FOOTY FAIR

The Pros and Cons of the Three Men Who Could Be in Charge of Manchester United Next Season

2016-03-16T12:00:00.000-04:00

Needless to say, it's been a rough three seasons for Manchester United after the retirement of their legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

After the failure of Ferguson's hand picked successor David Moyes, who oversaw the club's tumble from Premier League champions to a seventh place finish in his lone season in charge, the Old Trafford hierarchy went for top level experience in the form of Louis van Gaal as his replacement.

The Dutch boss though hasn't exactly lived up to expectations, as a huge transfer outlay has only seen the club finish fourth last term and struggle to match even that this season.

Despite rumours of his impending demise doing the rounds since Christmas, Van Gaal has somehow survived and, to the chagrin of many United supporters, may still be roaming the training ground at Carrington next season.

If Van Gaal were to be given the boot though, the two other names that have been mooted as taking over the first team duties are Jose Mourinho and Ryan Giggs.

Including the current boss, here are the merits and drawbacks of each of the three men who could be in charge of the club next season:

Louis van Gaal

Pros: Van Gaal's continued stewardship would bring a stability to the club that has been absent since Ferguson's departure. His willingness to bring through youngsters has also been welcomed by even some of the most vocal critics of his reign.

Cons: The current United boss hasn't only failed to get the results the club's supporters expect, but the football his side has served up has been turgid. Either the players haven't bought into his much bandied about philosophy or modern tactics have passed him by. His record in the transfer for record hasn't been great, with the notable exception of the electric Anthony Martial, and the vast majority of supporters are counting the days until his exit. If he does return next season, expect a dip in season ticket renewals.

Ryan Giggs

Pros: Like Van Gaal, Ryan Giggs would bring a sense of stability and has seemingly been groomed for the role over the past few seasons. The former winger is a club legend and some supporters will welcome "one of their own" taking up the reigns and hopefully getting back to playing "the United way" with attacking wing play.

Cons: The biggest knock on Giggs is a lack of experience and United can not afford to give him an on the job learning experience after these three largely disastrous seasons. He also has the knock on him now of being involved with two failed regimes.

Jose Mourinho

Pros: Jose Mourinho is a serial winner who has scooped up league titles in four different countries, along with capturing two Champions League titles. He would almost certainly want to overhaul the playing squad and return the swagger to a jaded club. The fact that he has come out on top in the past with rivals Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola and seems to actually despise Liverpool will stand him in good stead with United supporters.

Cons: Historically, Mourinho has a shelf life of about three years before things go horribly wrong and he leaves a club under a storm cloud. He has had numerous run-ins over the years with officials, other mangers and players that has reportedly left some in the Old Trafford hierarchy uncomfortable about the prospect of his appointment. That said, it's not as if Sir Alex Ferguson was exactly a saint.

5 Footballers Who Got Caught With Their Pants Down

2016-02-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

For some strange reason there are footballers who simply perform better away from home than they do on their very own stomping grounds.

I'm not talking about their on-pitch contributions though, but rather the unsavoury shenanigans some of them get up to.

The following are five love cheat footballers who got caught with their pants down:

1.) Giggsy Keeps it In the Family

Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs did everything possible to keep the story of his extramarital affair out of the papers a few years back for good reason: he was shagging his brother's wife.

It wasn't just a one time filthy fumble after a drunken Giggs Family dinner either. The former Welsh international had been slipping it between the goalposts of his brother Rhodri's wife for eight long years before the story got out.

With United fans currently calling for manager Louis van Gaal's head, some are suggesting Giggs should take the job. It's not as if Giggs doesn't have experience in taking another man's role and picking up his sloppy seconds afterall.

2.) John Terry Takes One From the Team

Chelsea's Captain, Leader, and Legend John Terry proved himself to be less than an ideal teammate in 2010 when it was revealed that he had engaged in a few rounds of hide the sausage roll with teammate Wayne Bridge's soon to be ex-wife Vanessa Perroncel. Terry would lose his England captaincy over the sordid affair.

There were, naturally, a lot of jokes made about the affair, my favourite of which being, "What do Wayne Bridge's ex-missus and the 2008 Champions League final goalpost have in common? They’ve both been banged by John Terry."

3.) Ashley Cole Get's Around

When Ashley Cole married Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy in the summer of 2006 it seemed like the latest perfect match between football and the world of pop. But despite being wed to the lovely Cheryl, Cole tore through women quicker than he used to get down the left side for Chelsea and England. After a string of affairs his marriage fell apart in less than four years.

Perhaps he would have been happier with a Spice Girl? On second thought that Sporty Spice looks like she'd chop a guy's balls off if they tried something like this while in a relationship with her.

4.) Kolo Toure the Car Salesman

Former Manchester City defender Kolo Toure cheated on his wife with a young model in 2012 while claiming to the unsuspecting bit on the side that he was a car salesman from Ghana.

The Ivory Coast international would sneak into her council flat wearing a pulled down ball cap, so he wasn't recognized, and explained the gifts he was showering her with by claiming record sales.

I've heard of guys pretending to be footballers to land women, but footballers pretending to be car salesmen? Whatever works I suppose.

5.) Ronaldo Gets More Than He Bargained For

One of our loyal readers, Jason Bramble, makes a point each Monday of diligently going through our weekly Football Babes feature and helpfully pointing out when any of them appear to be packing something other than an extra tube of mascara in their pants.

Well, the Brazilian Ronaldo, aka "Fat Ronaldo", could have used Mr. Bramble's services in 2008 when he picked up three prostitutes in his homeland for a bit of slap and tickle, who unexpectedly turned out to be transvestites.

Police were called to his hotel room after he realized the girls all had twigs and berries, flipped out and then refused to pay them £15,000 in 'hush' money. Ronaldo later claimed that he wasn't in the right frame of mind when he picked up the three ladies of the night, while they countered that he knew all along that they were transvestites and also that he hoovered up a few lines of Colombian bam-bam with them for good measure.

5 Ultimate One Club Wonders of the Modern Era

2015-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

The cynic in me tells me that there is no loyalty in modern football. If a rival club comes in waving cash around at a player today, chances are that they and their agent will be pressurizing the player's current employers to make a deal.

Likewise if a few results go against a manager, he becomes a lame duck, players begin to ignore his instructions and sooner than later the poor guy is out the door of your club with his reputation in tatters.

Players can also be susceptible to the axe, or risk being sent to some footballing backwater like Wigan, if heaven forbid they pick up a nagging injury or a drop in form.

It's very rare these days for a player to stay at a club for the entirety of their careers, but here are five of the more notable ones in recent years that became one club for life men:

Francesco Totti, Roma 1993-

Roman folk hero Francesco Totti is still turning out for his beloved AS Roma at age 39 and can rightly be considered to be the club's greatest ever player. Since debuting in 1992-1993, Totti has helped the club to one Serie A title, two Coppa Italia wins, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. Despite interest from other clubs throughout his career, Totti has always stayed loyal to Roma.

Matthew Le Tissier, Southampton 1986-2002

Southampton legend Matthew Le Tissier is occasionally overlooked when fans are discussing the great players who made the early years of the English Premier League so exciting, the fact that he played his entire career with the Saints likely explains that. If you weren't lucky enough to see Le Tissier in action in his prime, treat yourself to this YouTube compilation of his greatest goals.

Paolo Maldini, AC Milan 1985-2009

For a country known for their history of producing great defenders, perhaps Italy's greatest of them all is AC Milan's Paolo Maldini. Spending all 25 seasons of his Serie A career with Milan, the Italian captain won a staggering 26 major trophies, including the Champions League five times, seven Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, five Supercoppa Italiana titles, five European Super Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, and one FIFA Club World Cup.

Ryan Giggs, Manchester United 1990-2014

It just doesn't feel like the same Manchester United these days without the "Welsh Wizard" Ryan Giggs tearing opponents apart down the wing. The brilliant one club for life man, was a part of United's famous Class of '92 FA Youth Cup winning side and went on to become the most decorated player in football history. During his career at United he won 13 Premier League winner's medals, four FA Cup winner's medals, three League Cup winner's medals, two Champions League winner's medals, a World Club Cup winners medal, an Intercontinental Cup winners medal, a UEFA Super Cup winners medal and nine FA Community Shield winners medals.

Carles Puyol, Barcelona 1999-2014

The heart and soul of one the greatest club sides in football history, and likewise an influential figure during a golden period for his country, Carles Puyol is considered to have been not only one of the best defenders in recent decades, but one of the most important. He was the foundation upon which the brilliant Barcelona and Spain sides were built. The big two club's in Spain are known for their buying and selling of players, but Puyol was too good to let go of from the moment he graduated from the youth ranks. He won 21 major honours for Barcelona and was a member of the Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010 winning Spanish sides.

5 Great Welsh Footballers Who Never Played in a Major Tournament

2015-09-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

As a difficult night in Cyprus ground it's way into the last ten minutes on Thursday, with Wales still searching for an elusive breakthrough, you could perhaps forgive some of their more pessimistic fans for believing that more heartbreak was on the cards.

But for the nation that hasn't qualified for a major finals since the 1958 World Cup in Sweden a hero emerged in Gareth Bale, who powered in a wonderful 82nd minute winner to leave the Welsh one win away from France 2016 with three matches to play.

If they fail to capture maximum points against Israel in Cardiff on Sunday, or win away to Bosnia-Herzegovina on 10 October, then surely they'll put away lowly Andorra at home on 13 October. Andorra have lost all seven of their matches and have scored 3 goals while conceding a staggering 27 at this point after all.

So needless to say it would now take a disaster of epic proportions for Wales not to progress.

It's a great moment for the nation of roughly 3 million to finally see their side on the brink of a major finals.

Over the years Wales have produced many wonderful players, who sadly haven't had the chance like this current generation to play in a European Championships or World Cup and the following are five of the best:

Neville Southall (1982-1997, 92 Caps)

One of the best goalkeepers of his generation and Wales' record holder for most caps, Neville Southall kept goal for an all-conquering Everton side in the 1980's and was a part of the Wales sides that came agonizingly close to qualifying for both the 1986 and 1994 World Cups.

Gary Speed (1990-2004, 85 Caps)

The late Gary Speed, who managed his country from February 2011 until his tragic death in November of that year, was an inspirational midfielder who helped Leeds United to the League Championship in 1992, before later enjoying successful spells at Everton, Newcastle United and Bolton. He was a part of a strong Welsh side that finished second in their Euro 2004 qualifying group to Italy, despite beating the Italians on a thrilling night in Cardiff, but sadly lost out on a chance to qualify for Portugal after losing a two-legged playoff to Russia.

Ian Rush (1980-1996, 73 Caps)

The mustachioed sniper supreme Ian Rush, won every major prize in club football with Liverpool FC, on his way to becoming the Merseyside outfit's all-time leading scorer, unfortunately he missed out on the 1986 and 1994 World Cup's by a whisker, along with just missing out on Euro 88.

Mark Hughes (1984-1999, 72 Caps)

Manchester United hero Mark Hughes, who managed the aforementioned Wales side that nearly qualified for Euro 2004, was part of several talented Welsh squads that narrowly missed out on qualification for major tournaments across the 1980's and 1990's.

Ryan Giggs (1991-2007, 64 Caps)

Although his consistent ducking of friendlies didn't sit well with many of the Welsh support base, Ryan Giggs was always there when it mattered for important qualifiers. The flying winger, who would set the record for appearances for Manchester United on his way to winning more English league titles than any player in history, had the misfortune of never getting to strut his stuff on the international world stage.

Is PSG a Big Club or Just a Rich One?

2015-08-04T12:00:00.000-04:00

Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva had some Manchester United fans waving their fists this weekend when he claimed that Angel Di Maria is ‘stepping up to a big club’ by leaving United to join him in Paris.

But are PSG a big club really?

When most fans think of 'big clubs', names like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and, indeed, Manchester United are what immediately come to mind.

Big clubs typically have a rich history of success, wealthy owners, a massive fan base, and are still successful in the current day.

There is a second category of 'big clubs' like Liverpool, Roma or Marseilles who certainly have history, a large number of supporters and have even achieved some sporadic success in recent years but aren't considered to be favourites to win their respective leagues title anytime soon, largely due to not being awash with the cash that's needed these days to scale that peak.

Speaking of cash, a third category of 'big clubs' is the likes of Manchester City or Chelsea that hadn't won a league title in decades before a rich owner swept in and turned them into his successful play thing. Clubs like this had large numbers of supporters prior to these lucrative cash injections, but 'shockingly' their ranks of supporters have swelled since then. I say that with just the slightest amount of sarcasm by the way.

As for Silva's PSG, they were only formed in 1970 and prior to their current owners taking over in 2012 they hadn't won a domestic title in 18 years. In fact they had only won two league championships in total until they were purchased by the Qatari Royal Family and were given the funds needed to subsequently win the last three Ligue 1 crowns.

In contrast, United coach Ryan Giggs, who retired as a player in 2014, won 13 league titles with the Red Devils. That's not mentioning his two UEFA Champions League winners medals to PSG's none.

So in short, PSG are likely in the 'big club' category of Manchester City and Chelsea, although both of those clubs could argue they are bigger than the French side on the account of their history and by virtue of playing in a more competitive domestic league. But to say that PSG is a step up from Manchester United is absolutely laughable.

Football and Yoga?

2015-04-08T12:00:00.000-04:00

A few years back as I was continually struggling with aches and pains after playing football someone suggested to me that I try yoga.
Although I knew that yoga was popular with both sexes in India for example, over here it was mainly women that seemed to practice it. My first class was indeed made up of about 90% women, but once I got past my hang up about being one of the few men in there, I found that the poses and stretches we went through really helped relieve the aches and pains I was getting.

Eventually I admitted to some of my male friends that I practiced at least once a week and even got a few of them into it as well.

Training and conditioning for footballers used to consist of running, more running and perhaps a little bit of time with the ball. But not too much time with the ball, because the conventional wisdom back in the day was that if a player didn't see much of the ball during the week he would be hungrier for it on a Saturday.

This muddled thinking was still by and large present in English football right up until recent decades. Generations of players were created that could run for miles, "putting a shift in" as the saying goes, but could often be found lacking in technique and could be very susceptible to injury.

When Ryan Giggs burst onto the scene with Manchester United in the early 1990's he looked to be one of the most exciting young players the club had brought through in years. Even comparisons to the great George Best saw their way into stories about the curly haired Welsh winger.

But the early part of Giggs career was also marked by recurring hamstring injuries that seemed to take him out of commission at least once a season. With his propensity to break down with injury as he entered his early 20's absolutely no one could have predicted that he would still be playing in the top division of English football at age 40.

How Giggs cut down on the number of injuries that kept him out of action and lasted as long as he did as one of the top players in the Premier League can be put down to something that's rather left field for the often rigid world of football and that's his embrace of the practice of yoga.

Even today yoga is seen by many men in the Western world as something for women or wild eyed granola chomping hippies, but in football circles that attitude is starting to change.

Yoga helps strengthen your muscles, improves flexibility, helps with your sharpness of movement, builds up your balance and most crucially improves your recovery time after physical activity, like playing football.

When practicing yoga all of the joints are mobilized, making your muscle more supple or bendy and stronger.

Whereas a player like Giggs would be in rough shape after completing a 90 minute match, a yoga session the next day would have removed much of his stiffness and had him ready for full training again.

With your body often having to take up unusual positions while taking off balance shots or twisting away from a defender, the flexibility and power gained through yoga not only made a believer of Giggs, but has also caught on with other professional players.

Players like Manchester City's Joe Hart and David Silva have mentioned the effects that yoga has had on their conditioning, while clubs like Southampton have encouraged the practice among their squad. As early as 2006, the German national side was employing a yogi and encouraging their players to attend his sessions.

For a sport that up until a few years ago thought that running until you puked was ideal training, football conditioning is certainly changing and if players want to follow Giggs lead and last in the professional game until they're 40, perhaps more will start practicing yoga.

Football Players Past & Present by Kieran Carroll (Gallery)

2015-03-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Kieran Carroll put together an incredible poster collection of present and past football stars.

If you like his work and would like to purchase some of his posters you can find them at this site https://www.etsy.com/ie/shop/kierancarrolldesign

4 Manchester United vs Arsenal Classics

2014-11-20T16:00:00.000-05:00

As Arsenal prepare to take on Manchester United this weekend at The Emirates, the fixture presents a chance for both sides to kickstart their respective assaults on the top four.
The fact that it's only a top four place the sides are chasing though is a reflection of how both clubs have slipped away from the title reckoning in recent seasons.

With United winning their twentieth league title in 2012/2013, little did they know of the season and half of struggle that lay ahead of them following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement.

As for Arsenal, they have continued to be a good side under Arsene Wenger for the past decade, but they haven't realistically looked like a side capable of winning the league since "The Invincibles" of 2003/2004.

Although this weekends encounter is sure to be exciting it simply can't match some of these sides past meetings for its significance. When Arsenal and United met in the late '90s and early '00s, the title or a cup was usually on the line and there was also a genuine animosity between the two sets of players and their respective managers.

The matches between these sides in that period bubbled with intensity and often generated moments that were season defining.

The following are four Manchester United and Arsenal matches that mattered most:

1997/1998 - 9 November 1997

Arsenal 3 - Manchester United 2
FA Premier League

As champions Manchester United came flying out of the blocks in the 1997/1998 season, Arsenal entered this match at Highbury four points behind and needing a win to stay close to the league leaders. Goals from Nicolas Anelka and Patrick Vieira staked Arsenal to a 2-0 lead before a pair from new signing Teddy Sheringham drew United level. A David Platt goal seven minutes from time though put Arsenal ahead for good.

In Arsene Wenger's first full season at the club, Arsenal would be imperious after Christmas and would win 10 matches in a row en route to winning the league title.

1998/1999 - 14 April 1999

Manchester United 2 - Arsenal 1 AET
FA Cup Semi Final Replay

The 'Ali - Foreman' of English football, this match had absolutely everything and is arguably one of the greatest FA Cup Semi Finals ever played. With Villa Park hosting the two contenders for the league title and that seasons FA Cup, David Beckham gave United an early lead with a dipping shot from distance. Dennis Bergkamp leveled the score in the second half and with Roy Keane's dismissal by David Elleray for a second bookable offence the tie swung in Arsenal's favour. With the Gunners pummeling away at United's goal, Phil Neville tripped Ray Parlour in the box in the 90th minute presenting Bergkamp with a chance to send Arsenal to Wembley. Incredibly, United's Peter Schmeichel

saved the Dutchman's penalty and sent the match into extra time. In the 109th minute, with both sides tiring, United substitute Ryan Giggs picked up an errant pass from Patrick Vieira, drove at the Gunners defence and scored a goal for the ages to settle the match. Manchester United would go on to win a historic Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League title while Arsenal would finish the season empty handed.

2003/2004 - 21 September 2003

Arsenal 0 - Manchester United 0
FA Premier League

In a season where Arsenal went on to finish their league campaign without a loss, it's often forgotten that they were only a cross bar away from losing their unbeaten record in September. United, having finished the previous season as champions seemed to have this ill tempered affair in hand when Arsenal captain was sent off in the 80th minute for appearing to kick out at Ruud van Nistelrooy. Ten minutes later, the Dutch striker had a chance to win the match for United with virtually the last kick, before seeing his effort from the penalty spot crash off the bar. Several of Arsenal's players responded to Van Nistelrooy's miss by confronting the United player and screaming abuse in his face. It was a case of handbags at dawn as the two sets of players fronted up to each other over the incident, but eventually two United and six Arsenal players were charged and fined by the FA for 'improper conduct' over the incident. The Gunners cared little though as this was the closet they'd come to losing all season as they romped to the title.

2004/2005 - 24 October 2004

Manchester United 2 - Arsenal 0
FA Premier League

Known forever as "Pizzagate" or "The Battle of the Buffet" this was the match when Arsenal's record breaking unbeaten run of 49 games came to an end. In an often violent, but always engaging affair the two teams traded blows, literally and in a football sense throughout, but the pendulum swung in United's favour when they were awarded a very contentious penalty after Sol Campbell brought down Wayne Rooney in the box in the 72nd minute. Van Nistelrooy cooly exercised any memories from the year before as he put his side ahead from the spot. A reeling Arsenal were then put away by a goal from Rooney in the 90th minute. Following the match tempers boiled over in the tunnel, where pushing and shoving escalated into Cesc Fabregas throwing a slice of pizza at United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, along with other food items being thrown around. The match left Arsenal furious with the performance of referee Mike Riley, as they not only felt aggrieved by the penalty decision but also by some rough tackling by the United players that had gone unpunished.

In the return fixture at Highbury later that season, the bad blood boiled to the surface prior to kickoff with United's Roy Keane and Gary Neville involved in a physical altercation with Arsenal's Vieira. Despite United winning that match 4-2 to complete a double in the league over the Gunners, it would be Roman Abramovich's Chelsea who would win the title that season. It was the first Premier League crown since 1995 to not be won by either Arsenal or Manchester United and signaled the end of an era in the rivalry between these clubs in their battle for league supremacy.

5 Iconic Goals by 5 Iconic Players

2014-10-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

Scoring a goal is the ultimate achievement in the game of football, because without the goal you can’t win the game. Over the years there have been many incredible goals scored by many incredible players, and it would be impossible to list them all or make any list.

Everyone has their list of goals and I am no different. I am fortunate enough to have watched these matches on my TV and not just watched the highlights in a YouTube clip. This is my list of five memorable goals and the iconic players that scored them.

Ryan Giggs – Manchester United

Scored vs Arsenal on 14th of April 1999 in the semifinal of the 1998-99 FA Cup

Manchester United had been reduced to 10 players after the sending off of Roy Keane and Schmeichel had saved a Bergkamp penalty to keep the score leveled. The game ended in a 1-1 draw and the match was sent to extra time. In extra time with only 10 minutes left before a penalty shootout would decide the winner, Ryan Giggs takes possession of the ball and scores one of the most memorable goals not only in Manchester United history but also in FA Cup history.

Lionel Messi – Barcelona

Scored vs Getafe on 18th of April 2007 in the semifinal of the 2006-07 Copa Del Rey

This goal holds a very similar resemblance to the one Maradona scored against England in the 1986 World Cup, but this time was the man many see as the successor to Maradona in the person of Lionel Messi. The goal came in an important semifinal against Getafe, but it wasn’t enough to see Barcelona advance to the final. Barcelona won the match 5-2, but lost the second leg in Getafe 4-0.

Marco van Basten – Netherlands

Scored vs USSR on 25th of June 1988 in the final of the 1988 UEFA Euro Cup

Netherlands has had many great teams over the years but this was the first major title won by them. Marco van Basten cemented his legacy not only with winning this major tournament for his country but by scoring one of the greatest goals in Euro Cup history. He led the tournament with 5 goals and was also named the player of the tournament.

Zinedine Zidane – Real Madrid

Scored vs Bayer Leverkusen on 15th of May 2002 in the final fo the 2001-02 Champions League

The game was tied 1-1 when Zidane scores one of the most incredible goals in Champions League history. It would also turn out to be the game winner and give Real Madrid the so desired Champions League trophy.

Diego Maradona – Argentina

Scored vs England on 22nd of June 1986 in the quarterfinal of the 1986 FIFA World Cup

The 1986 World Cup was marked by two goals, both scored by Maradona and both in the same game. To me the greatest goal ever scored in any competition was the second goal scored by Maradona against England in the 1986 World Cup. The 55th minute of that game will always be marked by the incredible run from Maradona that ended with him putting the ball by English goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

The Monday Meltdown - Love United, Hate Glazer

2014-08-18T15:00:00.000-04:00

As Manchester United slumped to a 2-1 opening day defeat to Swansea at Old Trafford, the focus of United supporters frustrations centered on executive vice-chairman Edward Woodward and the Glazer family.

With United finishing a dismal seventh last season, the need to strengthen the squad was critical. With rivals Chelsea and Manchester City adding to their already talented squads, United have sat idly by and have failed to address the clubs pressing needs.

Woodward, a man who appears to be brilliant at signing official partnership deals, is an easy target for fans after his inept displays in the transfer market. Besides missing out on virtually every target the club has pursued in his three transfer windows, they also drastically overpaid for the laughable Marouane Fellaini.

Despite assurances that the club had significant money to spend in the market, Woodward has failed to deliver any further signings after the early captures of Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera, who were virtually locked up a year ago anyhow.

Although Woodward appears out of his depth in the transfer market, the suspicion among many United supporters is that the club owners the Glazers simply aren't willing to spend the money needed to rebuild the club.

The constant speculation leaking out of the club of the money that's available, and the linking of United to various targets smacks of spin doctoring. The club has been supposedly "on the verge of signing" dozens of players over the past few seasons and have in nearly every instance come up short. So fans are understandably skeptical about any news coming out of Old Trafford these days.

Woodward is an understandable target for the supporters frustration, but he is simply a corporate stooge of the vile Glazer family who have done nothing but bleed United dry for the past nine years. After loading the club down with a reported £660 million in debt, after their leveraged takeover in 2005, the Glazers have since floated a limited number of shares on the Singapore Exchange and secured many lucrative partnership deals.

Immediately after the takeover, a group of United supporters, many of which were previously committed and passionate supporters, turned their backs on the club and went on to form FC United of Manchester. The fans that chose to remain at Old Trafford, and attempt to continue the fight on the inside, launched the Green and Gold Campaign in 2010 that at the very least made clear to the Glazers how the fans felt about them.

On the football side, Glazer apologists will point to the trophies won since they took over the club, but that discounts the fact that the core of the title winning sides under their stewardship were largely put together before they arrived. Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, and Cristiano Ronaldo were all purchased for decent sums before 2005, while Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Gary Neville were products of the youth system. The other important point in the titles won under the Glazers was the ability of Sir Alex Ferguson to paper over the cracks.

In 2009, when United sold Ronaldo and let Carlos Tevez go, they should have strengthened what was a very good side then and continued to build in the subsequent years. Instead the playing squad was allowed to age and few suitable replacements were bought in.

The 2011 and 2013 titles were won on the back of Sir Alex being a great manager, the last vestiges of the side that took United to the Champions League title in 2008, and through their main rivals not having vintage seasons.

Every one that has closely watched the club in the past five seasons knew investment was needed and again the club has failed to deliver on that.

Heading into this summer, Woodward promised that United would make an impact in the transfer market and they would bring in some major targets early. The fact that the squad still has gaping holes with only two weeks to go in the window is not only an absolute shambles, but also true to form for this ownership group.

Although Louis van Gaal is a much more accomplished manager than David Moyes, he is not a miracle worker and without any signings United will struggle to crack the top six this season.

Even if United do sign a few players this week, the larger problem continues to be the way the club is run under the Glazers and now that the smoke and mirrors of Ferguson's reign has subsided, more people are beginning to grasp the mess that the club is in. Those that have warned of the precarious financial situation at Manchester United, even during the trophy winning times, must be looking at this situation as the chickens coming home to roost.

I smiled this weekend when I saw the #glazersout hashtag trending on Twitter. Although as fans of any football club we need to air our frustrations at times, this is an utterly futile move. As long as profits roll in, the Glazers aren't going anywhere. Unfortunately the Glazers are not politicians and fans can't vote them out.

Talks of boycotts, which are a bit more meaningful than taking to Twitter, are also flawed by the fact that United are still a popular club for tourists on a day out, they still sell shirts all over the world, and they have extremely lucrative corporate partnership agreements.

I'm afraid that for United it can only get worse before it gets better. For the Glazers to either open the purse strings, or better still sell the club, the self proclaimed "Biggest Club in the World" will have to fall further down in the standings, miss out on the Champions League for a few seasons and then start to lose out on the steady stream of commercial income. Only then will things change.

Manchester United's Best Starting XI

2014-08-05T15:00:00.000-04:00

As I watched Manchester United successfully complete their pre-season tour of America, with a 3-1 victory over rivals Liverpool, I saw a lot to be positive about.
Although the squad still has a few pressing needs, like the signing of a dominant center back, I think there's some great attacking talent at new manager Louis van Gaal's disposal and the club heads into the season with an optimism that was lacking during David Moyes' disastrous reign.

In fairness to Moyes, taking over from Sir Alex Ferguson, after his trophy laden time at the helm, was going to be difficult for anyone though. Besides his gift for intimidating anyone who opposed him, Ferguson was also able to successfully build at least three dominant squads in his time in the Old Trafford hot seat.

Before assessing this years squad I decided to take a moment to look back at the players that contributed to United's success during the past two decades and put together a fantasy XI. I'm guessing that there'll be some debate on a few of my choices, so feel free to add your thoughts in the comments below.

The criteria for my lineup is that I could only include United players from the past 25 years.
Let me know what you think.

Goalkeeper - Peter Schmeichel

This one was a toss up for me between the Great Dane or the brilliant Edwin van der Sar. Both were terrific for United and contributed to numerous triumphs, but I've gone for Schmeichel as he was at the club in his prime. In eight seasons at Old Trafford, he won five FA Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one League Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. After his breakout season in 1992/1993, when he kept an astounding 22 clean sheets as United won the title, the imposing red nosed stopper helped kickstart the clubs two decades of success.

Right Back: Gary Neville

Every Scousers favourite former England International, made 400 league appearances for the club between 1992 and 2011, and is rightly considered to be the best English right back of his generation. Coming through the clubs youth setup, Neville epitomized the spirit of the lauded “Class of 92” generation with his fierce will to win and dedication to his craft. Over the course of his career he won a staggering 8 Premier League titles, 3 FA Cups, 2 Football League Cups, 2 UEFA Champions League titles, an Intercontinental Cup and a FIFA Club World Cup. Although he has moved into a successful career in the media, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back at the club in some coaching capacity at some point.

Center Back – Rio Ferdinand

Although his shameless self promotion, embarrassing TV gag shows, missed drugs test and contract disputes leave a bitter taste in the mouth for some Reds, there’s no denying that at his peak Ferdinand was one of the finest defenders that have ever played for United. The quick and stylish center back was imperious at times for the club and a major part of their success during his twelve years at Old Trafford. His partnership with Nemanja Vidic was the bedrock upon which the clubs success was built for several seasons and it will be strange to see both of them playing elsewhere this season.

Center Back - Nemanja Vidic

Ferdinand’s defensive partner Nemanja Vidic was the perfect foil. Hard as nails, positionally sound and strong in the air, the Serbian defender provided the steel in this terrific partnership and although I was a big fan of Jaap Stam, I have to include Vidic ahead of him as he played for the club for more seasons and was perhaps more consistently excellent. Together with Ferdinand, Vidic helped form Ferguson’s third great side and besides their five Premier League titles together, they also captured the UEFA Champions League crown on a rainy night in Moscow in 2008.

Left Back – Denis Irwin

Although Patrice Evra has been a great player for the club in more recent seasons, I had to go for the reliable Irish International Denis Irwin who was always terrific for United. Besides his excellent defensive play, Irwin provided a cutting thrust with his overlapping runs down the left hand side and even chipped in with occasional goals from free kicks. Irwin made 296 Premier League appearances for United, winning seven Premier League title medals, as well as three FA Cups, a League Cup, a UEFA Champions League medal and a Cup Winners' Cup.

Right Wing – Cristiano Ronaldo

Love him or hate him, there’s few that can argue that Ronaldo is one of the greatest players to have ever graced Old Trafford. Arriving as a flashy, yet skinny teenager from Sporting Lisbon, the Portuguese winger would go on to transform himself through hard work into one of the best players in the world. His 42 goals in all competitions in the 2007/2008 season went a long way towards helping the club secure a Premier League and UEFA Champions League double. With Ronaldo leaving for Real Madrid in the summer of 2009, before he had arguably reached his peak, it leaves a lot of Reds wondering if they could have added to that European triumph in the subsequent years.

Central Midfield - Roy Keane

If you needed a crucial goal, a game changing tackle, a defense splitting pass or a fight, the fiery Irishman was the man for the job. In this team he would undoubtedly be the captain, as he is one of the finest ones United have had. The driving force behind some of United’s success, Keane was so much more than the tough guy he’s remembered as. He was also a fine footballer and a leader of men. It’s unfortunate that his relationship with Ferguson and the club ended badly, but there was an inevitability about that when you consider his character.

Central Midfield – Paul Scholes

Another member of United’s Class of92, the brilliant Scholes is one of the finest passers English football has seen in the past two decades. Besides his range of passing, that was widely admired by such contemporaries as Zinedine Zidane and Xavi, the Ginger Ninja also scored many crucial and spectacular goals over the years that went some way towards helping the club land 11 Premier League titles and various other trophies. Not afraid to mix it up when the going got tough, Scholes was the complete midfield package and a player that United have struggled to replace.

Left Wing – Ryan Giggs

Who else but Giggsy would you expect to see manning the left wing for a dream United XI? Amassing an incredible 963 appearances in all competitions for the club, Giggs would an incredible 13 Premier League titles and thrilled the Old Trafford faithful for 24 years. Keeping himself fit through a strict training regime, which included yoga, Giggs was still an effective player for the club up until his retirement this year at the age of 40. One of the best players that have ever played for United, it’ll be strange to see him on the outside looking in this season.

Forward – Eric Cantona

In the forward positions is likely where most of the arguments with this lineup will come from. Although a strong case could be made for Ruud van Nistelrooy or perhaps Andy Cole to grab one of these spots, I’m going with Eric Cantona and Wayne Rooney as my front two. What can you say about the mercurial Frenchman? Baseball legend Reggie Jackson once called himself “the straw the stirs the drink” when his arrival in New York led the Yankees to back to back World Series titles in the late ‘70s and Cantona had a similar effect for the Red Devils. After narrowly missing out on the title in 1991/1992 to Cantona’s Leeds United, Ferguson was unbelievably able to pry him away from Elland Road and with his collar pushed up the man nicknamed “Le Roi” led United to back to back titles. Inspiring a generation of young players and fans, his impact on the club cannot be measured by stats alone. His style and swagger transformed the club.

Forward - Wayne Rooney

From the outside looking in, it’s funny that one of the highest scorers in United’s history divides opinions so much. But thanks to his contract squabbles and threats of leaving on a couple of occasions, Rooney is a divisive presence in the pantheon of United greats. Despite the off-the-pitch shenanigans of the follicly challenged Scouser and his agent, Rooney has been a terrific player for the club and served as the talisman for a lot of their recent success. Although there’s the perception of Rooney not fulfilling the promise of his youth, he has scored an impressive 216 goals in 442 appearances in all competitions for the club despite not always playing as the main striker and has won 5 Premier League titles.

My 5 Favourite Manchester United Kits

2014-07-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

With the new Premier League season only 30 days away and with most clubs releasing new kits this month, I took a moment to look back at my favourite kits put out by Manchester United, the club I support.

97/98-99/00 European Kit

I remember when this kit came out and my immediate reaction was, “Another red home kit that’s specifically for Europe? Those greedy bastards!” But I have to admit that I like it so much more than the domestic red home kits that came out during this era. It has a great pattern in the background of the shirt that gives a tip of the cap to the Champions League, a nice simple collar, and a nice shield-like United crest. Which United fan doesn’t look at this kit and immediately think of Ole Gunnar Solskjær breaking German hearts?

86/87-87/88 Third Kit

In the risk of appearing to be a football hipster, I simply must include this gorgeous and extremely rare blue kit from Adidas in my list. Used only a few times, this kit has a terrific collar, a vibrant colour with a nice pattern in it, and a perfectly sized club logo. When you think of some of the garbage Nike has put out in the past decade, they would have been wise to study this kit and perhaps bring its genius of a designer on board to recreate a similar effort. This terrific retro number brings back memories of Bryan Robson leading the charge for United in the 1980’s.

92/93-93/94 Away Kit

Fifteen years or so before the green and gold campaign to protest the Glazers, but a hundred years after United forerunners Newton Heath FC originally donned these colours we had the absolute wonder of this particular kit. With a fabulous collar, complete with retro lacing, a big and bold badge, with black trim this is a beautiful kit. I picture a fresh faced Ryan Giggs, with his curly mop of black hair, bamboozling defenders when I see this one.

1990/1991 European Cup Winners Cup Final Kit

It could be the lack of a sponsorship on the front, or just simply the memory of Sparky slamming home the second goal against Barcelona from a tight angle that makes me love this kit. But I think it’s more than that. I mean, just look at that United crest, the retro Adidas logo, the two subtle black stripes and the truly wonderful collar. This is a truly remarkable kit. I don’t want to lower the tone of this article, but I will probably make a mess in my pants if Adidas come out with something even close to this when they take over as our kit supplier next season.

93/94-94/95 Away Kit

At number one is a jersey that was reportedly woven on Mount Olympus by Zeus himself and simply handed down to Umbro. This black with gold and blue trim masterpiece brings to mind visions of Eric Cantona performing acts of wonder on the pitch and even taking time out to dropkick a racist thug up in the stands. This kit sets the standard for all future releases and it’s tough to see it ever being matched. It’ll be hard to recreate a kit of such beauty and power as this one.

I still have this black United away kit that I got for Christmas back in 1994, and although it’s seen better days due to a lot of wear, you’d have to tear it from my cold dead hands to see me part with it. In fact, to hell with it I’m going to get it framed for my basement. Problem solved.

Ryan Giggs and Javier Zanetti - A Legendary Bromance

2014-07-11T17:00:00.000-04:00

Manchester United Legend Ryan Giggs and former Inter Milan star Javier Zanetti got together today on Twitter to discuss their careers.

It's rare these days when players spend the entirety, or at least the bulk of their careers at one club. Players in the modern era change clubs more times than Jennifer Lopez swaps husbands, and yet like a rich socialite they're always batting their eyelids at the next suitor waving a pile of cash, who is also whispering sweet nothings about Champions League football.

Loyalty is a word that most players have no use for, but Giggs and Zanetti were no ordinary players. A chapter in football history closed in 2014 with the retirement of these two legends.

The former Welsh winger, Giggs, is the most decorated player in English football history. Spending his entire 24 year career at Old Trafford, Giggs amassed a record 13 League Titles to go along with his two Champions League wins and various domestic cups.

Zanetti, meanwhile, played 19 seasons for Italian giants Inter Milan after starting his career in Argentina. One of the few non-Italian captains in Serie A, Zanetti captained Internazionale from 1999 until the end of his career this past spring. The Argentine right back won 5 Serie A titles, and a Champions League crown in 2009/2010 as part of a historic treble.

With Giggs moving into an assistant coaching role at United under Louis van Gaal and Zanetti being appointed as a Vice-President with Inter, the two took part in a Twitter exchange today and here are a few of the highlights:

RG: As you know, we both retired this summer. How difficult was your decision? I thought long and hard about it… #GiggsZanetti
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 11, 2014

JZ: I knew it would happen sooner or later. I was lucky to play until I was 40, so I have no regrets #GiggsZanetti pic.twitter.com/yNHQE7kDy4
— F.C. Internazionale (@Inter) July 11, 2014

RG: The reaction I’ve had from fans since I retired has been incredible. You must have had the same at Inter… #GiggsZanetti
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 11, 2014

JZ: The Inter fans showed me love throughout my career. I can't thank them enough for the support #GiggsZanetti
— F.C. Internazionale (@Inter) July 11, 2014

JZ: People always ask me for my best moment but it’s so hard to pick one. Have you got a favourite? #GiggsZanetti
— F.C. Internazionale (@Inter) July 11, 2014

RG: So many! But it has to be lifting the Champions League trophy in Barcelona, back in 1999. You? #GiggsZanetti pic.twitter.com/EWe6atwvlJ
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 11, 2014

JZ: It's hard for me to choose but, like you, it was when we won the Champions League in Madrid #GiggsZanetti pic.twitter.com/Mi5ERsW7qO
— F.C. Internazionale (@Inter) July 11, 2014

RG: If there’s one game you could relive what would it be? #GiggsZanetti
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 11, 2014

JZ: The cup final vs Lazio in Paris in 1998, just to be able to feel all those emotions one more time #giggszanetti pic.twitter.com/tcJa137RbS
— F.C. Internazionale (@Inter) July 11, 2014

JZ: If I ask you the same, I bet you'll say that final against Bayern Munich in 1999... #GiggsZanetti
— F.C. Internazionale (@Inter) July 11, 2014

RG: Definitely… although I only want to relive the last five minutes! #GiggsZanetti
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 11, 2014

Click the following link to view the entire conversation between these two greats on Twitter.

Ryan Giggs Calls it a Day

2014-05-20T11:53:00.004-04:00

"A rather weary one from Vieira...."
In the 109th minute of extra time, Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira attempted to spread the play. His poor ball out to the left was picked off by Ryan Giggs.

"Giggs gets past Vieira, gets past Dixon..."
Giggs ran straight at the heart of the famous Gunners back line, dodging and weaving his way into the box. The ball seemingly glued to his foot. He burst past tackle after tackle until he fashioned a chance to shoot.

"It comes back at him.... It's a wonderful run from Giggs!"
His run seemed to have taken him a little too far to the left, presenting him with a difficult angle. But he had come too far and wouldn't be denied. Giggs slammed the ball into the roof of the net past David Seaman and the rest is history.

It's seems unfair to summarize the career of a man who played 963 times for Manchester United, and won 34 major trophies, by recalling a goal he scored fifteen years ago. But that fantastic goal at Villa Park, in the 1999 FA Cup Semi Final Replay was his opus. The match, played out between the best two sides in the Premiership at the time was English Football's Ali vs. Frazier, "Thrilla in Manilla" moment. It featured a brilliant opener by David Beckham, a great equalizer by Denis Bergkamp, a sending off for Roy Keane and a 90th minute penalty save by Peter Schmeichel. All this brilliant match needed was a suitable finale and Giggs gave it to us.

Besides the importance of the goal that drove United on to an unprecedented treble, it symbolized what United fans saw in the Welsh winger. He was, perhaps unfairly, George Best's heir apparent. A dynamic winger who could take on all comers and score goals. But this goal showed us that he also had Bryan Robson's heart and drive, along with Eric Cantona's intelligence and flair for the dramatic. In scoring this goal Giggs became everything we wanted him to be, from the time he came into the first team as an 18 year old.

If you can break down someone's career into a series of moments, this was the moment of his that shines most brightly. He couldn't do this every week. Circumstance such as his early injuries ensured that, but this goal was how many United fans will remember Ryan Giggs.

As age, along with wear and tear on his hamstrings slowed down his electrifying early pace, Giggs adapted his game and became perhaps more valuable for his calmness and intelligence on the ball than his runs. Just his presence on the pitch could be enough to steady the ship and get the side back on track. As players came and went at United over the past twenty years, he was the one ever present and his leadership ensured that the clubs terrific success continued. Like his peers in the famous Class of 92, Giggs was ingrained with a winning mentality and his attitude infected many who joined the Old Trafford club. By example he helped set the standards that are expected of anyone who comes to United.

It will seem strange to not see Giggs in the number 11 shirt next season, but as he moves into coaching United fans can think back to all of the joy he brought us. Like a title clinching goal against Wigan in 2008, a decisive penalty against Chelsea in the Champions League Final a few days after that, a wonderful goal against Juventus in the fall of 1997 and even an assured performance against Olympiacos at home in this past wretched season that kept United in the competition. But above all many of us will remember a magical night at Villa Park and a Welsh Wizard spinning his shirt over his head after his finest moment.

So long Giggsy.

Tearing You Apart 1991-2014.

Fanning the Flames - Best Football Rivalries - Manchester United vs Liverpool

2014-05-12T14:52:00.001-04:00

Every single professional football league in the world shares one commonality and that is the existence of bitter rivalries between certain clubs. Although these rivalries are often shaped by geography and the relative size of the sides involved, other factors such as politics, religion and economics can also play a significant role.

In this series we will look at the most heated rivalries around the world, focusing on the origins of the clubs long standing feuds, the players involved and some of their classic encounters.

In this week’s edition we’ll look at the English North West Derby between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC.

The North West Derby: Manchester United vs. Liverpool

In the aftermath of Sunday's final day of EPL action, I couldn't help but be struck by the gleeful nature in which Manchester United supporters were celebrating the failure of Liverpool to capture their first title in 24 years. Tweets such as “Chadwick 1 – Gerrard 0” were all the rage on Sunday, as United’s supporters drew attention to the fact that their toothy former fringe player, Luke Chadwick, still had one more Premiership winners medal in his trophy cabinet than Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

The fact that Manchester United fans were in a sense celebrating a title won by Manchester City should tell you who United fans view as their biggest rivals. When the shoe has been on the other foot, as it was in 1995 when Liverpool fans celebrated with their Blackburn counterparts at Anfield as Rovers beat United to the title, the Liverpool faithful have proven to be very much in the “Anyone But United” camp. Like Liverpool’s 2-0 win over a United at Anfield in April 1992, that virtually assured Leeds United of the title, the red half of Merseyside celebrated as if the title was theirs.

To understand the animosity between the two clubs you have to consider the historic rivalry between these two northern cities. During the Industrial Revolution, Liverpool’s ports drove its economy, while Manchester was famous at the time for its booming manufacturing industry. With the opening of the ambitious Manchester Ship Canal in 1894, at the time the largest ship canal in the world, ships could bypass Liverpool and transport goods directly into Manchester. Predictably this resulted in job losses in Liverpool and a deep resentment towards their near neighbours.

Coincidently, the two football clubs met for the first time on the 28^th of April, 1894 with Liverpool emerging as 2-0 winners over Newton Heath, as Manchester United were named at the time.

Matches between the two clubs in the first fifty years of league football were often close affairs, but neither club truly had sustained periods of success during these decades.

It was in the post-World War 2 era, that both sides began to emerge as the two major powers in the English game. After the two clubs battled with Leeds United for major domestic honours in the 1960’s, Liverpool then went on to dominate the 1970’s and 1980’s, winning 11 League titles and 4 European Cups during that period.

The traditional rivalries between the two clubs and their respective cities also intensified from the 1970’s onwards. With the growing problem of football hooliganism in England, many of the matches between the two sides were marred by incidents of violence between the two sets of supporters. Although their matches today are much more tightly controlled by the police, and therefore the number of violent confrontations have decreased, the two sets of supporters still despise each other. It’s not uncommon to hear disgusting chants about the Munich Air Disaster and the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster at matches between the two sides.

The rivalries between the two sets of supporters have been also been fueled by the attitudes of some of the players and managers involved. Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who led United to 13 League Titles and 2 Champions League wins between 1993 and 2013, said that his “greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f**king perch”. Current United striker Wayne Rooney has admitted to growing up “hating the Reds”, whereas Steven Gerrard has swapped jerseys with players from all over the world, but has said that he’d never have a United kit in his house. Gerrard’s camera kissing hijinks after scoring against United have also not gone down that well with the Old Trafford faithful. On the other side of the great English Football divide, former United right back, Gary Neville made himself few friends on Merseyside when he kissed his badge and taunted the away fans after a late winner against Liverpool in 2006.

Of course no piece on the recent animosity between these two sides is complete without mentioning the Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra incident. After being found guilty of racially abusing Evra during a meeting at Anfield early in the 2011-2012 season, Suarez refused to apologize to the French left back and wouldn’t shake his hand when his Liverpool side came to Old Trafford later in the season. Suarez’s subsequent actions and the misguided support offered to him by former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish appeared to have made a tense situation even worse.

In another sign of the rivalry between the two clubs, since the 1964 sale of Phil Chisnall from United to Liverpool, no player has been transferred between the two sides. Although a few players, such as Paul Ince, have played for both clubs in their careers there has not been a direct transfer between the two in fifty years.

Despite the many differences between the two clubs the one thing they do have in common is a bulging trophy cabinet. Between the two of them they have won 38 League Championships, with 18 for Liverpool and 20 for Manchester United. They have also dominated the domestic cup competitions with 11 FA Cups and 4 League Cups for United, against 7 FA Cups and 8 League Cups for Liverpool. They have also been England’s most successful representatives on the European stage with Liverpool winning 5 European Cups and Manchester United winning 3 of their own.

In terms of fans, besides their huge respective local supporters these two giants of the English game have millions of fans around the world and many dedicated fan groups behind them. Both clubs often conduct their pre-season training and matches around the globe, drawing massive numbers wherever they go.

Over the years there have been some classic encounters between the two sides and here are four of the best:

1983 League Cup Final: Liverpool 2 – Manchester United 1
Winners of the 1983 FA Cup Final, Manchester United were 15 minutes away from a domestic cup double after a Norman Whiteside 12^th minute goal. However, Alan Kennedy struck for the Merseysiders to level the score and then Ronnie Whelan won it for Liverpool with a curling shot in extra time. The League Cup win added to the League Championship that Bob Paisley’s side would later collect in what was his final season with the club.

1994 FA Premier League: Liverpool 3 – Manchester United 3
After going ahead 3-0 through goals by Steve Bruce, Ryan Giggs and Denis Irwin in the opening 25 minutes, Manchester United seemed to be in complete control over their bitter rivals at Anfield. However, two goals from Nigel Clough and a goal from Neil Ruddock assured United of what we can only presume was an angry lecture from Fergie after fulltime.

1996 FA Cup Final: Manchester United 1 – Liverpool 0
Definitely not one for the purists, this tense stalemate meant more to Manchester United in terms of its context in their history. The late winner from Eric Cantona capped a remarkable comeback from the Frenchman, who had been suspended for eight months for attacking a Crystal Palace supporter the season before. It also completed a major domestic league and cup double for a young United side that had been written off at the beginning of the season.

1999 FA Cup 4^th Round: Manchester United 2 – Liverpool 1
In a season where Manchester United went on to win an unprecedented League, FA Cup and Champions League treble, the turning point for many United fans is when the club fought back from a 2^nd minute goal by Liverpool’s Michael Owen, with two goals at the death by Dwight Yorke and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.