Can Manchester Unitsd Win The Treble?

In 1977, Liverpool looked set to win an unprecedented Treble. The league title, the European Cup and FA Cup had never been won in a single season by an English team before and, having already been crowed champions, Bob Paisley’s side were favourites to become the first.

The second phase of their treble quest took place at Wembley where they faced Manchester United, who had just finished sixth in the table, 10 points behind their hated rivals.

Close to 100,000 fans turned out to watch the game, with half of them hoping they were about to witness a piece of English football history, but the result did not go Liverpool’s way. United won 2-1 and Liverpool had to settle for a double instead.

Another 22 years went by before an English club once again challenged for their page in the history books. United won the Premier League, the FA Cup (having knocked Liverpool out in the fourth round with two goals in the last two minutes to win 2-1) and then travelled to the Camp Nou for the Champions League final.

Of course, we all know what happened, with substitutes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scoring two goals in injury time, and the Treble belonged to United. Football, bloody hell.

Two years later, Liverpool claimed a treble of their own. Theirs didn’t include the league title or the European Cup though. They finished third in the league, 10 points behind champions United, and hadn’t qualified for Europe’s elite competition the season before. Their treble included the League Cup and the UEFA Cup, as it was then known.

United fans found it hilarious, making banners to mock the trophies that Liverpool had won, knowing they were inferior to those that their players regularly paraded around Old Trafford. “Not arrogant, just better” read the banner United fans used to proudly display. There’s no denying that United were better, but it’s hard to argue that the fun poked at Liverpool that year was anything but arrogance.

For United supporters to turn their nose up at trophies, any trophies, was a clear indication of how spoilt they had become.

Over 15 years have gone by since then though and the situations of both clubs are remarkably different. For starters, Liverpool haven’t won a trophy since the League Cup five years ago, while United haven’t challenged for the title since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

The biggest change has arguably been how far the bar has been lowered by United fans when considering what would make a successful season though. The Treble they mocked Liverpool for winning would be United’s best-case scenario for this campaign. United are 12 points behind league leaders Chelsea and didn’t even qualify for the Champions League. If they were to win three trophies by the end of May the fans would be delighted.

While the poor man’s Treble isn’t necessarily a likely objective for United this season, it is still a possibility. They play in the League Cup final in less than two weeks’ time, they are in the fifth round of the FA Cup, and fifth-placed Ligue 1 side St Etienne are their opponents in the Europa League’s round of 32.

At one point, it looked as though United’s qualification for next season’s Champions League could only be granted by winning the Europa League this season, although now they find themselves just four points behind second-placed Manchester City. The top four is definitely still on the cards, but the fan base is split on how important this is.

Having had a brilliant day out at Wembley nine months ago to see their team win the FA Cup, and having the League Cup final against Southampton to look forward to, they certainly have got a taste for silverware.

United have never won the Europa League before. The anticipation over a new trophy, as well as victory in this competition meaning automatic qualification for the Champions League, means there are some supporters who are keen to see their players lift the trophy. If they don’t, it certainly won’t be the end of the world, but now the group stages are out of the way, it is a competition some fans have started to take more seriously.

Having been mocked for being stuck in sixth since November, despite enjoying the longest unbeaten run of any team in Europe’s top leagues, many fans would be happy to trade a lowly league position for another victorious cup final. The fact that it would get under the skin of rival fans only adds to the appeal.

However, the other side of the camp wants United to finish as high as they possibly can. Second place isn’t out of reach and that would certainly be a great position to start next season’s campaign from, with many fans expecting a title challenge as the minimum from Jose Mourinho’s second season.

Some would even prefer a fourth-placed finish and no European final as their ticket back into the Champions League. Maybe we can blame Arsene Wenger and Arsenal for creating some prestige about finishing fourth in the league.

Essentially, though, United fans are desperate enough to take any sort of success at this stage. A trophy or two and entry to next season’s Champions League would be considered a good season.

If their stance is still the same next season, then we can acknowledge that Mourinho has failed. United have to be winning the league or at least coming close next season. But for now, he will want to guide United to as many finals as possible, winning as many trophies as he can in his debut season, and the fans certainly won’t be complaining if they win the “fake Treble.”