Jan

Does Manchester United’s season lie with the League Cup?

Stakes are high for Manchester derbies!

If you asked any Manchester United fan at that the start of the season if they would be content with a solitary League Cup as their only honour of the season, every single one would simply laugh in your face.

But if you ask them now, would the answer be the same?

It’s a strange time for the modern United fan. Playing second fiddle to Chelsea in the league, out of the FA Cup (first time to lower league opposition under Sir Alex) and competing in the strongest Champions League in recent times; the League Cup looks a much more appealing prospect now.

Even winning the League Cup isn’t that simple. United face the blue half of Manchester, Manchester City, who are resurgent with a new lease of life under newly appointed boss Roberto Mancini. After losing to bitter rivals Leeds, Ferguson looks set to play a weakened team after losing patience with big stars such as Dimitar Berbatov and Gary Neville.

After winning the past three consecutive Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008, you have to wonder where it went all wrong for United?

The sale of Cristiano Ronaldo last year is obviously a huge factor in United’s decline, but their persistence in not buying an able replacement has hurt them more than expected.

Ronaldo’s ability to control games and win them with single moments of brilliance often dug United out of big holes, and was the main reason for their superiority over the past two years. Now, United must rely on the likes of Antonio Valencia and youngster Gabriel Obertan to come up in the big moments and shine.

It’s a sign of decline for United’s fans as their club are now drastically cost-cutting.

Replacing Ronaldo with a Wigan winger and Carlos Tevez with an ageing Michael Owen is just a sign of things to come, as several of United’s squad are not getting any younger. The worrying thing about this is that United are still relying on Giggs and Scholes to get them out of tricky situations.

With a weaker squad than past seasons and relying solely now on Wayne Rooney for inspiration, you have to think what is next for United if they don’t overcome City in their upcoming semi-final, or, even worse, injury to Mr Coleen Rooney…

United fans, are you starting to get nervous?

This article was written by guest columnist Dan Gillespie – stay tuned for more from Dan in the forthcoming days and weeks – a welcome addition to the WeKnowFA team.