The Hard Tackle provides a throwback to five of the top highlights for Manchester United in 2017 and the year that was
It was a year in which the only way Manchester United could see was up. The Red Devils rediscovered their trophy winning pedigree to a great extent under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho. A few records were broken along the way, while some players had a year to remember.
There were some lows for them as well, but those were only minor blip in what is slowly starting to become a Manchester United juggernaut. The Hard Tackle now takes a look at five of the best highlights of 2017 for the club and their fans.
Rooney Takes His Place At The Summit
2017 was the year when Wayne Rooney finally fulfilled his destiny and broke a long-standing record at Manchester United. As the first month of the year, like his stint at Old Trafford, ran its last legs, the once prodigious talent ascended to the throne of greatness as he became the all-time leading goalscorer for the club.
For much of the 2016-17 season, talks of Rooney finally having the enviable record all to himself had been gathering steam. But, with Wazza suffering a major dip in form, the inevitable kept on getting delayed. The moment finally came on January 21, and what a crucial goal it was.
Manchester United had been staring down the barrel at a ground that has proven to be quite an obstacle. Deep into injury time, with Mourinho’s men trailing by a goal to nil at Stoke City, the visitors received a free-kick, and up stepped Rooney before producing a classic goal reminiscent of his heydays.
From a very acute angle, the veteran forward unleashed a fierce free-kick that drove into the top corner and cemented his legacy at Manchester United. He may have been way past his best, but nothing was going to stop Rooney from have his day under the sun.
Sir Bobby Charlton had now relinquished a second scoring record to Rooney, but the Manchester United legend was full of praises. Six months later, Rooney was gone from Old Trafford, back to his boyhood club Everton. But, this moment culminated 13 seasons of hard work for a player who will go down as one of the greatest ever Manchester United players.
The First Trophy Under Mourinho
The 2016-17 season had been one full of twist and turns for Manchester United. While Premier League success was proving to be quite an ask, the Red Devils had shown a lot of promise in the cup competitions, both at the domestic and continental level.
As the second month of the season approached its end, the first trophy of the season was up for grabs at Wembley as Manchester United faced Southampton. The Saints had been on a fine run in the tournament and were proving to be worthy contenders for the League Cup.
Jesse Lingard had also continued his love affair with Wembley as he scored at the hallowed ground for the third consecutive time. But, with the scores tied at 2-2 in the 87th minute, Manchester United’s talisman last season, Zlatan Ibrahimovic delivered once again.
The free-kick, a curling effort that beat Fraser Forster had ensured the Red Devils’ first major success for the club under Mourinho (No, the Community Shield does not count). The triumph eventually laid the foundation for further success under their new manager.
European Success
The highlight of the year came right at the end of their 2016-17 campaign as Manchester United claimed a long-elusive European triumph, albeit in the second tier of continental football. And there was a lot riding on the final in Stockholm.
Manchester United had placed all their efforts towards winning the Europa League, having long given up hopes of finishing in the Premier League top 4 (they eventually finished 6th). So, after five rounds and 14 matches, it all came down to the finale against Ajax for the Red Devils to qualify for the Champions League.
In the clutch fixture, an exciting Ajax side were their opponents, a young team that approached the final on the back of some memorable results. But, Manchester United ended up making short work of an inexperienced group of men that were out of their depth at such a major event.
The win also capped off an illustrious stint for Wayne Rooney, who completed his set of domestic and continental trophies with the triumph. As a result, Manchester United also returned to the Champions League group stage, which they cleared as the winners of their group.
Ashley Still Young
2017 turned out to be a year of two halves for a certain Ashley Young. At the onset of the calendar year, the veteran Englishman’s Manchester United future had looked bleak, with reports of a move away from Old Trafford running rampant.
While he eventually didn’t leave, there was still a lot of uncertainty as the 2016-17 season drew to a close. Come 2017-18 though, the tables had turned and how. Young was deployed as a makeshift full-back by Jose Mourinho, with Luke Shaw struggling for fitness, and other options failing to deliver. And this is where Young found his calling.
In the left-back slot, the player has been a delight, delivering some dangerous crosses into the box, creating chances aplenty and still using his pace to good effect on the left flank. At 32, he is also one of the few Manchester United players who have the experience of winning the Premier League, and he has taken it upon himself to don the leadership hat.
Mourinho seems to trust Young as well, handing him the captain’s armband on a few occasions, and has also been full of praise for his desire and commitment. He has also played a pivotal role in some of Manchester United’s most clutch wins this season, and it’s safe to say that his ‘Young’ legs are still going strong.
Jesse Lingard Comes Of Age
That Jose Mourinho has improved Manchester United as a collective goes without saying, with the progress visible with each passing month. But, there are a few players who have also been positively affected by the manager’s guiding hand on a more personal level – none more so than Jesse Lingard.
For a long time, Lingard was a player who looks promising in patches and then struggles to maintain a level of consistency that is required from a Manchester United regular. His inconsistent performances meant that he was nothing more than a squad player heading into the 2017-18 season.
But, as the months have passed by in the current campaign, Lingard has shown the determination to fulfill the promise that the coaches at the academy envision out of their charges. By the end of December, there was simply no stopping the England international, who had well and truly cemented his place in the side.
With six goals, Lingard was the biggest beam of positivity for the Red Devils in an otherwise sub-par month. And he has carried that form into January as well, already scoring two more crucial goals in the three games that Manchester United have played in the new year.
As the rumours of Alexis Sanchez’s move to Manchester United gather steam, one player can remain assured of retaining his regular status in Jose Mourinho’s side, provided he can continue this form in the long run. For now though, Manchester United fans can revel in the fact that another academy graduate has blossomed into a key player for the club.
