Man Utd had a fantastic season. At the start of May, they were still in contention for a treble. Finally they ended up with one trophy only but that was the most crucial one. They regained the English Premier League title after 4 long years. It was a rollercoaster ride and there were plenty of ups and downs along the way. Here is a look at all the significant incidents that happened during the season.
Not Many Transfers – Chelsea rocked English football by signing Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko. They also bought Salomon Kalou, Khalid Boulahrouz and Ashley Cole. Their squad looked scary on paper. Arsenal bought Tomas Rosicky, Julio Baptista and William Gallas. Liverpool captured Dirk Kuyt, Craig Bellamy, Jermaine Pennant etc. With rivals pulling off so many transfers, Man Utd were also expected to spend big time in the transfer market but they didn’t. Michael Carrick was bought from Tottenham and that’s it. Man Utd’s prolific goal scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy left the club to join Real Madrid and SAF didn’t even add a suitable replacement to the squad. Owen Hargreaves and Fernando Torres were identified as potential transfer targets but they couldn’t be brought to Old Trafford due to various reasons.
Fruitful Pre-season – Man Utd prepared for the season with a series of exciting pre season matches. First, they went for an African Safari and played against South African clubs Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. Then, they came back to Europe and played against Celtic, Porto, Ajax and Sevilla. They won most of these games comfortably and looked all set to have a crack at the top level.
Excellent Start to the Season – Great results are always built on good starts. You cannot expect to slip up early and play the chasing game for the rest of the season. Man Utd got off to a perfect start both domestically and in Europe. Rooney and Ronaldo left behind their World Cup rift and combined to produce a perfect show as Man Utd routed Fulham 5-1 in the season opener. Man Utd won their next 3 games in the EPL beating Charlton, Watford and Tottenham. In Europe, Man Utd were tentative as they have always been but they got the right result against Celtic as they won 3-2.
Halted by the Gunners – Man Utd’s progress was halted by arch rivals Arsenal when they traveled to Old Trafford. Second choice goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak pulled off a sensational penalty save early on in the game but was helpless as Emmanuel Adebayor scored past him in the dying moments of the game. Man Utd couldn’t recover from this shock and were held to a draw at newly promoted Reading.
Back on Track – After two bad games Man Utd got their act together as they defeated Benfica in hostile conditions in Lisbon 1-0. They crushed FC Copenhagen in their next European clash 3-0. Man Utd’s sensational form continued in the EPL and Newcastle, Wigan, Liverpool and Bolton were all on the receiving end of the onslaught. Rooney was back in form with a hat trick at The Reebok Stadium against Bolton. Man Utd also defeated Crewe Alexendra in a Carling Cup clash.
Cup Woes – Man Utd’s form in cup competitions dropped drastically as they were knocked out of the Carling Cup by minnows Southend Utd. They lost two straight games in Europe as well. Marcus Allback scored the winner for FC Copenhagen while Nakamura scored a sensational goal to win the game for Celtic. In both these games, Man Utd were the better side but were unlucky not to score. This left United needing a point off their last group game against Benfica to qualify for the knockout stages.
Good Form in EPL – Man Utd left their cup miseries behind as they got the better of in form Portsmouth, Blackburn and Sheffield Utd in the EPL. They reached the top of the table in the league.
Juggernauts Collide – At a crucial juncture, Chelsea visited Old Trafford. Man Utd looked on course for a win as Saha scored an early goal but Carvalho equalized through a header. The match ended 1-1 and there was no change in the situation at the top of the table. Man Utd went on to win against Everton and Middlesbrough to keep the pressure on Chelsea.
Vengeance – Last year, Man Utd finished their UCL group at the bottom. It was a humiliating experience. Man Utd needed to beat Benfica in their last match last year to reach the knockout stages but things didn’t turn out their way. This time Man Utd needed a draw to qualify. They started the match poorly and conceded a goal. Aerially strong Vidic scored the equalizer just before half time to give a lifeline to Man Utd. In the second half, Man Utd were all over Benfica. Giggs and Saha scored to give Man Utd a 3-1 win and a ticket for the Round of 16. The draw for the Round of 16 put Man Utd up against Lille, another team that was in Man Utd’s group last year. Vengeance was on the cards again.
New Manager Syndrome at Upton Park – Man Utd visited relegation threatened West Ham after winning the Manchester derby. West Ham had gone through a change. Alan Curbishley had taken over as the Hammers’ boss. The new manager syndrome at Upton Park worked as West Ham stunned Man Utd. Nigel Reo-Coker scored the only goal of the game. Man Utd attackers had plenty of shots on goal but they were frustrated again and again by the Hammers’ defense. This loss reduced Man Utd’s lead at the top to only 2 points.
Merry Christmas – Normally, Christmas time is vacation time. Even the football leagues in Europe come to a halt. But this time, Christmas was not a holiday season for English clubs. Man Utd had 4 games in 10 days and most other clubs had similar schedule. Everyone knew that the team that comes out of this hectic period with most points might take the crown. Chelsea took on Reading knowing that a win will put them on top (temporarily). But, Steve Coppell’s Reading had other ideas. A gritty 2-2 draw gave Man Utd a chance to extend their lead to 4 points. Man Utd took this opportunity with both hands and defeated Wigan 3-1. Man Utd went on to beat Reading as well while Chelsea were held by Fulham. At St. James’ Park, Man Utd threw away the lead twice to end the game 2-2 but to their relief, Chelsea couldn’t break Aston Villa down and the lead at the top remained 6 points. Christmas period was indeed a great time for Man Utd as rivals Chelsea slipped up again and again.
Villa Double – Former Celtic and Barcelona legend Henrik Larsson joined Man Utd on loan as they geared up for their first FA Cup tie. Henrik Larsson had his debut against his former Celtic boss Martin O’Neill’s team Aston Villa. He scored on his debut and thanks to an injury time winner from Ole Gunner Solskjaer, Man Utd moved into the next round. Man Utd beat Aston Villa in their next Premiership game to keep the pressure on Chelsea.
Gunners do it Again – Man Utd traveled to the Emirates for the first time knowing that a win will extend the lead to 9 points as Chelsea were beaten by Liverpool last evening. Man Utd were well on course for a win as Rooney scored after a long time. With only 10 minutes left, Man Utd had the upper hand but Robin van Persie came in as a substitute and scored the equalizer for Arsenal. Thierry Henry added salt to the wounds as he scored an injury time winner for the Gunners. This loss didn’t change the situation on top but Man Utd were left disappointed not to have capitalized on the advantage they had.
Sensational Comeback – After a demoralizing defeat at the Emirates, Man Utd needed some inspiration to get back to winning ways and Rooney was the source of that inspiration. He came on as a substitute against Portsmouth in the FA Cup tie and scored a brace to seal the win for Man Utd. United crushed Tottenham 4-0 at White Hart Lane which proved to be one of their best away games of the season. They also beat Watford and Charlton to maintain the lead to 6 points. In the FA Cup, Man Utd were held by Reading at Old Trafford but they were all over Reading in the replay, scoring thrice in the first 7 minutes. They moved to the quarter finals of the FA Cup where they were drawn against Middlesbrough.
French Trouble – Time for the long awaited European clash arrived. Man Utd were up against Lille. It was a tie marred by fan trouble. Ryan Giggs scored a cheeky goal to win the crucial away game for Man Utd. A lot of controversy surrounded the goal but it was not ruled out. Henrik Larsson scored in his final appearance as a Man Utd player in the second leg to win the tie for Man Utd 2-0.
Season Defining Comeback at Craven Cottage – Man Utd traveled to London to take on Fulham. It was expected to be an easy game but things didn’t turn out to be that easy. Man Utd played badly but they came out as eventual winners which matters most. Brian McBride’s early strike was cancelled out by a Ryan Giggs volley. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a sensational late winner to give Man Utd the win. These are the kind of games that win championships. If you can pull off a win even on your bad day then nothing more can be expected.
Anfield Conquered – The biggest rivals in English football collided at Anfield. This match, like the last game, was dominated by Man Utd’s opponents but still Man Utd got the win. Liverpool had plenty of chances to score but great defending and Van Der Sar’s great form denied them each and every time. Paul Scholes was sent off late in the game for attempting to punch Xabi Alonso. 10 men Man Utd side continued to battle with determination and got the reward in injury time. John O’Shea was in the right place at the right time to score a sensational winner when a Ronaldo free kick was pushed away by Reina. This victory increased Man Utd’s lead at the top to 12 points but Chelsea had 2 games in hand.
Moving on in Style – After morale boosting victories over Fulham and Liverpool, Man Utd looked unstoppable. They defeated Boro in the FA Cup quarter final. The game at the Riverside ended in a draw and Man Utd clinched the victory at Old Trafford thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty. Man Utd carried this excellent form in the EPL as well when they crushed Bolton and Blackburn to keep up the pressure on Chelsea who were still trailing by 6 points.
Stopped in Rome – Man Utd drew AS Roma in the UCL Quarter Finals. This was the first meeting between the two clubs and things didin’t turn out to be too well for United. Scholes was sent off at the half hour mark and 10 men United team struggled for the rest 1 hour. Taddei scored a deflected goal for Roma just before half time. Rooney equalized in sensational manner in the second half but Vucinic won the game for Roma later. It wasn’t a bad result considering the situation. In the next Premiership game, Portsmouth stunned United to reduce the lead at the top to only 3 points. Things started to go against Man Utd as the season approached its climax.
In Seventh Heaven – Man Utd were a goal down as they kicked off against AS Roma at Old Trafford. Not even a Manc in his wildest of dreams could have guessed the scoreline of this game. Goals just kept on coming. Carrick scored the opener and it started. Smith and Rooney scored in a space of 2 minutes. Ronaldo joined the party with goals on either side of half time. Carrick scored another screamer at the hour mark. De Rossi scored a consolation goal for Roma. Substitute Evra scored as well to take the score to 7-1. This was the final scoreline. Man Utd showed every critic what they are capable of at European level as they stormed into the Semifinals of UCL. Man Utd carried their excellent form in the FA Cup Semifinal against Watford as they won 4-1. Then, they beat Sheffield Utd in the EPL and things were moving smoothly.
Boro Revenge – Man Utd went into the game against Middlesbrough without several key defenders. Richardson scored an early goal but this strike was cancelled out by Mark Viduka. He took full advantage of Ferdinand’s injury to score the equalizer. Boro took revenge for the defeats they suffered at the hands of United in the Premiership and the FA Cup earlier in the season. Chelsea needed to win at St. James’ Park to slash the lead to only 1 point but a determined Newcastle side held Chelsea to a goalless draw. This gave Man Utd a lifeline and a chance to wrap up the title.
What a Match – Time for the UCL Semifinal arrived. Man Utd were drawn against European giants AC Milan. The match was built as a duel between Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, two of the best young players in the world. Both these players started the match on a high. Ronaldo scored off a corner while Kaka scored the equalizer soon. Kaka scored another goal thanks to a blunder by Heinze and Evra. Man Utd were 2-1 down at half time and their European dreams seemed to have crashed right in front of the home fans. But, the team came out inspired in the second half. They dominated Milan completely. Scholes sent a beautiful chip towards Rooney who finished it calmly. It was even stevens again. Maldini and Gattuso left the field because of injuries. It left Milan defence exposed. Man Utd took full advantage and Rooney scored the winner in dying minutes of the game leaving 76000 fans at Old Trafford ecstatic. It was such a crucial win for Man Utd but 2 away goals were conceded too. It was feared that these away goals might haunt Man Utd in future.
An Afternoon Full of Drama – With lots of twists and turns, this afternoon proved to be the defining moment of the league. Man Utd took on Everton at Goodison Park while Chelsea were playing at home against Bolton. Both games started at the same time and it didn’t take long for both teams to go a goal down. Chelsea fought back and scored 2 goals before half time while Man Utd were still one down. If these score lines lasted for another 45 minutes, then Man Utd would have led the table only on goal difference. With lots at stake, second half kicked off. Man Utd found themselves in more trouble as they conceded one more but Bolton reduced the pain by equalizing against Chelsea. Then came the time for a spirited comeback. O’Shea scored once again against the scousers while Phil Neville scored an own goal to give his former club a valuable equalizer. Momentum carried Man Utd from there and Rooney and Eagles finished Everton off with cool strikes. Instead of losing the 3 point lead over Chelsea (which looked highly probable at half time), Man Utd extended the lead to 5 points. Chelsea were in deep trouble as they required to win all their remaining games and hope that Man Utd lost 2 of the 3 remaining games.
Humbled in Milan – With Premiership crown in touching distance, Man Utd traveled to San Siro hoping to make a big impact at the European level as well. But, things didn’t go as planned and it proved to be the most humiliating experience for the squad this season. Man Utd started without core of the defense. Half fit Vidic had to be played because of lack of substitutes. This gave Milan a huge advantage and they scored two quick goals. Whenever Man Utd attacked, one man was always there to apply the brakes. It was Gennaro Gattusso. He had a dream game. Rooney and Ronnie couldn’t get past Gattuso and that ended the game right there. Gilardino added salt to the wounds by scoring the third for Milan. This night taught a lesson to the young Man Utd players and surely they’ll come out stronger, the next time. It also highlighted the need for a defensive midfielder and a target man to take on the giants of European football.
We are the Champions – Manchester derby kicked off in the City of Manchester Stadium with probability of Man Utd being crowned the Champions at the end of the week. It was a game of penalties and both teams won penalties. The only difference was that Ronaldo converted his penalty while Van Der Sar saved the penalty on the other end to heroically win the game for Man Utd. Chelsea visited the Emirates the next day needing a win to stay in the hunt. Their hopes were crushed when Khalid Boulahrouz was sent off and Gilberto finished the resulting penalty calmly. Chelsea clawed their way back into the game with an Essien equalizer but it wasn’t enough to save their title. The match ended 1-1 and Man Utd won the English Premier League for the first time in 4 years.
Formalities – With Premiership title in the bag, Man Utd still had two more league games to look forward to. The next one was against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. It was great to see Chelsea players lining up to honor the new champs at the start of the game. Sir Alex sent all his reserves into this game to give them some valuable experience. The game ended goalless. Man Utd lost their last league game against West Ham at Old Trafford but it didn’t really matter. Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs lifted the trophy and 76000 fans at Old Trafford went ecstatic. Man Utd against all odds had won one of the most competitive leagues in the world. Every manc was waiting for this moment to arrive and Old Trafford erupted with joy as the trophy was lifted.
Season Finale – Man Utd had won the Premiership but the season wasn’t over. It was cup final time and Man Utd were up against Chelsea at the new Wembly Stadium. Players looked worn out after a grueling season and lack of fringe players was evident. Chelsea did what they are best at - stole the game in the final moments. Didier Drogba scored yet another crucial goal for the Blues as they celebrated their second cup win of the season.
The finish wasn’t ideal for Man Utd but they achieved their top target. Young players gained a lot and they surely will be a force to reckon in the coming seasons. The need for more players was felt towards the end of the season as most players were left worn out due to the lack of substitutes. Sir Alex would definitely look into it and we can expect a lot of activity in the transfer market when the window opens. I expect the team to build itself with such a huge success this season and with so many young players in the squad, this seems to be the only possibility. May this team go on and create history. GLORY GLORY MAN UTD.
