In just 12 months, Manchester United has gone from jeers to cheers. Sunday’s League Cup final celebrations at Wembley came a year to the day since a chorus of boos rang around Old Trafford after a goalless draw with lowly Watford.

The 20-time English champions went on to record their worst season in the Premier League and finished 35 points below title – winning Manchester City. Few could have expected such a rapid turnaround when new manager Erik ten Hag was hired last summer.

But the man who led Ajax to three Dutch titles in four seasons has already got United back to winning ways, ending a six-year trophy drought and keeping the club fighting on three more fronts going into the final months of the campaign. As improbable as a quadruple might be, United is still in contention in all domestic competitions and advanced to the round of 16 in the Europa League after last week’s memorable win against Spanish league leader Barcelona.

And with confetti still scattered on the field at Wembley, Ten Hag set out his mission to deliver more silverware. “It is one cup in February but it shows the right direction. This has to be the inspiration,” he said. “If you work very hard, if you stick together then things are possible.”