Manchester United have the chance to end their six-year wait for silverware later this month when they make the trip to Wembley to face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.
Erik ten Hag’s men secured their place in the final after a comprehensive 5-0 aggregate win over Nottingham Forest in the semi-final.
A win in the final would mark Ten Hag’s first campaign as a trophy-winning one and he would thus become the first manager since Jose Mourinho to lift silverware at the club.
It’s safe to say that supporters are more connected to the players than in several years and much of that is down to Ten Hag, who has instilled a sense of unity in the team.
Celebrations often involve supporters and fans have been invited to take part in pre-match press conferences at the club’s Carrington training complex.
The effort to create a bond with supporters is there for everyone to see and now, the club has offered its fanbase the chance of having an impact on their hopes of winning the Carabao Cup.
Earlier on Saturday, the club announced that fans now have the chance to write personal messages to the players on the club’s official website, with some messages said to be displayed in the dressing room ahead of kick-off on February 26.
The user is then asked to select the player he or she would like to send a message of encouragement to before completing the form with their contact information.
SN’s verdict…
This is definitely a nice touch and not something the club had to do – it’s a good initiative. Although the majority of messages will be lost in the club’s algorithm and not see any daylight, the chance of reaching out to players is enough for some supporters.
An addition to this could be to film content from inside the dressing room at Wembley in roughly two weeks, with the players’ reactions to the motivational messages on display.