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
No comments:
Post a Comment