Manchester United look to end six year trophy drought with League Cup Final win
Manchester United will have the opportunity to end their six year trophy draught at this weekend's League Cup final.
Momentum is with the Red Devils, after they dispatched European giants Barcelona in Thursday night's Europa League tie.
Erik Ten Hag's side remain the only team in Europe still competing on all four fronts.
However, star striker Marcus Rashford is now a doubt for Sunday's Wembley showpiece against Newcastle, after picking up an injury late on in his club's win over Barcelona.
Speaking at his prematch press conference on Friday, Ten Hag said he didn't yet know the extent of his top goal scorer's problem.
"Asked if the forward, who has scored 16 goals in 18 matches since the World Cup, will be available to face Newcastle at Wembley, United manager Ten Hag said: "I don't know.
"So, players now are coming in. We have to do investigations, medical of course.
"Yesterday we did but straight after the game most of the time you can't say.
"We have to wait for a 100 per cent diagnosis, so we have to wait."
It's a trophy United are familiar with. They've won it five times, with Jose Mourinho picking up the last one in the 2016/2017 season.
Former United forward Mark Hughes won the trophy in 1992. The Welshman, who's now in charge at Bradford City says it could be a huge occasion for United.
"It's unbelievable. Certainly in my time there was an expectation that you won a trophy every year, sometimes multiple trophies."
"For Ten Hag and United, winning a trophy and getting back to that situation where you expect to win, not hope to win, it's hugely significant for them."
Former United Goalkeeper and midfielder Alex Stepney and Paddy Crerand are also backing their former club to use Sunday's final as springboard for even more success.
Speaking at an event to mark the Munich Air Disaster at the Railway Club in Stretford, the pair said it will be the start of something special.
United head to Wembley buoyed by Thursday's impressive 2-1 comeback victory against Barcelona, seeing them through a tough Europa League knockout play-off tie 4-3 winners on aggregate.
Now comes the chance for Ten Hag to win a trophy in his first season at the helm like Jose Mourinho did in 2017, when Europa League glory followed a League Cup triumph in the February.
"It's a great opportunity to get the silverware in," Ten Hag said of Sunday.
"It's all about that glory and honour in football and we deserve to play the final and we have a great opportunity to win the cup and we have to do everything to get that cup to Manchester. You feel it.
"The fans are really waiting for it and so we do everything we can to give the fans their honour."
More than 30,000 United fans are expected to travel to the capital.
Earlier this week, LNER advised Newcastle fans that alcohol would not be permitted to be taken on board on trains back to the North East.
However, Avanti West Coast have made no such announcement.