#Manchester United has climbed to within two points of the top four in the English Premier League. After a rough campaign in November and December, the team seems to have finally found their rhythm under Jose Mourinho with Zlatan Ibrahimovic racking up an impressive 24 goals in 36 appearances – an impressive statistic for a 35 year old.
Manchester United is seeking a repeat of Liverpool’s treble winning side of the 2000/2001 season where under Gerrard Houllier won the English FA Cup, English Carling Cup now English Football League Cup and the UEFA Cup reorganized as Uefa Europa League.
The team has managed a place in the final of the English League Cup and holds a three-goal advantage heading into Wednesday’s return leg against AS Saint Etienne. On Wednesday, the quarter final draw of the English FA Cup lined Manchester United up against Antonio Conte and Chelsea – leaders of the Premier League.
Antonio Conte is relishing a chance to replicate what compatriot Carlo Ancelotti achieved in the 2009/2010 season with the club by winning Chelsea’s double at the end of the season. This has raised many arguments that centers on whether it will be a double for Chelsea or treble for Manchester United?
The first meeting between the two sides under the managerial expertise of Conte and Mourinho came on October 23, 2016 with Chelsea coming victorious through a four goal thrashing, a score line that left Manchester United with a lot to ponder about.
Jose Mourinho is the master of mind games but Antonio Conte has passed through the ranks from managing sides in Serie B, Serie A and the Italian National Team therefore knows what to do to shield Chelsea from the burgeoning pressure of being league leaders.
Manchester United has a chance of winning the treble after resurgence
Resurgence at Manchester United has come at a great time where results inadvertently change the course of a team’s season’s objectives. Paul Pogba and Henriyk Mhkitaryan have finally found form in the English Premier League assisting Zlatan Ibrahimovic in making the difference for the club week in week out. The game against Chelsea is part of a quest in determining the dream of the treble.
Many giants have risen in the UEFA Europa League particularly Italian Serie A clubs AS Roma and Fiorentina. The two sides have performed spectacularly in Serie A with the former scoring eight goals in the space of three days. Aside from Chelsea in the domestic front, these are two sides that can hurt United’s chances of winning the treble.
Jose Mourinho can add another Europa League title to his collections with Manchester United
Jose Mourinho is a manager who has overseen official trebles at two clubs, FC Porto in 2004 and Internazionale Milano in 2010 and therefore an unofficial treble wouldn’t be far from his reach. Sir Alex Ferguson tried to win the title with the team in 2011/12 but fell to Athletic Bilbao over two legs.
Coincidentally, this is the only trophy missing in the Old Trafford and Mourinho would love to have his name in the history books.
Manchester United would see if their quest can become reality when they play against AS Saint Etienne on the road in the return leg of the Round of 32 in the Europa League on Wednesday, February 22 and the final of the English League Cup against Southampton at Wembley on Sunday February 26.
