Defining clash in silverware hunt
SEMIFINAL: UNITED, SPURS MANAGERS TO LOCK HORNS
Pochettino believes his Spurs side have bigger fish to fry.
London
Manchester United head into today’s FA Cup semifinal against Tottenham Hotspur needing to keep their hopes of silverware alive to save their season.
However, Spurs are just as hungry as they aim to end a decade-long wait for a trophy of any sort and confirm their consistent improvement under Mauricio Pochettino.
Jose Mourinho’s men tightened their grip on the Premier League runners-up spot this week but a title battle with champions Manchester City never materialised and they limped out of the Champions League in the first knockout stage.
To add to the frustrations of the beleaguered boss, speculation over the future of £89 million midfielder Paul Pogba has dominated headlines in recent weeks.
Often deemed surplus to requirements by Mourinho this season, Pogba showed what he is capable of by scoring twice to help United temporarily delay City’s championship party in a thrilling 3-2 Manchester derby win a fortnight ago.
He impressed Mourinho once more in Wednesday’s 2-0 victory at Bournemouth, but in between times was substituted and heavily criticised for his performance in United’s shock defeat against West Brom that gifted the title to City last weekend.
Mourinho won the League Cup and Europa League in his first season at Old Trafford and even delivering just the FA Cup would be a poor return in the eyes of fans who hoped for a Premier League push this season.
But United have a proud tradition in the competition, with 12 wins in their history, just one behind Arsenal.
Spurs are third on the list with eight FA Cup wins, but haven’t won the trophy since 1991.
Tottenham are, though, on the brink of qualifying for the Champions League for the third straight season.
And Pochettino has always insisted that success in the Premier League and the Champions League is a better gauge of how well his side is progressing.
Pochettino is sticking to his guns despite evidence that success in domestic cup competitions has been the stepping stone to greater things for other clubs.
United’s FA Cup victory in 1990 laid the foundation for two decades of sustained success under Sir Alex Ferguson while City’s FA Cup win in 2011 ended a 35-year trophy drought and paved the way for the Premier League title the following year.
Spurs go into the match with a five-point lead over fifth-placed Chelsea in the Premier League, with the dethroned champions likely to miss out on Champions League football next year.
Antonio Conte, widely expected to be in his final few weeks as Chelsea boss, has a more straightforward-looking task tomorrow against relegation-threatened Southampton, who Chelsea came from 2-0 down to beat 3-2 at St Mary’s last weekend. –