-half goals from Casemiro and an own goal from Dutch defender Sven Botman sealed victory for the Red Devils.
Newcastle came into the game without a victory in their last three matches—two draws and a defeat — but they looked defiant early on as French winger Allan Saint-Maximin caused problems for the United defense, resulting in an early yellow card for Portuguese right back Diogo Dalot.
However, Erik Ten Hag’s men rode the storm and began to hit back, and their pressure paid off. To the surprise of the raucous Magpies fans who had traveled in large numbers to the capital city, they finally got the breakthrough from former Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, who has been a shining light for United since his acquisition last summer.
The Brazilian headed home a free kick from left back Luke Shaw in the 33rd minute. Although there were doubts about the validity of the goal, VAR confirmed Casemiro was onside and referee David Coote pointed to the center circle.
Six minutes later, the Red Devil’s lead was doubled through an unfortunate own goal from Botman. Marcus Rashford’s strike struck the towering defender on its way to the goalpost before beating stand-in goalkeeper Loris Karius, who was playing in his first game since February 2021.
4 – Sven Botman is just the fourth player to score an own goal in a League Cup final after Roger Kenyon (1977), Gordon Chisholm (1985) and Steven Gerrard (2005). Unfortunate. #CarabaoCupFinal pic.twitter.com/MJxrGOreGb
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 26, 2023
The former Lille defender became the fourth player to score an own goal in a League Cup final after Roger Kenyon (1977), Gordon Chisholm (1985) and Steven Gerrard (2005).
Eddie Howe made changes in the second half, bringing on Alexander Isak for Sean Longstaff while Aaron Wan Bissaka replaced Dalot, who had been cautioned earlier. The changes helped Newcastle, as they played better, but they were unable to create clear-cut chances, forcing only two saves from David De Gea, as he became the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets (181) in United’s history, beating Peter Schmeichel (180).
⭐️ In a league of his own ⭐️@D_DeGea has now kept the most clean sheets in United history 🤯⛔️#MUFC pic.twitter.com/i1bYPwNQEK
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 26, 2023
The victory propelled Manchester United to their first major trophy since the 2017 UEFA Europa League. It also ends their longest wait for a major trophy since 1983, when they waited for six years and five days to win the FA Cup in the 1982-83 season. However, for Newcastle, it was their ninth loss at Wembley, a streak that began in the 1974 FA Cup final.
5 – @ManUtd have won their first major trophy since the 2017 UEFA Europa League, five years and 278 days ago. This ends their longest wait for a major trophy since 1983, when they won the FA Cup six years and five days after their previous honour, the 1977 FA Cup. Awaited. pic.twitter.com/bgaykUhwJq
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 26, 2023
