Manchester United And The Quintuple
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An unfamiliar word has crept into football conversations and on to some back pages in the past couple of weeks. The word is ‘quintuple’ and it’s being used in connection with Manchester United.
Sir Alex Ferguson would probably go apoplectic if he heard anyone using it around Old Trafford but there’s no getting away from the fact that United are still on course to win five trophies this season.
They have one in the bag- the World Club Championship- and are in the Final of the Carling Cup. United top the Premiership, are in the last 16 of the Champions League and play in the FA Cup Fifth Round this weekend.
Obviously there is much left to do but this United squad has so much depth that the possibility can’t be discounted. Add to their strength the fact that teams like Arsenal and Chelsea are declining and the impossible could be on.
Sir Alex’s 1999 vintage won the ‘Treble’- League, FA Cup and Champions League but missed out on the Carling Cup. Liverpool also delivered a treble in 1984 but they pocketed the Carling (Milk Cup as it was then) instead of the FA Cup.
Celtic actually went one better in their stunning 1967 triumph when they won all three domestic trophies in Scotland, plus the European Cup. Five prizes though, is unprecedented in a major European league.
In United’s favour is the way they have weathered the absence of key men without missing a beat. Recent games have seen them keep a string of clean sheets without half their first choice back four.
Wayne Rooney has been out with a hamstring problem, Christiano Ronaldo began the campaign recovering from injury and Owen Hargreaves has hardly played but their momentum has actually gathered pace. It’s a frightening prospect for the opposition.
The odds have to be that they can overcome misfiring Spurs in the Carling Final and the Premiership title seems to be theirs to lose. The toughest challenge will be the Champions League where they have drawn Serie A leaders Inter Milan, led by Jose Mourinho. Before that encounter they have the FA Cup to negotiate.
Derby County have the task of trying to halt the Red steamroller on Sunday, something they tried so hard to do in the Carling Cup semi-finals. The Rams won their home leg 1-0 and could have won by more, so they will be hoping for a repeat.
United sent out a strong side for the first match at Pride Park but not quite their finest. This time they can be expected to take few chances against a team that has been on the up recently and has nothing to lose.
Victory over Derby will add more fuel to the ‘quintuple’ story, which will grow and grow with each victory. It would go into overdrive if a United success in the Carling Cup Final on March 1st followed a good result in their first leg with Inter Milan on 24th February.
UPDATED 4th March 09:
It’s 2 down 3 to go in Manchester United’s quest for an unprecedented quintuple after they beat Tottenham Hotspur in a tense League Cup final. With neither team able to break the deadlock in normal time the game went to extra-time and then the dreaded penalty shoot-out.
You would have been a brave man to bet against Man Utd after their penalty shoot-out successes in last year’s Champions League final, and so it proved as the United players coolly converted all of their penalties and Ben Foster saved Jamie O’Hara’s penalty and David Bentley scuffed his shot wide.
With the World Club Championship and League Cup safely in the Old Trafford trophy cabinet attention now turns to the monumental task of winning the FA Cup, Premier League and Champion’s League. Next up is a tricky away tie to Fulham in the FA Cup and then what could be the biggest hurdle to quintuple glory, the return fixture against Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan a week today. Now the league is almost wrapped-up, Sir Alex Ferguson’s team can take a giant leap towards quintuple history if they progress through the two cup competitions.
The pinnacle of United’s heroic season (all things being well!) is scheduled in the Champion’s League final on the 27th May. You can keep up-to-date with the highs and lows of their quest for footballing immortality on the PartyBets blog throughout the coming months.
You can bet on Manchester United doing the Quintuple here
If you enjoyed this post then try these:
- Manchester United Quintuple Update
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- Manchester United are victorious but fail to kill off Arsenal
- Manchester United and Leicester Tigers Finish Things Off
