Benni McCarthy highlights cup success despite City dominance during Manchester United tenure

South Africa legend Benni McCarthy has reflected on his time with Manchester United, pointing to domestic cup success as a major positive despite the club’s inability to challenge for the league title.

Speaking about his spell at Old Trafford in an interview Kickoff, McCarthy emphasised that the team still delivered silverware, including triumphs in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.

“But we still managed to win the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup. FA Cup, we beat Manchester City in the final. Carabao Cup, we beat Newcastle United in the final,” he said.

McCarthy, a former strikers coach at the club also recalled the disappointment of falling short in another FA Cup final, which came during a historic campaign for City.

“And we lost the FA Cup final when City won the treble. But we had some good success,” he added, referencing The Treble secured by their rivals.

While acknowledging the team’s progress, the former AmaZulu FC coach admitted that competing for the Premier League title proved a step too far at the time.

“It was maybe not as successful as we would have wanted, where we could challenge for the league, because Man City was impossible to stop during that time,” he noted.

McCarthy’s comments underline the challenge many teams faced in trying to match City’s dominance, even as United managed to secure silverware and show signs of progress during his tenure.