Wembley war as Man Utd face Southampton
What you need to know:
- SOCCER. The Red Devils and Saints lock horns in the English Football League Cup final at Wembley tomorrow with Jose Mourinho looking to win his first title at Man Utd, a scenario he shares with Claude Puel, who has just taken over the reins at St Mary’s.
Jose Mourinho has always given an extra importance to the League Cup as he sees the competition as a stepping stone for bigger success. He has won this competition (overall three times) in both his spells at Chelsea which shows that the Portuguese indeed takes the tournament seriously.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that he is looking to emulate the same feat in his first season at Manchester United as well. A lot of surgery is still required to take the club to its old glory, but winning a trophy certainly isn’t a bad way to start the rebuilding process.
Although anything can happen in the course of 90 minutes, United are still favourites for tomorrow’s EFL Cup final. After a stuttering start to the season, Mourinho’s team has turned the tide around, playing not only an attractive brand of football but also picking up important results. United’s EFL Cup journey has been equally impressive, as they defeated the likes of Man City and West Ham on their road to the final. The only blemish in an otherwise perfect campaign has been their second leg 2-1 defeat to Hull City.
Fight to remember
Southampton, 11th in the Premier League, will be looking to stand toe-to-toe against United and give them a fight to remember.
It is a huge occasion for them, and from past experience we know that mid-table clubs can often raise their game to a different level when they face a top level side. The Saints have done all the hard work to reach this stage, and Claude Puel will be looking to create history with his team.
They have beaten the likes of Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Arsenal, and Liverpool on their way to the final, and Puel can take great pride in his achievement so far.
The only chink in the armour is that they have been very inconsistent this season. They have lost three matches in a row, following their heroic victory against Liverpool. However, it is a brand new game, and they are heading into this tie with extra motivation.
