Bryan Robson says the FA Cup is “absolutely massive” for Manchester United and warned his former club must lift a trophy this season.
United legend Robson won the FA Cup in 1983, 1985 and 1990 during his glittering Old Trafford career and knows the significance of lifting the trophy.
When United won the FA Cup in 1990, it proved the catalyst for more than two decades of unprecedented success under former boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
United – who host Middlesbrough on Friday– have not won anything since their Europa League triumph of 2017, with Robson underlining the importance of ending that wait.
“The FA Cup is absolutely massive for the boys,” said Robson.
“This group of players, what they've got to do is win something, to get that confidence and belief in each other. They've got to win something.
“That's why I said last season, it was so important to win that Europa League final, because we'd kept getting to semi-finals and then to the final, but we still didn't get over the line to win something.
“As a group of players, when I look back to 1990 with Sir Alex, that first FA Cup and first major trophy win, that gave us all belief in each other, because we had quite a lot of young lads in the squad at that time.
“You have to have belief to go on and keep winning things, and I think that's where this group of players are up to at this moment in time. They need to win something.”
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As a former Middlesbrough player and manager, Robson has connections with both clubs and paid tribute to the progress made by Boro under new boss Chris Wilder.
“The appointment of Chris Wilder is a really good decision by Steve Gibson,” said Robson.
“It's funny because, a couple of months ago in fact, I went up to stay with Steve and went out for dinner with him.
“It was actually the weekend when he'd allowed Neil Warnock to go and he brought in Wilder.
“He was chatting to me about what I thought and I said I thought he had made a great decision.
“When you look at what he did with Sheffield United, getting out of the Championship into the Premier League, it's a great opportunity for you.
“I think Chris Wilder is a good manager and I think he will do a really good job for Boro. He'll make it difficult for us in a one-off game at Old Trafford.
“But I 'm just seeing signs of us having a little bit more devilment in our play and, with the ability that our lads have got, as long as we field a strong side - and I don't see any reason why we wouldn't - then we should go on to win the game.”
