1992/93
Glory story:
Having
missed out on the title a year earlier, the surprise arrival of a
certain Frenchman helped the Reds end a 26-year wait for championship
glory.
Top gun: Mark Hughes, 15 league goals
Turning point:
10 April 1993. One of the most memorable days at Old Trafford ever as
Steve Bruce’s injury-time double edged the Reds ever closer to a first
title triumph under Sir Alex, whose memorable on-pitch celebration with
Brian Kidd will live long in the memory.
Party time:
2 May 1993. Sir Alex was on the golf course when the Reds were
officially confirmed as inaugural FA Premier League champions following
Oldham’s 1-0 win over United’s closest challengers Aston Villa at Villa
Park. Cue the famous player party at Steve Bruce’s gaff.
Sir Alex said:
“The players knew they were the best and for the most part of the
season they demonstrated it where it mattered, on the pitch.”
1993/94
Glory story:
In the season the club mourned Sir Matt Busby’s passing, United not
only retained their Championship crown but went one better by completing
the domestic double.
Top gun: Eric Cantona, 18 league goals
Turning point:
23 April 1994. Returning from a five-match ban, Cantona made his mark
for all the right reasons as he fired the Reds to a crucial derby
victory over City with a calmly taken first half brace.
Party time:
1 May 1994. United’s victory at Ipswich coupled with Blackburn’s defeat
to Coventry over the same weekend ensured back-to-back titles for the
Reds.
Sir Alex said: “Winning the double was a
fitting tribute to Sir Matt. We did it by playing the game in a way of
which he would have wholeheartedly approved.”
1995/96
Glory story: A
Cantona-inspired United side proved you CAN win things with kids as the
Reds stormed to another double triumph. And didn’t we love it!
Top gun: Eric Cantona, 14 league goals
Turning point:
4 March 1996. Having been 12 points behind leaders Newcastle Newcastle
at one stage, the Reds cut the lead to a single point thanks to
Cantona’s winner at St James’ Park on a night when Peter Schmeichel was
simply unbeatable.
Party time: 5 May 1996. A
last-day 3-0 victory, at a canter, away to Middlesbrough confirmed the
Reds as champions for a third time in four years.
Sir Alex said:
“Some pundits suggested we couldn’t win the title with kids, but they
reckoned without the force of a rejuvenated Eric Cantona and the respect
and admiration our ‘kids’ have for him as a footballer.”
1996/97
Glory story:
A season that started with Beckham’s half-way line stunner ended with
an even greater shock as King Eric bid farewell to Old Trafford after
skippering the Reds to yet another title.
Top gun: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, 18 league goals
Turning point:
19 April 1997. Two Gary Pallister headers and another goal from Andy
Cole thanks to some famous ‘Calamity James’ goalkeeping secured a vital
win at Anfield.
Party time: 6 May 1997. 24 hours
after drawing 3-3 with Middlesbrough, the Reds were confirmed as
champions after Newcastle’s goalless draw at West Ham and Liverpool’s
2-1 defeat at Wimbledon.
Sir Alex said: “Eric
Cantona’s contribution to the Manchester United cause can never be
underestimated - I doubt that I will ever be able to spend £1,000,000
like that again!”
1998/99
Glory story: Quite
simply the greatest season in United’s history as the Reds realised a
Treble dream. The Championship crown was snared first thanks to a
memorable last-day win in
front of the Old Trafford faithful.
Top gun: Dwight Yorke, 18 league goals
Turning point: 14 April 1999. Leeds’ win over Arsenal in the
penultimate game of the season put the title in United’s hands, but the
Reds’ epic FA Cup semi-final victory over the Gunners ultimately gave
Sir Alex’s men the psychological edge.
Party time:
16 May 1999. Les Ferdinand temporarily threatened to spoil the title
party but United were never going to be beaten. Beckham and substitute
Andy Cole made sure of that as the Treble Part 1 was wrapped up.
Sir Alex said:
“I have a group of players who never cease to surprise me and I’m
convinced they are capable of virtually anything. The final weeks of
this season will remain with me until the day I die.”
1999/00
Glory story:
There was no Treble hangover for the Reds who, inspired by Captain
Keano, cantered to title glory winning by a record 18-point margin.
Top gun: Dwight Yorke, 20 league goals
Turning point:
20 February 2000. The Reds trailed Leeds by four points at the turn of
the year but Andy Cole’s predatory opportunism ensured the Reds left
Elland Road with a vital win over their rivals.
Party time:
22 April 2000. Beckham, a Francis Benali o.g and Solskjaer ensured an
early end-of-season party at The Dell as a 3-1 win over Southampton
confirmed United as top dogs once more.
Sir Alex said:
“Some people suggested it could have been difficult to motivate the
lads after the Treble. It could, but it hasn’t. They are as keen to
succeed today as they have ever been.”
2000/01 Glory story: United
blow the opposition away to finish 10 points clear of second-placed
Arsenal, as Sir Alex becomes the first manager to win three titles in a
row.
Top gun: Teddy Sheringham, 15 league goals
Turning point:
After a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal in October, a run of 15 wins from the
next 19 games took United 13 points clear – and the Reds then smashed
the Gunners 6-1 at home on 25 February.
Party time:
14 April 2001. United’s 4-2 home win over Coventry, coupled with
Arsenal’s 3-0 slump at home to lowly Middlesbrough, sealed the title
with five games to spare.
Sir Alex said: "Winning
three in a row is something special. Perhaps we’re like a great artist
whose work is only really appreciated with the passing of time."
2002/03
Glory story:
The Reds’ worst start to a Premier League campaign proves far from
fatal when nine wins from the last 10 games leaves title-holders Arsenal
trailing by five points.
Top gun:
Ruud van Nistelrooy, 25 league goals
Turning point: United preserved a three-point lead by holding the Gunners 2-2 at Highbury on 16 April.
Party time:
4 May 2003. Arsenal’s shock 3-2 defeat at home to relegation-haunted
Leeds ensured the celebrations could begin; United had beaten Charlton
4-1 at OT the previous day.
Sir Alex said: "We
played better than any other team in the league from March onwards and
you can't beat the kind of momentum we were able to build up."
2006/07 Glory story:
United’s best start to a season since 1993/94 paved the way for a
return to the summit of English football, six points above Jose
Mourinho’s outgoing champions Chelsea.
Top gun:
Cristiano Ronaldo, 17 league goals
Turning point:
On 28 April, the Reds recovered from 0-2 down at Everton to win 4-2
while Chelsea were held 1-1 at home by Bolton. United went five points
clear with three games left.
Party time: 6 May
2007. The day after beating Man City 1-0 at Eastlands, United were
crowned champions when Mourinho’s men only draw 1-1 with Arsenal at the
Emirates.
Sir Alex said: "Chelsea won the last two titles at a canter. We had to do something about it."
2007/08 Glory story:
United and Chelsea raced all the way to the final day before Sir Alex’s
men won the title by two points. The Reds achieved a record Premier
League goal difference of +58.
Top gun:
Cristiano Ronaldo, 31 league goals
Turning point:
Carlos Tevez’s 88th-minute equaliser at Blackburn on 19 April ensured
it was still United’s title to lose – the Reds could even afford a
defeat to Chelsea seven days later.
Party time: 11 May 2008, JJB Stadium, Wigan 0-2 United. Not even a downpour could dampen the Reds’ spirits as Ronaldo’s penalty and
Ryan Giggs’ late sidefoot sealed the triumph.
Sir Alex said: "We’ve expressed ourselves in an entertaining way. The title is well deserved."
2008/09
Glory story:
United produced a classic home-straight surge to overtake Christmas
leaders Liverpool in the table and thus equal the Merseysiders’
long-standing record of 18 titles.
Top gun:
Cristiano Ronaldo, 18 league goals
Turning point: Coming back from 2-1 down to
beat Aston Villa 3-2 – with an injury-time winner from debutant
Federico Macheda – on 5 April 2009.
Party time: 16 May 2009, Old Trafford,
United 0-0 Arsenal. Forgettable game but memorable scenes when
Gary Neville lifted the trophy aloft in front of 75,468 fans.
Sir Alex said: "The challenge now is to win it next year. A 19th league title would be
special."
2010/11 Glory story:
Propelled by a near-perfect home record, United see off the challenge
of Arsenal and a late charge by title-holders Chelsea to secure a 19th
championship on the penultimate day.
Top gun:
Dimitar Berbatov, 21 league goals
Turning point: United were
2-0 down at West Ham on 2 April, but roared back with four second-half goals to stay in the driving seat at the top of the table.
Party time:
14 May 2011, Ewood Park, Blackburn 1-1 United. The Reds secured the
point needed to become the most successful English league team with 19
titles.
2012/13
Glory story: Spurred on by
the heartbreak of losing the title in the dying seconds of the 2011/12
campaign and with the addition of one RvP to the squad, the Reds came
back with a vengeance to secure a 20th title triumph... and with four
games to spare.
Top gun: Robin van Persie, 25 league goals
Turning point:
Last-minute victories at City and at home to Newcastle in December were
important, but the second weekend in February when City lost at
Southampton and United beat Everton (the team Sir Alex claimed we'd
thrown the title away against the previous campaign) put the Reds 12
points clear and well in control of the title race.
Party time:
22 April 2013, Old Trafford, United 3-0 Villa. A first-half Robin van
Persie hat-trick - the second goal of which was an absolute gem -
secured the three points needed to seal title glory.
Source:
manutd
