'Manchester United Need To Win A Trophy Every Season'

Manchester United supporters will be expecting a club of their stature to win a trophy sooner rather than later, says ESPN's Senior Writer, Mark Ogden, ahead of Sunday's Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final at Leicester City.

2021-03-21T08:43:00.000Z

Manchester United supporters will be expecting a club of their stature to win a trophy sooner rather than later, says ESPN's Senior Writer, Mark Ogden, ahead of Sunday's Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final at Leicester City.

2021-03-21T08:43:00.000Z

'Manchester United Need To Win A Trophy Every Season'

Manchester United supporters will be expecting a club of their stature to win a trophy sooner rather than later, says ESPN's Senior Writer, Mark Ogden, ahead of Sunday's Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final at Leicester City.

2021-03-21T08:43:00.000Z

'Manchester United Need To Win A Trophy Every Season'

Manchester United supporters will be expecting a club of their stature to win a trophy sooner rather than later, says ESPN's Senior Writer, Mark Ogden, ahead of Sunday's Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final at Leicester City.

2021-03-21T08:43:00.000Z

'Manchester United Need To Win A Trophy Every Season'

Manchester United supporters will be expecting a club of their stature to win a trophy sooner rather than later, says ESPN's Senior Writer, Mark Ogden, ahead of Sunday's Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final at Leicester City.

2021-03-21T08:43:00.000Z

- ESPN Senior Writer Mark Ogden provides a dedicated preview of Manchester United- The Red Devils visit King Power Stadium in the quarter-finals of the Emirates FA Cup on Sunday- Ogden believes Ole Gunnar Solskjær's side will always be under pressure to win trophies- United have not lifted a major piece of silverware in just under four years

United's last major honour came in the UEFA Europa League under the management of José Mourinho in 2017 and, while Ole Gunnar Solskjær has improved their performances in the Premier League, the Norwegian is yet to lift a piece of silverware with the Old Trafford outfit.

The FA Cup, though, represents an opportunity for the 20-time champions of England to end a four-year trophy-less spell, but they must first overcome a Leicester side who are determined to seal the Club's first-ever triumph in the competition.

Ahead of Sunday's encounter at King Power Stadium, Ogden spoke to LCFC TV presenter Dan Bates to preview the last-eight tie and provide his thoughts on the Red Devils' 2020/21 campaign to date.

"They’re both doing well in the league," he said earlier this week. "I don’t think either is going to win the league. Leicester haven’t won anything since the Premier League in 2016 and United have won nothing for four years and lifted only three trophies since Sir Alex Ferguson’s time.

"They’re both almost established top four clubs now and they’ll both want to play in the Champions League next season, but if you finish second or third and you don’t win a trophy, I do think the season can lack a little bit of stardust.

"Both clubs will want to win this game and get into the semi-final, so it’s a very big game. Ole Gunnar Solskjær was speaking earlier this week about how trophies don’t matter too much, but Manchester United are a club that is built on winning trophies.

"Every season, Manchester United need to win a trophy. They have to win something. I think Solskjær’s point was that if you’re in the FA Cup or the Europa League, it doesn’t show that you’re making progress as a club. We’ve seen Arsenal win trophies and not make progress in the league.

"It’s all about winning trophies. If you’re Manchester United and you’re not winning trophies and Manchester City and Liverpool are, as they have been, it’s even worse.

"Of course, they need to win a trophy. Four years without one is a really long time for Manchester United. You have to win that first one and then they will hope they can built it into something bigger, like the Champions League or the Premier League.

"They’re quite a long way from that now, so you’ve got to take what you can and the FA Cup is a great opportunity to win something."

While United were in Italy on Thursday evening for a Europa League tie against AC Milan, which ended in a 1-0 success, City have benefited from a full week of preparations at the Club's new state-of-the-art training facility in Seagrave, north Leicestershire.

Ogden says that is sure to have been a boost for the Foxes, although he feels United will nonetheless arrive in Leicester on Sunday equipped to provide a stern challenge to City's FA Cup ambitions.

"It’ll certainly help Leicester and Brendan Rodgers," he added. "It’s given them the chance to have a free week to train, to get players fit, to rest them up.

"No players have had much of a rest this season, so if you can have a lighter week in training, I think they should be flying on Sunday. It should work in Leicester’s favour.

"We saw it last season that Leicester ran out of steam and it cost them a place in the top four. Being out of the Europa League might be the thing that helps them qualify for the Champions League. In the long run, it could be a good thing for Leicester.

"Coming into this game, I think Manchester United have plenty of time to recover, it’s 72 hours between kick-offs, but of course, they’ve flown to Italy and have had to play an extra game. Leicester haven’t had that and it’s a home tie for Leicester as well.

"For me, fitness and freshness-wise, it all points to Leicester having an advantage."

While Solskjær secured a third-placed finish in the Premier League last season, their highest since Mourinho reached second in 2017/18, Ogden says there is some debate among United supporters about the progress which is being made in Manchester.

"There’s a real split between the fans," he explained. "I wouldn’t say they’re challenging again, but they’re in the top four again, but there’s also a frustration that where they’re at in the table actually masks where they’re at as a club.

"There are a lot of holes that need filling in that team right now. There’s a lot of positions that don’t quite look like they’re settled and they're a long way from where Manchester United used to be. Fans are frustrated that there’s no real sense of where this team is going to end up.

"They’ve got some good results this season, they’re second in the league, but when it comes to playing against the big sides – apart from Manchester City recently – they’ve got a terrible record this season. It’s progress, but it’s very slow progress.

"United fans now want to see a bit more progress in terms of beating the big teams, challenging for the top trophies, but the progress is so slow that I think there are fans that are beginning to think we could do with a better coach, better system, better tactics.

"But you can’t change Solskjær now because he has made them better, albeit slowly."

In the Premier League this term, Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes has provided 16 goals and 10 assists – and Ogden says United would be a different side entirely without the former Sporting Lisbon man.

Defensively, meanwhile, there are signs of improvement for the Red Devils, with Luke Shaw performing admirably at left-back and goalkeeper Dean Henderson breaking into contention for the first team.

"If you take Bruno Fernandes out of this team, it would have been a very bleak last 12 months for Manchester United," Ogden continued. "He creates goals, he scores goals, he gives the team energy and desire, he’s got a winning mentality.

"Fernandes would have easily slotted into a Sir Alex Ferguson team. Manchester United need more players like Bruno Fernandes, that’s the thing.

"He’s been a massive boost for Manchester United. He’d be the first player at Old Trafford to say ‘we need to win a trophy’ and he’ll be looking at the FA Cup as the best chance to do that.

"Luke Shaw’s had a great season. I think signing Alex Telles has given him the competition he needed, but Harry Maguire’s had a decent season as well. I do think he lacks a commanding partner. I don’t think Victor Lindelöf or Eric Bailly are the answer.

"Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s had a mixed season, he’s good defensively but very poor going forward, and so there are areas to improve there, but they have tightened up at the back and I think Dean Henderson being given a chance in the first team has helped that.

"He’s given the back four a bit more communication than David De Gea, who’s had a few costly mistakes this season, so defensively, they are looking a lot sharper and tighter, but there is still room for improvement there."

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