Devils and the Details

New signings and old starts strive to get a spot in Champions League

By: Liam Patel

The Reds took the field against their opponents Newcastle at Wembley Stadium. The game kicked off and Newcastle started off strong with many attacking chances but the defense handled the threats very well. They got an attacking chance in the 33rd minute with Antony, United’s Brazilian winger, sprinting down the right side with the ball. He played a beautiful ball into the box which Casemiro, United’s newest center defensive midfielder, had struck perfectly, rippling the back of the net putting United ahead 1-0. The game had restarted with Newcastle in possession of the ball. They had a chance to level the game in the last 10 minutes before the half but sailed it over the goal. United’s goalkeeper, David De Gea, played a beautiful ball to Bruno Fernandes, a United center midfielder. Fernandes took all the open space to dribble down the field and eventually spotted Marcus Rashford, United’s star left winger, running into the box. Fernandes played the ball right to his feet and Rashford curled it into the top right corner for a goal in the 39th minute of the game. Wembley was on fire after he had scored as the fans started cheering and dancing in the stands. After the wonderful goal from Rashford, there wasn’t a goal from either side which resulted in Manchester United winning the Carabao Cup.

This is just one of Manchester United’s six Carabao Cup wins, but this trophy is especially special because this is the first trophy for United under management of Erik Ten Hag. Ten Hag joined in April 2022 and we won the Cup in February 2023. With him, the season has definitely gone better than our past seasons because of the multiple new signings United had this season and last season. Mike Pearson, co-founder of MUFC Chicago Fan Club, explains how a top four placement would be huge for Erik Ten Hag’s first year at Manchester United.

"Everybody now kind of assumes that we have to get top four but we need to put it into context that that would be huge for Ten Hag’s first season and this team as well to get back into Champions League football."

One of the superb signings they’ve had this year is

Manager of One say that he has been the most impactful signing United has had in a while.

Pearson compares Casemiro to John Carrick, one of United’s greatest center midfielders.

"I think Casemiro is probably the standout one. I think he’s brought structure to the team. I think specifically for that position, it’s something we’ve lacked since Carrick retired, at least at that level of control and knowing where to be defensively to help the back four out."

Devin Walker expresses how United has needed a better center defensive midfielder for a long time and how Casemiro could solve that problem.

"We were really lacking in the defensive midfielder position, but we just took care of that with a signing this year, and he’s been probably the best defensive midfielder in the league potentially in the world. His name is Casemiro."

Casemiro has had a great season so far with 2 goals and 3 assists in only 19 league appearances. Despite his assists and goals, he is known to be a very aggressive player on the ball and has great passing. Although he has great skills, he is becoming old and has played since 2011, so his retirement is sure to come in the near future. Pearson offers a potential solution to the situation.

"We need a young Casemiro replacement who can learn from Casemiro. We need a good box to box player to play next to him, somebody who’s good in the first phase of getting the ball off the back four, turning and driving up the pitch."

Pearson also gives an idea of which players could be great future signings that could fit the role perfectly.

"In terms of who, there’s probably a couple that I would love us to go and get. I would love Declan Rice. I don’t think we’re gonna get him. I think he’ll stay in London somewhere, but I do think he’s a great player and then I like Agarte from Sporting Lisbon. I think when you watched him against Arsenal, he ran all over their midfield. Created, he’s got a snap and an aggression about him that we miss. So I think one of those two would be a dream for, you know, two players who’ve been kind of recognized across the top leagues this year."

Pearson says that with their current popularity in the football world and their young age they will be in the league for a while.

Another great signing for United is Lisandro Martinez, an Argentinain center back, who joined United this season from Ajax, a team in the dutch league. Mike Pearson for the Chicago Fan Club believes Martinez is a defensive masterclass.

"I think he’s given us a level of aggression that the team needed. He’s on the front foot all the time. He can pass a lot better than most of the center backs that I’ve seen us have over the last probably decade out from the back. He’s very composed on the ball and I think the pair [between Lisandro and Casemiro] have brought a winning mentality that’s been missing from that dressing room for quite a while."

Wout Weghorst, a Dutch striker, is one of United’s new signings that United have on loan from a team called Burnley, an English Championship League Team. Pearson shares his opinion about Weghorst.

"If we hadn’t signed him in January then we wouldn’t have had a front three that we could have relied on every week. At least he’s been fit, he presses, he doesn’t cause any problems in the dressing room. He feels grateful to be there."

Weghorst has produced 2 goals and 4 assists for United which shows United his true talent but they run into the same problem they are facing with Casemiro, his age. Pearson also comments about this.

"I think moving forward, I’m not someone I’d wanna rely on at his age every week."

With Weghorst being 30 years old at the moment, he will, like Casemiro, be eying retirement soon. Walker gives his input of who could be reliable replacements for the near future.

"There’s two names that I have in mind that are at the top of my list. So the first one will be Harry Kane from Tottenham and the second one is a

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen. Harry Kane is primarily proven obviously because he has not signed a new contract with Tottenham yet and Victor Osimhen is probably now getting into his peak years of his career. I’ve seen him in the Champions League and he has been playing very well."

Martinez, Casemiro, and Weghorst were definitely the main three signings but there were others decent signings as well.

Tyrell Malacia is United’s backup left back from the Netherlands. He recently just got more playing time due to United’s primary left back Luke Shaw leaving the game against Brentford on April 5, 2023. Pearson shares his opinion on

Malacia’s performance.

"I think Malacia was a smart sign. I think we needed cover for Luke Shaw. I think he showed today, he came in, Shaw went off injured early and Malacia came in and was good for the most part. I mean, he does not have the attack and experience and capabilities of Luke Shaw but he is aggressive in the tackle." The Dutch left back had 17 appearances for United. Despite all of them being goalless and with no assists, he did however have 5 clean sheets out of his 17 appearances which is great considering he’s the backup.

Christian Eriksen is Manchester United’s Danish center midfielder who just recently joined this season. Although he is slowly reaching the end of his career, he has made a significant impact on United. Pearson goes more into detail about his performance at the club so far.

"He may not be the best defensively. We keep the ball a lot more when he’s playing and create a lot more chances. I think even in today’s game, we struggled to carve Brentford open with real chances. And, if Eriksen plays, I think we have a lot more balance in the midfield and somebody who’s getting a head up to play forward. Although Eriksen hasn’t been our most impactful center midfielder (Casemiro being the best), he has definitely moved the ball and created chances well. He’s had 20 appearances for United with one of them having a goal scored and two assisting his fellow Red Devils."

Antony is Manchester United’s Brazilian left winger who joined early on this season. Pearson describes his performance over the course of the season.

"I think, you know, he’s produced big moments. The goal away at Fulham to win us the three points was huge. Those three points could be key at the end of the season. The assist against City for Rashford was huge. He’s an exciting talent. Who, if he keeps his feet on the ground, could be really important for us in the next few years. He’s definitely got something, a directness that the other wingers don’t have."

Antony has had 17 appearances 3 goals and 2 assists. He creates a lot of key plays on the left side produced by a lot of passes from the left back next year? Pearson shares his prediction. to the left wing. That link up between the two positions has produced 1 of Antony’s assists and 2 of Antony’s goals. Although the new signings have been big to United’s success, will their impact be enough to put them in contention for a guaranteed spot in Champions League

"I think in terms of the league, if we can get top four, I think it would be a huge success. I think if you look back, it’s easy to forget at the start of the season, Chelsea were to have a great season, Liverpool had got to the Champions League last season and just missed out on the league. They were to have a great season and top four seemed like a real achievement when we talked about it at the start of the season."

Chelsea and Liverpool, two world class teams, have moved down the ranks a lot which means that United could use that to their advantage and boost the likelihood of making the top four.

Although new signings help bolster the team, Manchester United can also boost talent through their home grown players.

Ali

Manchester United, shares his amazing story on how Manchester United accepted licenses, they paid for everything that I might need, and they invested in me and me coming from a background of a single mom didn’t have a lot of money and I was very, I was in a very lucky situation that the club decided to do this for me." him into the club.

"I got into the club and it took an interest to me, first of all as a player and I was a goalkeeper and they thought if everything goes well, we’ll continue to] invest in you so I ended up going into development centers and getting looked at and then eventually getting a chance to train with the academy and I was very fortunate that I was around some very talented players."

As he did get noticed by the club as a player, he also got noticed as a potential assistant coach in the future years. Hanif shares his story about the transition from player to coach.

"I was in a very unique situation where the club decided we’re gonna invest in this person, so they’ve got me into coaching and they’ve got me, they paid for my coaching

During his coaching years at Manchester United, Hanif also managed a project done by the club to help the youth community in the Manchester area. Hanif explains this project more in detail. "The whole goal of this project was that they can do something that is more positive based around soccer. This project was called the Kicks Project."

Although this is done at every club, it is very vital in the Manchester area due to their being the largest population of soccer fans in England compared to any other soccer team in the league.

Hanif sums up his overall experience of his coaching experience at United and his experience out of the country.

"I’m 30 right now, so I’ve been coaching since I was 15 years old. It all started from a tiny soccer field in Old Trafford that right now is, you know, so many kids I’ve got to play on and then I, you know, 15 years later, I’ve ended up in America and living in California. I’m married and you know, my wife now is three years we’ve been together and two dogs and, and yeah, just a different, very different life to what I thought it might look like."

All and all, Manchester United has a lot of great talent in our old stars and our new signings as well but we can’t forget the amount of talent and importance in our current and past coaches who have left a great impact on the club.