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Erik ten Hag has picked out David de Gea, Raphael Varane and Casemiro as three players who “know how to win trophies” after the club’s Carabao Cup success.
The trio all played the entire 90 minutes as Man Utd edged past Premier League rivals Newcastle 2-0 at Wembley, with midfield maestro Casemiro opening the scoring.
The Brazilian – along with French defender Varane – is quickly becoming a Red Devils legend, with goalkeeper De Gea having earned such status long ago.
The Spaniard has been in Manchester for over a decade, with ex-Real Madrid duo Varane and Casemiro joining the Premier League giants in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
Ten Hag picks out 3 Man Utd trophy winners
The three players, who have won countless trophies between them for various clubs and countries, have now won their first together at Man Utd.
It also marks the first honour for Ten Hag at the club, with the boss recognising his star trio for the crucial roles they play both on and off the pitch.
“I said before the game – Rapha Varane, Casemiro, David de Gea. They know how to win trophies,” Ten Hag told the Man Utd website.
“You need such lads on the pitch to point the team, coach the team, organise the team. Not only from a tactical perspective but also, especially, the mental perspective.
“It’s so important, the winning attitude. They have to bring it in the dressing room and bring it to the team. In difficult situations, they have to handle it and that’s what they did again.”
Players ‘really well connected’ under Ten Hag
It wasn’t just the veteran trio that Ten Hag was proud of, with the whole squad putting in an important shift to overcome a resilient Newcastle side.
The Magpies are also going through a transition period, but they are seemingly falling behind Man Utd in the race of which side can turn things around more quickly.
Ten Hag has created a hugely positive atmosphere in and around the club, helped of course by the presence of the aforementioned iconic figures of De Gea, Varane and Casemiro.
Having lifted the Carabao Cup, the Red Devils can now focus on their other competitions, which include the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup. They are undoubtedly in contention to mount a strong challenge in all three.
While the man in the dugout deserves huge credit, he believes much of the praise must go to his unified players, with everyone at the club pulling in the right direction, much to Ten Hag’s delight.
“It was definitely the right spirit, there is very good spirit in the team,” added Ten Hag. “We act as a team and fight for everything. We beat them, it was not always the best football but I think it was effective.
“What you see is they are really well connected with each other – also they challenge each other and, in moments, they help each other when it’s difficult. It’s great to see. I think it’s the best a manager can get.”
This is just the start. pic.twitter.com/mo8J2qlaQp
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 26, 2023
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