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Keane tries to blag free cup final tickets from Ten Hag and says feel-good factor is back

talksport.com, 2 February 2023, 09:12
Manchester United are officially back and even Roy Keane is trying to get his hands on free tickets to watch them.

The Red Devils have booked their place in the Carabao Cup final after a 5-0 aggregate victory over Nottingham Forest.

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They will meet Newcastle at Wembley later this month, a repeat of the 1999 FA Cup final, in a bid to get their hands on a trophy for the first time since 2017.

Erik ten Hag can take huge credit for how he has turned things around at United in a short space of time, bringing the feel-good factor back to Old Trafford.

Their home ground has become a fortress once again, with 12 straight victories in all competitions.

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Club legend Keane has been a vocal critic of how things have been going in recent years, but now he is fully behind Ten Hag and what he's done.

You can tell the former midfielder was in a good mood as he even shared a joke with the Red Devils manager.

He told Ten Hag: "And if you have any spare tickets for the final… just two complimentary tickets I hope?"

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Ten Hag replied: "Okay, I think so, Roy. No problem."

Keane was also talking more seriously about the turnaround at the club and admitted there was an energy around the club that has not been there for a while.

He told Sky Sports: "The new manager came in and United were at rock bottom, we're talking in terms of recruitment. I think what was key was the five or six players who left.

"I'm not knocking these players, they're experienced players. Pogba, Mata, Matic, Jesse Lingard. Lads who have been around and knew they were leaving. Their contracts were up.

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"It definitely feels around the club there is a new energy. Has obviously put a few markers down after such a bad start to the season.

That momentum, that feel-good factor, is certainly back at the club. You feel the energy levels are back."

It was not only the players who left in the summer that have made a difference. Cristiano Ronaldo left in November and they haven't looked back.

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Keane added: "That's helped the manager and the club. No one wanted that hanging over for the second part of the season.

"That should have been dealt with in the summer. Ronaldo obviously wasn't going to sit on the bench and be happy about it.

"Ronaldo has moved on and that's not hanging over the club any more. You've got the other five or six players who left, including Cavani, who were fringe players coming off the bench.

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"When they were coming off the bench they weren't bringing much as they felt they should have been starting.

"When you talk about the subs and fringe players, they've got to come on and be ready. The players last year who weren't involved. You felt they were energy sappers."

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