Manchester United Quadruple: ‘There’s still work to do’ on 11-point gap to Arsenal

Editor F365
Manchester United celebrate beating West Ham

Manchester United are now just 100/1 to win the Quadruple so ‘there is still work to do’. You don’t say…

 

Hi ho silver
Under the headline of ‘Man Utd 3 West Ham 1: Quadruple hopes still alive as late Garnacho stunner sees Man Utd come from behind to top Hammers’, The Sun’s Neil Custis is getting a tad giddy…

‘Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes held up the Carabao Cup, Casemiro and women’s goalkeeper Mary Earps showed off their FIFA team awards collected in Paris on Monday.

‘As if that wasn’t enough David de Gea was then presented with a silver glove to mark his club record 181st clean sheet achieved in that 2-0 Cup triumph on Sunday.

‘Now they may need some more space in the Old Trafford museum where the silverware is stored for all to see.

‘You wait six years for a trophy and then…’

And then you win one Carabao Cup, Neil. Pretty sure Earps, Casemiro and De Gea will keep their own awards.

Custis then concedes ‘there is still work to do but the momentum behind this club is mighty’.

‘Still work to do’? They are now 11 points behind Arsenal – who incidentally won 4-0 on Wednesday night – and 14/1 to win the Premier League title.

 

Quad goals
Over at the Daily Star, they are pretending that all the Manchester United fans are talking about that quadruple. Well not talking but…

‘Man Utd fans beam ‘the quadruple is on’ as brilliant Garnacho goal seals FA Cup win’

A beam is ‘a radiant or good-natured look or smile’ so f*** knows how this works on Twitter.

‘Manchester United supporters are convinced the “quadruple is on” after watching their side come from behind to beat West Ham in the FA Cup.’

I mean, they’re really not. A few idiots might have mentioned it in jest but it really is a media construct.

‘”The Quadruple dream is very much alive for Manchester United. Who says no? Bring on Fulham in the Quarter-final of the FA Cup,” tweeted one elated supporter after the game.

‘”The quadruple is officially on. Fulham don’t have a chance in hell of stopping us,” commented another, while a third took it up a notch, writing: “Glory glory Man United. We’re winning the quadruple. We’re winning the Olympics and we’re coming for the World Cup.”‘

The first tweet is indeed from a giddy Manchester United fan; the second does not exist on Twitter; the third is a joke. But yes, Manchester United supporters are definitely convinced the quadruple is on. All of them.

 

Want the good news or the good news?
The back page of the Daily Express is a curiosity.

On the one hand, ‘Mikel Arteta’s foursome Arsenal moved five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League’, but then on the other, ‘Manchester United kept their Quadruple dreams alive’ despite being what looks on paper like a sizeable 11 points behind the Gunners.

All of the cake please.

 

Embroiling point
But never mind the quadruple for now because the Mirror would have us believe that United are on the edge of something spectacular:

‘Erik ten Hag’s Man Utd can match Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City’s historic feat’

‘Historic feat’ sounds good. And definitely not the sort of phrase you would use for, say, something that had happened twice in the last four years like, for example, winning two domestic cups.

Also in the same piece, we learn that Manchester United are ‘firmly embroiled in a race for the Premier League crown’. ‘Firmly embroiled’ 11 points behind. By that reckoning Brentford will be pleased to learn they are firmly embroiled in the fight for a Champions League place. Go Bees.

 

Savage hard-on
But how did Manchester United rouse themselves in the second half to beat West Ham? Well, let’s allow the Mirror to bring us the news about Erik ten Hag’s half-time words:

‘Harry Maguire reveals Erik ten Hag’s brutal half-time rollicking during Man Utd vs West Ham’

Whether you consider ‘brutal’ to mean ‘savagely violent’, ‘unpleasant or harsh’ or ‘direct and without attempting to disguise unpleasantness’, we suspect that whatever the Dutchman said did not fall into any of those three categories.

And nor does Maguire even remotely say that. When asked about the half-time message, he said:

“He went fairly strong to be honest, he knew we had to up it.”

Brutal.

 

Et tu, brutal
But the Mirror have clearly decided ‘brutal’ is a powerful word. On their football homepage alone…

* ‘Harry Maguire reveals Erik ten Hag’s brutal half-time rollicking during Man Utd vs West Ham’

* ‘Roy Keane brutally mocks West Ham over Man Utd defeat – “It’s like they’re in Starbucks”‘

* ‘Ian Wright couldn’t hide his surprise at brutal Roy Keane rant during ITV coverage: “Wow”‘

* ‘Furious Birmingham City star leads brutal dressing-room inquest “calling out” teammates’

* ‘Sir Alex Ferguson’s “brutal” Mikel Arteta advice could see “phenomenal” Arsenal star leave’

The latter is particularly interesting as a) Sir Alex Ferguson has not actually given Mikel Arteta any advice, b) Sir Alex called Kieran Tierney ‘phenomenal’ about 17 months ago and c) Tierney himself would reportedly be open to leaving Arsenal after starting just four Premier League games this season.

But still…brutal.

 

 

Mediawatch