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United 3 Barcelona 0 (22nd March 1984. European
Cup Winners' Cup, Quarter-Final, 2nd leg. Old Trafford.)
United were two goals down from the first leg, so had their work cut out against
Barcelona who included Maradona and Schuster in their ranks.
It was Bryan Robson's night, scoring two goals in the 22nd and 50th minutes to
put the Reds level on aggregate....with Frank Stapleton ramming home the winner
just two minutes later, to send the 58,350 full-house into ecstasy. The
Spaniards were shell-shocked, and Robbo was carried off the pitch shoulder-high
by jubilant supporters.
United 2 Sheffield W. 1 (10th April 1993.
Premiership. Old Trafford.)
John Sheridan scored from the penalty spot for Wednesday, mid-way through the
second-half to leave United chasing the game. The crowd had visions of the Reds
blowing up again, as they did big-style the previous season, to hand the Title
to Leeds on a plate.
United hammered away at the Wednesday defence. It was deep into injury time when
Steve Bruce finally planted a long-range header into the roof of the Sheffield
net, to put us level. Barely a minute later, a cross from the right was
deflected into the path of Bruce again, to send the ball into the corner of the
net, and the crowd into a frenzy. This was the turning point for United, who
then went on to clinch the Premiership for the first time since 1967.
United 4 Burnley 1 (24th September 1966. Division
One. Old Trafford.)
A goal in this game by Denis Law, stands out as probably the best, and most
memorable goal I have ever seen. A through-ball by Pat Crerand put George Best
clear in the penalty area, just to the right of the Stretford end goal. From
near the goal-line, Best crossed the ball low and hard. It struck a defender's
foot, and spun into the air towards Law, who was standing with his back to goal,
on level with the near-post on the six-yard line. In the blink of an eye, Denis
launched himself skywards and swept the ball into the net with an amazing
overhead kick, leaving the Burnley defenders and the packed Stretford end hardly
believing what they had just witnessed. A goal that will stick in my mind
forever.
United 1 Everton 0 (12th March 1983, FA
Cup, 6th Round. Old Trafford.)
Everton had largely outplayed United in this Cup Quarter-Final. The Everton fans
in the 58,198 crowd had outsung the home supporters, and were about to celebrate
taking us back to Goodison for a replay, when fate took a hand. Deep into injury
time, United were awarded a free-kick near the touchline close to the United
bench. Ron Atkinson, sensing a now-or-never situation, immediately motioned for
the kick to be delayed while he made a substitution, sending on Lou Macari. The
free-kick was launched deep into the Everton box. Macari won the header,
knocking the ball back into the path of Frank Stapleton, who volleyed the ball
into the roof of the Everton net, sending the Reds a further step to Wembley.
Liverpool 0 United 1 (4th April 1979, FA Cup,
Semi-Final Replay, Goodison Pk.)
United had been unlucky in the first game at Maine Road on the previous
saturday. Only an Alan Hansen equalizer eight minutes from time, had prevented
the Reds deservedly taking their place in the Cup Final. This replay had been
just as exciting as the first game.
Both sides had hit the woodwork, when after a spell of Liverpool pressure,
United broke away in the 77th minute to finally claim their place at Wembley.
Mickey Thomas crossed from the left, and Jimmy Greenhoff stooped to nod the ball
past Ray Clemence, sending the Red hordes into ecstasy. Justice had been done.
Wolves 2 United 3 (9th March 1976. FA Cup,
6th round, replay. Molineux.)
The teams had drawn 1-1 on the previous saturday at Old Trafford, so when Wolves
effortlessly went into a two-goal lead inside twenty minutes, it looked grim for
us. However, a great fightback by United forced the game into extra-time, with
the 10,000 travelling support urging them on for the winner, which came from
Brian Greenhoff.
Liverpool 0 United 1 (11th May, 1996. FA
Cup Final. Wembley.)
United had clinched the Premiership the previous weekend at Middlesbrough, and
were attempting to do the Double for the second time in two years. Some were
expecting a classic Final, but in truth it turned out to be a tedious game with
both teams cancelling each other out.
Enter Eric Cantona. With just four minutes left, Eric latched onto a poor
punch-out by David James on the edge of the area, to arrow a shot through a sea
of bodies to win it for us. Sweet.
United 2 Liverpool 1 (24th January, 1999.
FA Cup 4th Round. Old Trafford.)
Michael Owen put Liverpool in front as early as the third-minute, leaving United
chasing the game. The second half saw United applying almost constant pressure,
hitting the woodwork twice and going close time after time. With two minutes to
go Dwight Yorke tapped-in the equalizer, which brought a tidal wave of relief
from the stands. Seconds later, substitute Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer sent us into
delirium when he fired in at the near post, to set United back on the road to
the Treble. Even sweeter.
United 2 Gornik Zabrze 0 (28th February
1968. European Cup, Quarter-Final, 1st leg. Old Trafford.)
Gornik came to defend, leaving the dangerous Lubanski up front on his own.
United spent the entire match battering away at the packed defence, with the
Poles' keeper Kostka having the match of his life, keeping out everything the
Reds threw at him. The breakthrough finally came on the hour, Best cutting in
along the goal-line before crossing hard and low into the goalmouth, the ball
being deflected off Florenski before eluding Kostka. United battered away, but
the elusive second goal didn't come until the final minute when Jimmy Ryan shot
through a forest of legs for Brian Kidd to backheel the ball into the net. A
great attacking performance by the Reds, with a 63,000 crowd providing a superb
atmosphere.
United 1 Red Star Belgrade 0 (19th November
1991. European Super Cup. Old Trafford.)
A low-key game in front of only 22,000, which sticks in the memory for only one
reason. The performance of midfielder Savicevic, who later went on to AC Milan.
He was head and shoulders above everybody else, producing the best display by a
visiting player for many years at Old Trafford. The Red Star team included class
players like Mihajlovic, Jugovic, Belodedic, and Darko Pancev....but the then
unknown Savicevic was the player who caught the imagination of the Old Trafford
crowd, with people around me asking 'Who's that number 10'?
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