Capital One Cup: Stoke City Vs Manchester United: Is this Moyes only silverware chance?

While the Premier League title seems a distance (but not totally out of it), David Moyes’ hopes of silverware lies in the three cup competition, one of which is tonight’s game against Stoke City at Britannia Stadium. The Champions League where Manchester United was surprisingly doing well – topping the group without loss, and drawing the relatively ‘safe’ Olympiakos in round 16 – will only gets tougher in the knockout stage progress with quality teams like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona waiting. Therefore it is the domestic cups which Moyes will have an eye at – particularly the Capital One Cup.Expect David Moyes to field a strong team given that this is the quarterfinal stage, and also given that Manchester United needs to build winning momentum to face the hectic winter schedule. But whichever team Moyes put out there, he needs to make sure the team starts the game in positive manner, in order to avoid becoming ‘toothless’ as the game progresses – as evident in many of United’s games this season. Maybe playing away from home will help this United team who is currently facing a confidence crisis when playing at Old Trafford.

 

Many will call this the mickey mouse cup but given the state of difficulties David Moyes is facing during his transitional period, many Manchester United supporters would take it – no matter what cup it is. Besides it was this cup that gave Sir Alex Ferguson the kick start after United’s last ‘long’ trophy-less run. And this might well be the kick start Moyes needs (Community Shield was Ferguson’s cup) after taking over the hot seat from Ferguson.