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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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  1. dream on johnpaulmac, you will never win the league­ with Benitez in charge, he outed Keane after spending­ 2O MILLION on him, and United have some great young­ guns coming through, Wellbeck, Evans, Macheda, Rafael­ etc. Benitez is not good enough and deep down you must­ know that.

    From Tony, on Mon 18 May 8:06PM

  2. they did it the hard way!!! i guess SAF did manage the­ team very smart...wining trophies 1 by 1, even though­ had to gamble the FA, but i think he was right to leave­ one rather than nothing...at least he got 1 big battle­ to take care of, and its a potential...i can't­ think of any manager who could have his ability to­ manage the way he­ does(technically/tactically)...credits to him and the­ club...

    From Saiful, on Mon 18 May 8:03PM

  3. Let's see if Barca can repeat that 4-0 of 93/94!­ This isn't the home away of last year when manU did­ their best imitation of any Italian side. Tactics!!!!­ Visca Barca!!!

    From hierroglyphic, on Mon 18 May 7:56PM

  4. Is it really necassary to allow foul mouth comments to­ appear in the comments section? It seems to me that­ some of your contributers require leasons in expressing­ themselves without the necessity to use four letter­ words bearing in mind that youngsters read the­ comments. Come on think before writing.

    From Roy, on Mon 18 May 7:53PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    re page 108 what benitez said wasnt rubbish it was the­ truth united have done well to equal liverpools 18­ titles but the only side fergie has produced that could­ be ranked as his own was the first one with a lot of­ yong players brought through the ranks but alll the­ other teams were bought with a big fat chequebook­ rooney ronaldo van nistleroy berbatov ferdinand the­ list goes on liverpool have onlymatched that spending­ for 4 seasons and if benitez had the same chequebook­ liverpool would challenge united every season.john

    From JOHN, on Mon 18 May 7:51PM

  6. West Brom had a stonewall penalty not given when a­ player was shoved over in the penalty area, can you­ imagine, if that was United every Liverpool fan would­ be coming out with that old 'cheats' chestnut,­ pot,kettle, black me thinks.

    From Tony, on Mon 18 May 7:49PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Tevez is a turd @#$%.
    he has disrespected united, the­ manager and the fans with his constant­ wineing.
    he's also disrespected england. hes been­ over her for over 3 years and still hasn't bothered­ to learn the language. illiterate argy @#$%.

    From Fat Spanish Waiter, on Mon 18 May 7:49PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    A SAY A HOV A BAG BELLAY NAY. A FINK OM GOAN TAY BARST.

    From donneysbeck, on Mon 18 May 7:46PM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    A EAT 2 DANNARS, 5 BASCATS, AN ICE LALLAY OND 2­ BANANAS. OM STUFFED NAY.

    From donneysbeck, on Mon 18 May 7:45PM

  10. What makes me laugh about you manu turd thickos is the­ changing of the name of the First div, it is still the­ same whatever @#$% name you give it. Titles that's­ all the name means fu ck all. A similar example that­ should please you though, Leeds are in the third­ division, now that is funny.

    From Colin H, on Mon 18 May 7:40PM

  11. comment 91, have to agree about Giggs and Scholes,­ Scholes was always the first i would put in my England­ team. Manu have one other true pro and that is Tevez,­ the guy is the top pro in this country buy a mile, that­ Ronaldo turd is not fit to clean his boots.

    From Colin H, on Mon 18 May 7:35PM

  12. Utd are excellent I never said they weren't. But­ one day when Liverpool or yourselves go bust remember I­ will have the last laugh. There is only so much banks­ will lend. Credit Crunch Utd. Yes I am a cheeky Gooner.

    From AndyPandy, on Mon 18 May 7:35PM

  13. we have equaled the record 18 leagues but who will ever­ reach our 11 premier leagues, as far as i concerned­ even before this season we have won more, i would love­ to the liverpooll fans faces when reading this article­ even better if rafa read it i would love to here the­ rubbish he would say

    From Jimmyrice man u are champs again, on Mon 18 May 7:29PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I knew Funguscide had two faces, but a five faced @#$%,­ that would be about right. PETE the turd, getting a bit­ obsessed with me ??????, fu cking queer manu turd

    From Colin H, on Mon 18 May 7:28PM

  15. allway new fergie had more than 1 face ,hes the only­ two faced get hat iv heared of..

    From brave heart., on Mon 18 May 7:20PM

  16. pinky got no brain ,brain ,brain ,brain.

    From brave heart., on Mon 18 May 7:19PM

  17. Throughout the season, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea­ have all shown themselves to be great teams. They are­ without question, teams to be proud of. When they play­ at their best, they can match United for flair,­ determination and skill. However, the Premier League,­ as we all know, is not about just beating your main­ rivals. It's a long distance race. Victories­ against the smaller clubs ( no disrespect intended )­ are just as important. This season, United were able to­ gain more points than there rivals and win the league.­ Does this make them better than the rest? Yes it does.­ In a single match, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea may­ beat us from time to time. Good greif, even Fulham can­ beat us on the day! Over a season though, at least this­ year, they were found wanting. I have the utmost­ respect for supporters of other teams and for the teams­ themselves. I don't feel it necessary to be­ insulting to them, but this year, we were better. Good­ luck for next season.

    From David, on Mon 18 May 7:10PM

  18. HEY ANDY PANDY,
    AT LEAST WE­ BORROW.

    NOT BEG OR STEAL.

    IN YOUR LIVERPOOL SLUMS YOU­ LOOK IN A DUST BIN FOR SOMETHING TO EAT YOU FIND A DEAD­ RAT

    AND YOU THINK IT'S A TREAT. IN YOUR LIVERPOOL­ SLUMS

    AL MUFC OK

    From alan, on Mon 18 May 7:03PM

  19. Man U are undoubtfully in form these days, but I still­ think that they rely too much on pace and luck. I'm­ a fan of MU and I can say I find it really hard to­ watch their games, since the selling of Ruud Van­ Nistelrooy - the last complete striker in the team.­ Especially when they are a goal down. A team like this,­ I think, needs a natural striker that can either have­ all defenders on his back, or score a goal in every­ moment, or four goals in some occasions. I think, that­ if Sir Alex, haven't sold Nistelrooy, United would­ have been completely unstoppable these days - with the­ pace of Ronaldo, the dedication of Rooney, the­ technique of Berbatov, the heart and crazyness of­ Tevez, and the coldblooded acuracy of Nistelrooy.
    And­ stop abusing, tell things that has smth in common with­ the article...

    From Ivan D, on Mon 18 May 7:02PM

  20. The Legend is all over the place . Take a good look at­ it... Ryan Giggs is in all teams ...except first !­ Damn... that man is truly a legend.

    From Ionut, on Mon 18 May 6:58PM
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