Manchester United clinched their first trophy in almost six years on Sunday after defeating Newcastle United 2-0 in the League Cup final at Wembley.
We spoke to United's Dutch striker Wout Weghorst after the match.
If someone had said to you two months ago you'd be winning a trophy with Manchester United what would have said?
“Deal! Of course it’s great, just a great feeling. Of course, for me, [it's] not this long time that I'm here but I think for the club it's a long time ago we win the silverware. It's good to have it back at the place where it belongs, to me. It's an amazing club, it's a big club, you know, really happy we could win this one.”
First trophy win of your career, right?
“Yeah, you're right. In the Netherlands I played two cup finals, lost both of them. This was the third time. Of course that's something special and of course you put in all the hard work, hard effort to get really something in your head. So, yeah, also for me it's personal, and it's really nice to win a trophy.”
After the match you seemed to be taking it all in. Can you explain what went through your mind?
“No. Yeah, you're right. I just took a moment. I can do really tough or I can do really cool but, yeah, for me this is a childhood dream. A childhood dream to play for this amazing club, to play a final and also be important in in this final with the second goal. Yeah, just to give my all and then at the end if you win it you have to enjoy it also because, like, during this day, during the match you're only focused on one thing and that's winning it and that's performing. So, yeah, after which you have to take a minute otherwise everything is passing you by before you even notice and before you’ve enjoyed it. So, yeah, I took a moment there and that was the greatest moment of the evening.”
What’s this group of players like because we see a lot of passion on the pitch from serial winners like Casemiro, Varane, Martinez?
“Of course you are telling three names now. I think there are more. You see it, you see it in a group, you can feel it in a group. It's been living [in the group]. Of course the manager was the first one who was always putting the tension on it, saying ‘no, we're living to win’. There's a great feeling within the club, within the team, the lads together. I mean, to be honest, it’s something special to notice this. We win the first one now and still three to go so, yeah, hungry for more.”
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MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David de Gea - 7: In-form and stayed that way. Best first-half save from Saint-Maximin on 31. Big save from a Trippier cross (though he was offside). Judged a run out of his area perfectly to win a 79th-minute Saint-Maximin ball. Brilliant punch to an 85th-minute Trippier corner. . PA -
Diogo Dalot - 5: Booked after a 9th-minute tackle on Saint-Maximin, dangerous ball into the box on 15. Skinned by Saint-Maximin close to goal before he was brought off at half time. AFP -
Raphael Varane - 8: Nipped a third-minute ball away from Wilson but it’s not about the moments with the Frenchman, but the peerless control and calm he brings to the defence. Came to England to win trophies. He’s done that now. EPA -
Lisandro Martinez - 8: Prepared for Newcastle’s fast and furious start but needed attention after a clash of heads with Schar. Still continued to put his head where it could – and did – hurt. A brave performance and a fine understanding with Varane next to him. AP -
Luke Shaw - 7: Fantastic delivery for Casemiro to set up the opening goal. Attacked in the second and could have been more selfish with a 74th-minute break. Reuters -
Fred - 7: Got to a dangerous ball in his own area before Almiron. Booked after 36, but tireless until he was taken off after 69 against a side who started well, played well and remained a threat throughout. Reuters -
Casemiro - 8: MUFC’s most important player against a competent foe, he headed his side ahead after 35 minutes. Straight into the fans asking for more. Pulled back by Joelinton before the break, but vital in the second snuffing out the Geordie attacks. Booked late on. AFP -
Antony - 6: Weak shot on target on 16, then did well to win the ball back a minute later. Twisted and turned past opponents, which infuriated them at one point and led to Casemiro being fouled. He has some way to go, but he has his moments. Getty -
Bruno Fernandes - 7: Busy against Newcastle’s most dangerous player Guimaraes. Ten Hag admonished him at times. Broke on 78 with Rashford to his right, but defender Trippier ended the move. Did well to stop a corner coming in on 90 but a challenge saw cries for a penalty. Broke in time added on but couldn’t add a third. AFP -
Marcus Rashford - 7: A danger when he got the ball, with Newcastle either fouling him or being beaten by him. Struck the second, a crucial finish just before the break, which had a little help from Botman. Shot well saved by Karius on 73. Getty -
Wout Weghorst - 6; Ball to Rashford in an early counter, then held off four players to get the first shot on target on 12. Set up the second, a slide pass to Rashford. Fantastic movement before he unloaded a left-foot shot, which was well saved by Karius on 45. Getty -
SUBS: Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 9: On for Dalot at half-time. Wonderful tackle three minutes in to set up an attack. Created two chances at one end and cleared one at his own end within his first five minutes. Saint-Maximin was a threat in the first half. Much less in the second because of the South Londoner, who loves one-on-one defending. EPA -
Marcel Sabitzer - 8: On for Weghorst after 69 and won the ball back from a slide tackle in the middle before he set up Rashford. Shot over himself, then had a 77th minute shot blocked. Getty -
Scott McTominay -7: On for Fred after 69 as Ten Hag sought to protect his side’s lead. Headed a dangerous Trippier ball – aren’t they all? - away. Reuters -
Jadon Sancho - NA: On for Antony after 82, an illustration of the strength of depth on the MUFC bench. EPA -
Loris Karius - 5: There were so many eyes were on the goalkeeper ahead of his Newcastle debut, but Karius was given no chance by Casemiro and was unfortunate for the second goal. Made good saves to deny Weghorst, Rashford and Fernandes. PA -
Kieran Trippier - 6, Struggled against Rashford at times but was persistent. Also delivered a number of great crosses, including those to set up chances for Fabian Schar and Dan Burn. Did superbly to stop Fernandes’ pass to Rashford. AFP -
Fabian Schar - 4, Bravely won a header that went over the crossbar, but was eased out by Casemiro for the opener and did little to make things difficult for Weghorst in the build-up to the second. Put his team in trouble after getting tackled as he tried to run out from the back. Got booked after a coming together in the final moments. PA -
Sven Botman – 3, After already suffering from a couple of shaky moments, the Dutchman allowed Casemiro to get between him and Schar for the opener, then deflected Rashford’s shot past Karius for an own goal. Stupidly got himself booked for dissent and had some really sloppy moments towards the end. PA -
Dan Burn - 5, Was valiant in his defending against Antony but was toyed with at times in the first half, going on to make some big tackles in the second. Headed wide from a big opportunity and his long throws didn’t amount to much. Getty -
Bruno Guimaraes - 6, Slotted in seamlessly after seeing out a three-game suspension and showed his usual determination, but needlessly fouled Rashford to concede the free-kick that Casemiro scored the opener from. Getty -
Sean Longstaff - 6, Competed well and played a great pass across the face of goal that nobody got on the end of. PA -
Joelinton - 7, Put in a determined display but was too slow on the ball at times. Booked after smashing the ball at Antony and pulling down Casemiro out of frustration at the end of the first half. Unlucky to see two shots in quick succession blocked and an inventive header saved. PA -
Miguel Almiron - 6, Made some great bursts forward but couldn’t find the pass in a promising situation and hit a wild shot from another. Saw his shot blocked after a determined run and had a quiet second half. AFP -
Callum Wilson - 4, Was let down by a poor touch early on and his header towards goal was an unconvincing one. Saw a shot blocked after showing good awareness from a quick free-kick. AFP -
Allan Saint-Maximin - 6, Had bright moments and got Dalot booked inside the opening 10 minutes, then saw a strong shot blocked after showing quick feet in the box. Didn’t get anywhere near as much joy against Wan-Bissaka. AFP -
SUBS: Alexander Isak (Longstaff, HT) - 6, Made a determined burst forward with his first couple of contributions but faded out of the game as it went on. AFP -
Jacob Murphy (Saint-Maximin, 78’) – N/R, Won a corner moments after coming on and did brilliantly to prevent two breaks forward from the Red Devils, stopping Fernandes’ pass to Rashford and halting Antony. Sent a couple of ambitious strikes off target. PA -
Joe Willock (Guimaraes, 79’) – N/R, Showed some nice moments of quality but nothing that truly troubled United’s backline. Reuters -
Matt Ritchie (Wilson, 91’) – N/R, Showed a willingness to fight for the ball despite the game being out of reach. PA -
Elliot Anderson (Almiron, 91’) – N/R, Got involved in some pushing and shoving in the final moments. AFP
A lot of players say that when you win that first one as a group it almost becomes like an addiction that you want it again …
“Like I said, hungry for more definitely [laughter as Jadon Sancho walks out with ghetto blaster blaring behind him]. It’s three left now. First one is in and first we have to stand still by this and enjoy it. But afterwards of course, three to go. We have everything in our own hands so let’s go.”
What did the manager tell you when he came on the pitch after final whistle?
“After the whistle? I don't know, to be honest, it could be ... I don't know. I can't remember it. I was already in the moment, to be honest, so I don't know exactly what he said.”
What did you say when Karius tipped your shot over late in the first half?
“Yeah, again a little bit unlucky with this, with the goals. It was a great save. A good counter from our side and I came over to the right and I just cut it in with the left and I thought ‘OK, let's go’. I have to be honest, I had this feeling directly of ‘ooooooo, it’s close’. Yeah, of course that will make it even more special but, OK, I scored a lot of goals in the past and I never win one trophy. If I right now turn it around and do it the other way with less goals and trophies, I’d directly take it.”
Olivier Giroud style …
“Yes.”
What’s your manager like to play for? Why is he successful?
“Like I said, he has been living to win, the intention of this every day. He’s living for it. You can feel it – really detailed how the way we he works, the way we work every day, every match. A lot of attention on where our opportunities ... so he’s, first of all, a great manager with a lot of quality, definitely connects the two things together. It's a great combination.”
What were manager’s instructions to you for this match?
“Of course there were a few instructions. It depends a little bit on the game, so today also to stretch the game, to try to create a little bit. Also times at to drop [deep] so there could be space in the back of the defence because we know with our pace we could be dangerous there. There was backward pressing, pressing on the [number] six, try to get to the ball recoveries because they like to switch the play, to play quick. I think especially in the first half if worked good. I think I had like four or five ball recoveries out of the back of the six, so that was that was good and, yeah, just be important for the team.”
