Premier League - The five faces of Fergie's United

Eurosport - Mon, 18 May 19:45:00 2009

We look at five iconic teams from Sir Alex Ferguson's reign following Manchester United's record-equalling 18th league title.

1994 FA Cup final Manchester United Eric Cantona - 0

During his 23 years at Old Trafford, Ferguson has shown a remarkable ability to change his playing personnel without affecting the quality of the team.

These five teams chart the many faces of the Manchester United dressing room during the Ferguson era.

- - -

1989/90 - FA Cup winners

Jim Leighton - Mike Phelan, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Lee Martin - Neil Webb, Paul Ince, Bryan Robson, Danny Wallace - Brian McClair, Mark Hughes

Leighton was dropped for the Cup final replay against Crystal Palace and Les Sealey played a blinder. Supersub Mark Robins scored the goal that supposedly saved Fergie's job, a diving header away to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round. Pallister and Ince were signed in 1989, with Denis Irwin arriving the following summer as Ferguson built the foundations of his first championship-winning side.

- - -

1993/94 - Premier League and FA Cup winners

Peter Schmeichel - Paul Parker, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Denis Irwin - Andrei Kanchelskis, Roy Keane, Paul Ince, Ryan Giggs - Eric Cantona, Mark Hughes

Many United fans will still tell you this was the finest team Ferguson has produced. They followed up their 1992/93 Premier League title with a domestic double, inspired by the enigmatic and brilliant Cantona. The pace of Giggs and Kanchelskis down the flanks provided a formidable counter-attacking threat since imitated by many sides. But a 4-0 defeat at Barcelona showed they still had some way to go in Europe.

- - -

1998/99 - Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League winners

Peter Schmeichel - Gary Neville, Ronny Johnsen, Jaap Stam, Denis Irwin - David Beckham, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs - Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole

Still the greatest season in the club's history, as United claimed the three biggest prizes going. Yorke arrived early in the season and struck an immediate rapport with Cole. The pair scored a combined 53 goals, with reserves Sheringham and Solskjaer firing the most important goals of all in the Champions League final. The midfield quartet - all playing at their peak - have never been surpassed.

- - -

2002/03 - Premier League winners

Fabien Barthez - Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Mikael Silvestre, John O'Shea - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Juan Sebastian Veron, Ryan Giggs - Ruud van Nistelrooy

This was not the most glorious period in United's history, but they still managed to lift the Premier League title. £28 million midfield misfit Veron was sold to Chelsea at the end of the season and Barthez never quite replaced Schmeichel, but Van Nistelrooy's remarkable haul of 44 goals in all competitions helped bring silverware back to Old Trafford. David Beckham ended the season on the bench and was offloaded to Real Madrid.

- - -

2008/09 - Premier League winners, Champions League finalists

Edwin van der Sar - John O'Shea, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra - Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs - Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov

The addition of Berbatov gave United even more depth in attack than in 1998/99. While the Bulgarian has yet to win over the United fans, only three players started more league games, and he weighed in with some hugely important goals. Long-term injuries to Gary Neville, Wes Brown and Owen Hargreaves turned O'Shea and Fletcher from bit-part players into key men. The evergreen Giggs was used sparingly but won the PFA Player of the Year award.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 110 - 129 of 169

Sort comments by: Most recent
  1. YOO HOO, i say chaps is there a 9 o'clock watershed­ on here, if some gentleman could enlighten me i would­ be jolly pleased, what ho.

    From Colin H, on Mon 18 May 9:34PM
  2. Fc@kin r@fa is at it again... B@rkin n moanin n­ groanin... Just like a sore loser that he n loserfool­ r!!
    Some loserfools(more importantly r@fa ) keep­ b@rkin abt "loserfool bieng better than utd coz­ they hv more European cups n hv won 18 titles much­ before utd n hv won more matches than utd n hv lost­ less than utd....."
    I think they need a kick­ below da belt...
    They forgot that UNITED hv twice won­ EPL 3 years in a row, they forgot that loserfool hv not­ won anything this season, they forgot that they have­ NEVER WON THE EPL!!, they forgot that its almost 2­ decades since they won da title, they forgot that by­ beatin utd twice doesn't make em better than­ us(btw, in that 4-1 game, we played better than em, its­ just that we were unlucky), they forgot that they hv­ drawn 11 games(dropped pts against teams that utd hv­ swept aside) which means 22 pts dropped!!
    Moral of the­ story -losefools r nothin but a bunch of m@r@ns n­ b@st@rds who keep cryin n moanin after every­ match!!
    Btw, I gotta thank loserfools fr 1 thing - fr­ tryin the hell out 2 catch utd... That made the title­ race exciting... Had we beaten u at OT we wouldve been­ 10 pts ahead with a game in hand!! That would­ definitely been an end 2 da title race... But coz of u­ , the win is even sweeter... Btw, Loserpool tears r­ delicious!!
    Utd, next mission is 2 create history by­ retaining the UCL, n my sincere appeal 2 utd fans, plz­ do ur best in supporting them, it really helps...
    WE­ BELIEVE!!
    GLORY UNITED!! RESPECT & SALUTE THE­ CHAMPIONS!!

    From dhruvrastogi_rooney, on Mon 18 May 9:26PM
  3. The table does not lie,Man u are the best in the­ land,my team boro are the second crappest.

    From brucey b, on Mon 18 May 9:24PM
  4. What's the only ship that doesn't sail into­­ Liverpool? THE PREMIERSHIP , LOL

    From Pete H, on Mon 18 May 9:22PM
  5. LFCool!: Respect for the Giggsy comment la'

    From Colonel K, on Mon 18 May 9:21PM
  6. WHAN A WAKE OPP WELL A NO IM GOANAY BE IM GOANAY BE­ THA MON HOO WAKES OPP NAXT TAY U. WHAN I GO OOT YEAH I­ NO IM GOANAY BE THA MON HOO GOES ALANG WATH U. AF I­ GET DRANK WELL I NO IM GOAN TAY BE THA MON HOO GEETS­ PASHED NAXT TAY YOU . WELL I WAD WACK FAVE HANDRAD­ MEELS OND I WAD WACK FAVE HANDRAD MAR DO DO DO DO DO­ DO. 500 MEELS, THA PROCLEEMARS.

    From donneysbeck, on Mon 18 May 9:20PM
  7. WHAN A WAKE OPP WELL A NO IM GOANAY BE IM GOANAY BE­ THA MON HOO WAKES OPP NAXT TAY U. WHAN I GO OOT YEAH I­ NO IM GOANAY BE THA MON HOO GOES ALANG WATH U. AF I­ GET DRANK WELL I NO IM GOAN TAY BE THA MON HOO GEETS­ PASHED NAXT TAY YOU . WELL I WAD WACK FAVE HANDRAD­ MEELS OND I WAD WACK FAVE HANDRAD MAR DO DO DO DO DO­ DO. 500 MEELS, THA PROCLEEMARS

    From donneysbeck, on Mon 18 May 9:18PM
  8. When I read comments like yours it just makes me wonder­ if the author really understands football?
    Manchester­ united DO NOT buy titles, that tag belongs to Chelsea­ (for buying through another mans money not the club­ itselfs money). Manchester Uniteds buying is from money­ the club itself generates (self sufficiency) hence we­ buy players from money made from merchandising sales,­ big attendances plus all the other factors that­ contribute, the point is the club although in debt is a­ successful 'self sufficient' business, our debt­ is gradually being paid back while we generate enough­ money to buy new players, its all part and parcel of­ successful business, its called growth.

    From Skittles, on Mon 18 May 9:10PM
  9. When I read comments like yours it just makes me wonder­ if the author really understands football?
    Manchester­ united DO NOT buy titles, that tag belongs to Chelsea­ (for buying through another mans money not the club­ itselfs money). Manchester Uniteds buying is from money­ the club itself generates (self sufficiency) hence we­ buy players from money made from merchandising sales,­ big attendances plus all the other factors that­ contribute, the point is the club although in debt is a­ successful 'self sufficient' business, our debt­ is gradually being paid back while we generate enough­ money to buy new players, its all part and parcel of­ successful business, its called growth.

    From Skittles, on Mon 18 May 9:09PM
  10. Let's get one thing straight. Ferguson's­ greatest feat was with Aberdeen. That club with­ Ferguson was the greatest thing ever achieved by­ anyone. That team could EASILY that vain bunch today.

    From joeinnes, on Mon 18 May 8:57PM
  11. Barcelona are on Cruise Control till Rome resting most­ if not all their starters till the big clash in­ Rome...And Barcelona is having a better year then Man­ U....a couple of bumps but they got the points and­ goals needed to continue for bigger silverware..

    From carlos c, on Mon 18 May 8:47PM
  12. One must no be rude on here, but while nobody is­ looking here goes, poo, there i did, titter titter­ titter, hope i am not in trouble chaps.

    From Colin H, on Mon 18 May 8:46PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Got some rude messages from manu fans, damn blighters,­ i told them i would bash them with my polo stick, that­ saw the scoundrels off, tally ho chaps.

    From Colin H, on Mon 18 May 8:25PM
  14. JohnPaulMac, i suggest you do your research on who just­ how much Benitez has spent since he came in , Torres­ aside he has bought complete @#$% and then had to sell­ them again.
    Man Utd have been able to buy through their­ success and the fact they have a ground worthy of the­ Champions which brings in much needed revenue.
    This Utd­ bought the title is nonsense and sour grapes, get a­ grip, and NO i am not a Man Utd fan, just sick of­ Liverpools and Benetizs moaning.
    Get a grip you sore­ losers.

    From bobbrookes, on Mon 18 May 8:23PM
  15. I hope Barcelona have a quite spiffing game, if they­ win i shall have a small glass of sherry what ho chaps.

    From Colin H, on Mon 18 May 8:19PM
  16. I WETCH A TV MOVESAY WAN TEEM WERE A BYE EAT TAY MACH­ OND HE EXPLOAD

    From donneysbeck, on Mon 18 May 8:19PM
  17. Very naughty Ronaldo

    From Colin H, on Mon 18 May 8:16PM
  18. Beastly manu

    From Colin H, on Mon 18 May 8:16PM
  19. I say Carruthers dont you just dislike that beastly­ team manu, they are so naughty on the pitch, makes you­ want to stamp your foot. Their manager is not a likable­ chap and they do not play to the rules, just not­ cricket i would say old bean.

    From Colin H, on Mon 18 May 8:13PM
  20. Andy Pandy,
    Credit Crunch you are in it­ DEFICIT NO TROPHIES AGAIN.

    NO SINGING SUPPORTERS,JUST­ GO BACK TO THE MURAL YOU USED TO HAVE.

    WENGER WILL BE­ OFF TO REAL MADRID OR A.C MILAN.

    WHAT YOU NEED IS A­ DECENT BACK FOUR A DECENT MIDFIELD AND­ STRIKERS.

    WENGER WILL GET 99p CHANGE FROM A POUND COIN­ IF HE COULD.

    AL

    From alan, on Mon 18 May 8:10PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account