The key to FA Cup glory and winning the biggest match of Manchester United’s season, Erik ten Hag had decided, lay in the hearts and minds of his players.
Ten Hag does not always come across as the warmest of people. Indeed, if United’s rousing 2-1 win over Manchester City at Wembley does prove to be his last match in charge, a lack of empathy with his team will go down as one of the factors in his failure to get the best out of them on a regular basis.
As United celebrated their triumph in a suite at the Marriott Hotel in Mayfair on Saturday night, Ten Hag was handed the microphone and gave a three-minute speech that was more a technical appraisal of how United had avenged their Cup final defeat by City a year earlier.
When the Dutchman had finished, he handed the mic to captain Bruno Fernandes, who amused the audience by starting his 30-second address by saying: ‘That was more like a press conference!’
Ten Hag is a football obsessive, a tactician who reminded us of his abilities on a memorable day by outwitting Pep Guardiola at the end of a season in which United have all too often appeared devoid of a plan. There was a strategy to beat City and it was executed to perfection.
Manchester United claimed the FA Cup title with an impressive 2-1 win over rivals Man City
The players began their celebrations on the Wembley pitch before partying late into the night
United headed straight to the Marriott Hotel in Mayfair on Saturday night to keep celebrating
Beyond that, though, the manager and his staff identified the need to motivate the players and bring them together in a way they had not managed before in this most difficult of seasons.
When the squad arrived at the team hotel in London on Friday, there was a letter written by their partners or loved ones left on the bed. Each player then received a video on their phone via WhatsApp with more goodwill messages from family and friends.
In the hour before the game, the squad gathered in front of a big screen in the away dressing room at Wembley and were shown a video which included another personal message for each one in turn.
‘We did some special things,’ Ten Hag revealed later. ‘We had some motivational videos. They were incredible, they were so emotional. The emotions went into their minds and the minds drove the bodies.
‘It helped that we were a team from the first whistle of the final. They are great guys. They had so many setbacks in the course of the season, so many punches we got on our chin. Every time we fought back and in the end we have a trophy.’
United players spoke about a tangible shift in mood within the dressing room compared to other games.
Problems have simmered within the squad throughout the season, but Ten Hag was able to bring them together when it mattered the most for what will be the last game for the club for some of them — and quite possibly the manager himself.
Centre back Raphael Varane, who has already confirmed he is leaving, said: ‘We all agreed it was different. The atmosphere was special inside the team. Everyone believed, everyone was ready to fight for the team.
Harry Maguire (right) provided plenty of pictures throughout the evening on his social media
Alejandro Garnacho, who scored the opener, posed with the trophy next to partner Eva Garcia
‘The plan was perfect. We made it with the manager together. Everyone was ready to do the job. That’s united. That’s love.’
Defender Diogo Dalot added: ‘More than the gameplan, it was the mentality. You could smell in the dressing room we were connected with each other. We were ready like I’ve never seen this season and pretty much last year.’
United have sorely missed Lisandro Martinez, as much for his leadership and influence in the dressing room as on the pitch. He was a titan at Wembley in only his 11th start of the season.
At the final whistle, he lifted Ten Hag off his feet and was waiting to spray him with champagne in the dressing room afterwards when the manager arrived to call his players together for a team photo.
‘Before the game, you looked in the eyes of everyone and everyone was here,’ said Martinez. ‘We connected altogether with the positive energy. This is what Manchester United means. We have to die for this badge like we did today.’
Sir Jim Ratcliffe came into the dressing room after the match to congratulate the manager and players, even though a similar message on social media failed to mention Ten Hag by name.
None of the owners — Joel and Avi Glazer were also at Wembley — attended the after-match party, with new technical director Jason Wilcox said to be the most senior figure there.
The players filed out of Wembley without speaking to the media, presumably to avoid awkward questions about Ten Hag’s future.
Scott McTominay’s WAG, Cam Reading, shared a shot from the after-party with the midfielder
Antony (fourth from left) posed with his family after what has been a difficult campaign
‘We know the manager is under so much scrutiny, he deserves this,’ Fernandes told the BBC after the game. As the team bus made its way across London, coach Darren Fletcher brandished the cup at the front as he led the players in a rendition of Sweet Caroline.
Rasmus Hojlund swigged champagne from a bottle and was hardly seen without one in his hand for the rest of the night.
Hojlund, Scott McTominay and Jonny Evans were said to be in particularly high spirits as the celebrations went on until around 2am. The Dane was filmed dancing to Abba’s Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! but could not persuade goalkeeper Andre Onana to join in.
Hojlund and Onana were among the United players who turned up in their Cup final suits, designed by Paul Smith.
Others, like Alejandro Garnacho, Victor Lindelof and Amad Diallo, were still in their match shirts, while Kobbie Mainoo was wearing his United bucket hat.
The club laid on a buffet with meats, pasta and salad, and hired a DJ who entertained the players with a mix of reggaeton, pop and rock music. Lindelof’s wife, Maja, posted a video on social media of the couple singing along to We Are The Champions by Queen.
Garnacho invited American YouTuber IShowSpeed, who tried to re-enact the United forward’s spectacular overhead kick against Everton in November, which won goal of the season, using the carpet for a soft landing.
The high jinks did not extend to midfielder Casemiro, who cut a dejected figure after missing what looks set to be his last match as a United player through injury.
YouTuber IShowSpeed made an appearance at the after-party, as he posed with United’s stars
IShowSpeed also posed with the under-pressure Ten Hag, who seemed to be in good spirits
However, Casemiro appeared to be absent from the celebrations as he jetted off on holiday
Casemiro was the first to leave the party and went straight to the airport, where wife Anna Mariana shared a photo of the Brazilian on a private plane with his two children as the family jetted off on holiday.
By yesterday afternoon Dalot, Varane, Antony and Mason Mount had made their way to Monaco for the grand prix.
It remains to be seen just how many of United’s FA Cup-winning squad are back next season.
Ten Hag’s job hangs in the balance and this could be his farewell, too. At least they went out on a high.