'WATCHING YOUR TEAM IS ABOUT THOSE MOMENTS'
As we know, anything can happen in a knockout game and Liam made the point that if a refereeing decision was to go against United - like in the last-16 first leg away at Real Sociedad - which leads to the Reds going out against Lyon and we had potentially damaged our chances of finishing higher in the Premier League by prioritising the European competition, it’s a consideration that has to be taken into account.
However, club reporter Harry believes the cup competitions can provide moments that create lasting memories for our legions of fanatical followers around the world.
“If you’re a manager or a fan, watching your team is about those moments and seeing United, for example, against Lyon either home, away or both is a moment,” he explained. “Seeing them then go to play Athletic Club from Bilbao or Rangers - an away game at Ibrox would be a moment.
“If you think about the last two seasons, Erik ten Hag’s first season ended quite disappointingly with the FA Cup final defeat and the league form kind of fizzled out a little bit. But I still look back very fondly on that season because of what we won - the day in February when we beat Newcastle which made it brilliant.
“Going back to last summer, that is one of the best days I’ll ever have as a United fan because we won the FA Cup. You can’t underestimate if you’re talking about momentum and also with a new manager where you need that faith so that when we might lose a game at Old Trafford, the atmosphere is going to be disappointed. But there’s not that anger because there’s a belief as to what’s to come.
“A run in any trophy is what gets you that and those memories where you start to associate ‘that was a great night and Ruben Amorim gave it to me’. That’s what he needs fans to be thinking.”
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