Don’t catch cold again warns Tommy
difficult to win trophies in England, including League Cups.
“It is easier in some other countries if you are with the right club. But our season doesn’t end if we win this.
“We have to treat this as just another game, another event. We’ll have two days off, then it is back to work.
“Then i t i s about preparing for Bournemouth on Saturday, Rostov in the Europa League, then Chelsea in the FA Cup.”
Rooney, who announced last week he is staying at United despite being linked with a move to China or a return to Everton, is back in Mourinho’s squad for Wembley.
The United and England captain is a candidate to start with Henrikh Mkhitaryan ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Fit-again Rooney, though, is more likely to be on the bench. Midfielder Michael Carrick has recovered from a calf problem and is available and a late decision will be made on the fitness of defender Phil Jones, who has been sidelined with a foot injury. MANCHESTER UNITED have been warned – the Saints are marching in the footsteps of legends. That is what a former Old Trafford boss who has bitter experience of Southampton’s ability to cause an upset thinks. Tommy Docherty’s class of 1976 were expected to brush aside Lawrie McMenemy’s Second Division team in that year’s FA Cup Final. But Bobby Stokes’ famous goal – the only one of the match – defied United’s impressive resurgence and delivered one of the great upsets of cup football. And as the clubs prepare to meet again in today’s League Cup Final, The Doc, 88 (below) insists United must heed the lesson from history. “You would have to say United are favourites going into this final, but then we were even stronger favourites in 1976,” he said. “We had a terrific, exciting team and we’d finished in third place in the old First Division that season, while Southampton were in the Second Division. “On the day we had a lot of near-misses but they got the only goal and it just showed what can happen in a one-off. I always think that if your name’s not on the trophy, then it’s just not meant to be. “It was a big blow, but I was pleased for Lawrie, who was and still is a good friend. I phoned him afterwards at their banquet to congratulate him.” The huge setback for the Scot and his players merely hardened their resolve to return to Wembley the following year and make amends. “It was terribly disappointing after such a good season,” Docherty said. “But we knew we had the ability and ambition to have another go at it and the boys were determined to get to the final again. “Sure enough, we did reach Wembley 12 months later and this time our opponents, Liverpool, were the hot favourites. But what happened in that final? We sprung the big surprise and beat them. “That’s classic cup football for you. “Through the history of cup finals we’ve seen all sorts of shocks and that is the beauty of cup competition. We saw what happened to Burnley and Leicester in the FA Cup last weekend. “When you look at the money United have spent on the current team and the players they’ve got, they should have too much for a Southampton team without Virgil van Dijk. He’s a marvellous centre-half and so important to them. “But Southampton have dangerous players of their own going forward and the potential to be a real threat in this final. As we have seen, you just never know.”