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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
The Mickey Mouse cup, more formally known as the Carabao Cup, is a bit of a weird one. Win it and your rivals pretend not to care, lose it, and well, still nobody cares. One man who did however seem to take it seriously was Jose Mourinho, who won it on four separate occasions (three with Chelsea and one with Manchester United).
As Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to rubber stamp his mark at Old Trafford, he could take a little inspiration from his predecessor and use the competition as a springboard to success.
The big argument, particularly for the Premier League’s top sides, is that the League Cup holds the least priority. It has the lowest prestige and the least amount of reward of the four main trophies they have to fight for. But it still remains a trophy, and the timing of when you can win it certainly adds a layer of intrigue to it.
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The Red Devils were given a third-round draw against League One Rochdale on Wednesday night, and there will undoubtedly be an expectation that Solskjaer’s side make light work of it. Navigate that tie and the Red Devils would be just a couple of games away from a two-legged semi-final, where the chances of a shock upset, like the one they suffered against Derby last season, is minimised considerably.
Mourinho’s “nothing else matters” comments ahead of the League Cup final against Tottenham in 2015 spoke of a manager who knew just how important winning the first trophy of the season can be. It can help create a winning culture at the club and sets the rest of the campaign up perfectly.
For Solskjaer, laying his hands on the ‘Mickey Mouse’ cup may not be the greatest achievement of his managerial career when it’s all said and done, but it could turn out to be the most pivotal. The Norwegian could do with a piece of vindication for his management skills, and it could help propel the Red Devils during the final stages of a potential top-four push too.
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