The United players were certainly not at their best in the match against Newcastle, who displayed a terrific performance at Old Trafford. On a rain-sodded pitch, Newcastle United took advantage of the lazy and immature defending of the United back four. But they had to go back without even a point after succumbing to the pressure after an improved performance by United in the second half.

The match started with a shock goal from James Perch on the fourth minute, who was at the right place at the right time to pounce on the ball parried off by David De Gea for a simple tap in. Manchester United levelled through Jonny Evans, who again gave the lead back to Newcastle after scoring an unfortunate own goal. The own goal was first disallowed for offside; however, referee Mike Dean over-ruled the decision of the linesman and allowed the goal.

The second half began more positively for United, with a much improved performance and creation of chances. However, Newcastle were defending aggressively, and United didn’t have a clear chance to score, until, amid the mayhem in the Newcastle box, Patrice Evra found the ball at his feet and thudded the ball along the ground to score the equalizer. The crowd found their voice back and the pressure was certainly back on Newcastle now. However to the disbelief of the home supporters, Newcastle again took the lead with 22 minutes remaining, after, ex Manchester United player – Gabriel Obertan – took advantage of the clear space available to him down the left flank and slid the ball across the area, only for Cisse to score an unstoppable finish. Inevitably, Manchester United drew the score within 2 minutes through Robin van Persie, who finished clinically for a low shot past the Newcastle keeper Krul. With 15 minutes remaining, Manchester United looked certain to take the lead for the first time in the match when Chicharito rounded Krul, but the Mexican had his options shut down by some quick defending from Newcastle back four. With ten minutes remaining, Chicharito leapt to meet Valencia’s cross, but missed the golden opportunity, as he nodded the ball outside of the upright.

Just as it seemed that Manchester United were going to snatch a late victory, Newcastle came agonizingly close to scoring, as Ameobi’s shot hit the post and came to the hands of De Gea safely after rebound. As the game continued towards a draw, Chicharito headed Giggs’ cross straight at Krul from point blank range. But just as the clock hit the 90th minute, Chicharito sent Old Trafford wild. The little Mexican had spent much of the match being caught offside, but this time, he timed the run perfectly to be level with the Newcastle defense, reaching Carrick’s exquisite pass to slide past Krul a perfect finish and give United a 7 point lead over rivals Manchester City.

Although the game was worth every penny, the match ended in a sour note as Valencia mistimed his sliding tackle to injure Vernon Anita, who was then carried off the field.

Although England have a number of strikers available to them, they have always entrusted Rooney with the job.
Many Three Lions supporters, who are not supporters of Manchester United have always complained that Wayne Rooney has done nothing for his country and hence, cannot be categorized as a world-class player. They maybe somewhat right with their proposition. There is no doubt that Wayne Rooney is an exceptionally talented player with great speed, accuracy and commitment. But all these aspects of his game have been seen only when he plays for his club – Manchester United. Many England fans were disgusted with the performance of English players in the last World Vup and blamed Wayne Rooney for his poor performance too.

But the fact that Rooney has underperformed for England may indicate that the style of play of the Three Lions doesn’t suit the play of Wayne Rooney. Rooney always likes the free role that he plays for his club, but when it comes to England, he mostly plays as the lone striker. We all know that Wayne Rooney can finish, but he is not a natural finisher. He plays at his best when he is free to move around the pitch. Now, this is where the propositions come into play. A world class player is a world class player because he can adopt to the changes in teams and playing positions. We have seen Rooney perform well in different positions for United, but when it comes to England, Wayne just fails to impress.

It’s not that Wayne Rooney doesn’t give his full effort when he plays for his country, but it just hasn’t happened for him so far, while playing for England. He has always said that he is 100% committed to help the Three Lions win, and Roy Hodgson has also said that Wayne Rooney is the future captain of England, but until England win something and Wayne Rooney scores a considerable number of goals for the Three Lions, he will still be facing such accusations and allegations from English supporters (other than the Old Trafford faithful).

Rooney is not the only well established player who faces such allegations. Lionel Messi is a classic example: Messi has been mesmerizing for Barcelona throughout his career, but when it comes to playing for his national side – Argentina, Messi has failed to impress. A lot of football legends have argued that Messi cannot be compared to the likes of Pele, Maradona, Zidane and others because he hasn’t performed at the same level for his country. Hence, for a player to be truly a legend, he has to perform both for his club and country.

At 26, Wayne Rooney has a lot of time to improve on his England career and win a major title with the Three Lions. To be classified as a truly world class player, he must perform for England at the same level as he does for Manchester United. Perhaps, he needs someone in the England coaching staff to give him a ‘Hairdryer Treatment’ when he is playing for England.

In the summer of 2012, during the transfer period, there was a lot of speculation in the press and the football world about the new signings that Sir Alex Ferguson would make after a disappointing trophy-less season, in which Manchester United lost the Premier League to their fiercest rivals Manchester City on goal difference, and also got knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage itself. However, not many were confident and sure enough about the marquee signing that Ferguson would ultimately make – Robin van Persie. Although there was news about RVP’s possible exit from Arsenal, there was interest from other top clubs like A.C. Milan and also Manchester City. Nobody believed the possibility of RVP’s move from Arsenal to MUFC, although there were interest from the gaffer. This was mainly because Arsenal and MUFC have always been rivals, and there was no way Robin van Persie was going to be sold by Arsene Wenger to MUFC. However, on 17th of August 2012, the unthinkable happened. RVP was transferred to Manchester United from Arsenal for £24 million.

Although RVP’s quality was never a doubt, questions were raised over his age, durability, fitness and the amount Fergie had forked out for a 29-year-old striker who Arsenal were not willing to offer a contract of more than 2 years. However, everyone at OT were ecstatic about the arrival of a truly world class player, and the fact that they had got him from a rival club made it even sweeter.

Now, after just 10 Premier League matches, Robin van Persie has scored 10 goals in all competitions for Manchester United and leads the goal tally, both for the club and in the Premier League. Van Persie is now being compared to one of the youngest United legends – Ruud van Nistelrooy. Ruud was one of the greatest strikers ever to play for United, smacking a mind boggling 150 goals for the club in just 5 seasons. Robin van Persie, another Dutch class, is now being compared to Nistelrooy for his similar ability to score goals during his stay at the club. At 29, van Persie can definitely play at the current level for 3-4 years easily, and it would be no surprise if he comes close to the goal tally of Nistelrooy or even matches it. Each and every MUFC player has hailed the arrival of RVP in the club, and believe that he has added more depth to the team. The players have also said that RVP’s arrival has lifted their morale and belief, and Sir Alex Ferguson believes that with the signing of Robin van Persie, the future of the club is stable. The gaffer goes on to say that with the addition of RVP, along with the other new signings, United can go on to win the UEFA Champions League this season. Persie’s addition has given United a great attacking force along with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welback. Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has said that the Red Devils have the best attack in the world with the addition of Robin van Persie.

Much like Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robin can convert half chances more often than not, and hardly misses any decent chance that comes his way. This makes him a great threat in front of goal, just like the former Dutch striker. Now the question is whether Van Persie can continue his goal scoring record for the rest of the season and in the seasons to come. If he can keep himself injury free and motivated, I think he can go a long way. He has many examples in the dressing room of United itself that he can look up to – Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes or even the gaffer! If Robin van Persie can emulate the determination and motivation of these players, then there is no stopping him.

It was almost inevitable Robin van Persie would score against his old club Arsenal and he did exactly that. Although it was very early in the game he pounced on the mistake of Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen. The match summed up the form the Gunners have been this season. Manchester United completely dominated the game, constantly creating chances and coming close to scoring.

With just three shots on target and a consolation goal from Santi Cazorla, Arsenal had nothing positive, to take away from this game. On the other hand, Sir Alex Ferguson will be happy with the result, but with so many chances wasted today, there is every possibility the United players would’ve received the hair dryer yesterday. The final score doesn’t even come close to reflect the actual performance of the two teams, and after losing the title last year on goal difference, Fergie would’ve been be livid with the number of chances United missed.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Robin van Persie of Manchester United shoots during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on November 3, 2012 in Manchester, England.

United were leading the match 1-0 in the first half and should have made it 2-0 after a penalty was awarded just before the half-time for a hand ball by Santi Cazorla in the box. Although, it was harsh, but the correct decision. But the golden opportunity to double the lead was wasted, as Rooney, who came up for the penalty, skewed the kick wide.

However, United finally scored the second goal through the header of the shortest United player on the pitch – Patrice Evra. Wayne Rooney‘s cross was converted by Evra easily, even with about six to seven Arsenal players in the box. Although the Arsenal defense has been one of the best this season, they were at sixes and sevens today, with Valencia proving to be a constant threat on the right hand side, along with the Brazilian Rafael against Andre Santos. Arsenal players seemed to lack the will and urge to drive forward or have possession of the ball.

Rooney was the exact opposite. Playing in the heart of midfield, he constantly looked for the ball, intercepting the passes of the Arsenal players, making tackles, picking passes and trying to score goals. It almost looks like Ferguson is thinking of replacing Scholes with Rooney, and honestly, he seems to fit the bill.

Coming to the match, unlike the old days, it wasn’t an intense match from the perspective of tackles and challenges, however, referee Mike Dean wasn’t shy of showing yellow cards (8). Two of the yellow cards were shown to Jack Wilshere, who was playing only his second match after returning from injury. He looked a frustrated figure on the pitch, and had one too many tackles against the liking of the referee and was shown the second yellow for a late challenge on Evra. After Arsenal were reduced to 10 men, it was all but over and United just tried to keep possession with the occasional attempts at goal. The result was to be 2-0 at the end of the game, and only the third clean sheet for United this season, but it wasn’t to be.

David De Gea, who was virtually a bystander for the whole match, apart from a good save from Giroud, was beaten by a wonderfully struck curling shot from Santi Cazorla. That goal proved to be a mere consolation for the visitors and was the last kick of the match. The match ended with United 2 – Arsenal 1.

Manchester United, also known famously as The Red Devils, didn’t start playing football in the red kit in which we always see them. In 1878, when Manchester United was formed as Newton Heath, and used to wear a combination yellow and green coloured kit. It was only later, that they started using red coloured kits.

Given below is a list of all the kits, Manchester United players have ever put on. The name of the kit sponsor is shown on the top corner of the kit pictures, as well as on the top of the shirt. The current kit sponsor is Nike, and the shirt sponsor is AIG.

The current 2012-2013 Manchester United football kit has been inspired by the city’s industrious past. The shirt features the iconic gingham check that hailed from Manchester’s famous cotton mills.

Manchester United Football club’s success has been founded on the traditional values of respect and hard work. Those values are what made Manchester the city it is and from the mid 18th century, the cotton mills there were prolific in the industry. From those mills came the gingham fabric, an iconic check that like Manchester United is famous around the world and is now, for the first time, used on a Manchester United home shirt. The inner back neck graphic on the shirt reads, ‘Forged in Industry, Striving for Glory’; paying tribute to the cities industrial past but also the club’s hard-working ethos.

After the end of this Premier League weekend, and after the match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on 28th October 2012, a lot of allegations have been made about the wrong decisions taken by the match official in-charge – Mark Clattenburg. And no prizes for guessing whom he seemed to favour, with the decisions (of course Manchester United). At least that’s what most people think, or want to think. Some also go on to say that Ashley Young could have stayed on his feet rather than ‘going down’, which led to Ivanovic being red carded.

Reading news about the post match reactions and verdicts by many football pundits and writers, I came across a series of articles in the English daily – The Sun. The links to the stories are given below:

1. Allegation 1
2. Allegation 2

In these allegations, the writers have pointed out that the referee’s wrong decisions were taken intentionally to favour Manchester United in their attempt to win at Stamford Bridge after a decade. It says that Manchester United like always were favoured, and given the offside goal, so that they could win the match. Also, Roberto Di Matteo goes on to say that Ivanovic’s sending off was harsh and Torres’s second yellow was unjust. According to him, Torres was right to ‘go down’ and it was Jonny Evans, who should have been carded. Among the ‘The Sun’ writers, Steven Howard thinks Clattenburg is among the Manchester United players and Shaun Custis believes that Jonny Evans was coming towards Torres at such a great speed, that it was nonsense to call Torres’ fall a dive.

To all the allegations, I would like to present some facts and points. First of all, for all the people saying and thinking that referees intentionally favour Manchester United, and hence, allowed the offside goal – In the same week, in three matches (including Chelsea vs MUFC), linesmen got their decisions wrong regarding the offside positions of players which led to goal.

In the match between QPR and Arsenal, it was Arsenal who got lucky and even though Arteta was way offside, they got their goal allowed. Again, in the match between Liverpool and Everton, Suarez was clearly onside and had his goal disallowed. So, if in these cases, where I think the decisions were much easier to be made than that in the case of Javier Hernandez’s goal, the linesmen got it wrong. This doesn’t mean that the officials favour  Arsenal and Everton. Linesmen are humans and hence are bound to make errors.

In this picture, Arteta is miles offside, but still the linesman allowed the goal. In Liverpool’s case, Suarez was way onside, but unfortunately, his goal was disallowed. But in the case of Javier Hernandez, you can see in the picture that he is marginally offside. Having said that, nobody cares about the decisions that the match officials get wrong in other matches. But when it comes to the matches of Manchester United, even if a slight mistake by the officials leads to a fortunate result/circumstance for MUFC, every person who seems to dislike Manchester United come up with allegations that referees favour United.

If people draw such conclusions based on the wrong decisions by referees and linesmen, then they should believe that Arsenal had the linesmen in their pockets and so did Everton. But, of course that is not the case. If linesmen can make mistakes like they did in case of Arsenal and Liverpool, then every QPR and Liverpool fan should come up with such allegations against Arsenal and Everton respectively. Only in the case of Manchester United, a single wrong refereeing decision becomes so highlighted that it is us United fans who have to take the brunt. Any sane person who takes a look at the pictures can understand, that if linesmen can make such mistakes in the other two matches and they call it just a human error, then the same can also happen in United’s matches. It would be baseless and reckless to come up with such allegations.

Now, coming to the red card decision part. Roberto Di Matteo says Ivanovic’s red card was a bit harsh. I think he should go and check the rule books. According to him, Ivanovic clipped Young’s legs only by mistake and that it was unintentional. Even in the wildest of dreams, if one accepts that, what is the referee supposed to do? Let him off and say – Don’t do it again?

Also, in the case of Fernando Torres, most people claim that Torres didn’t intentionally go down and was brought down by Evans, I would request them to watch replays and then comment. Although, Evans’ foot connected with that of Torres, it was so delicate, that even Torres realized it after a split second and then decided to go down (probably hoping that Evans would be carded). Even after having a clear opportunity, he decided to go down. Also, with the reputation that he has, and the current scenario regarding diving, even if it wasn’t a dive, nobody can blame it on the ref completely. Anyway, he should have been sent off in the first half for his reckless challenge on Cleverly. But, nobody wants to debate about that decision.

Bottom line – I do accept that the goal that Hernandez scored was offside and should have been disallowed, but Torres deserved to be sent off and United deserved to win. Such mistakes by referees can happen, but that doesn’t mean concluding that Clattenburg favoured Reds and took those decisions intentionally.

HARRISON, NJ – JULY 27: Manchester United celebrate with the trophy after their 4-0 victory over the MLS All-Stars during the MLS All-Star Game at Red Bull Arena on July 27, 2011 in Harrison, New Jersey.

The name Newton Heath L&YR (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway) FC may sound oddly unfamiliar to many people, but the world’s most supported football club – Manchester United began its life by that name. The club, born in the year 1878, was launched by a group of Victorian industrialists who decided that their workers needed some healthy exercise. Little did they know that after a few generations, the club would become one of the most popular clubs in the world with over 300 million fans spread across the globe.

After the first ever trophy – The Manchester Cup, which MUFC won in the year 1886 by beating Manchester City FC 2-1, the club has now won 19 top flight English Football League known as the English Premier League and 3 European titles, known as the UEFA Champions League.

The other club achievements include 11 FA Cups, one European Cup Winners’ Cup, Club World Cup, Inter Continental Cup and European Super Cup. MUFC won the prestigious UEFA Champions League in the years 1968, 1999 and 2008. A unique treble was achieved in the year 1999 when the club won the FA Cup, Premier League and The UEFA Champions League.

However, the early years of MUFC were not the ones we would like to remember, as they were not admitted to the Football League until the season of 1892-93. They competed in the FA Cup on four occasions between 1886 and 1892. Their very first entry into the FA Cup resulted in a first round exit in the hands of Fleetwood Town. The match ended 2-2 after 90 minutes and the referee asked the two clubs to play a period of extra-time in the hope of settling the tie. MUFC refused and the tie was consequently awarded to their opponents.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 30: Rio Ferdinand (C) of Manchester United celebrates with the trophy during the Manchester United Premier League Winners Parade at Old Trafford on May 30, 2011 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

The club nearly went bankrupt at the start of the twentieth century, yet within a few years Manchester United were champions and in 1910, moved into the finest club stadium in the country – Old Trafford also popularly known as ‘The Theatre of Dreams’.

After triumph came relegation and disappointment, until Sir Alex Ferguson took charge and, under him, United rose again. With the start of the Premier League era, the Reds would dominate, thanks to stars like Cantona, Giggs, Scholes, Ronaldo and Rooney winning more premier league titles than all the others put together.After a period of decline, a young manager called Matt Busby took over the club, with its bomb-damaged stadium. He began to focus on developing young talent, but so many of the Busby Babes would lose their lives in the Munich Air Disaster of 1958. Somehow Busby found the will to do it all again and eventually built a team around the combination of Best, Law and Charlton and finally won the European Cup in 1968.

For me, Manchester United FC is the best football club on this planet, keeping in mind its rich history and the great comeback spirit. I don’t think any other club would have been able to reach the great heights that Manchester United have reached after losing one of its first teams to a tragic airplane crash and recovering from the verge of bankruptcy.

#MUFCforLife

MUFC signed 4 players in the transfer period this summer to strengthen their midfield, attack and also defence The players who were signed and their corresponding performances in the English Premier League have been listed below:

SUMMER SIGNINGS OF MUFC

NAME/MINUTES PLAYED/GOALS/ASSISTS/PPI/D.T.

1. Robin Van Persie – 489 Minutes – 5 – 2 – 135 – 1
2. Shinji Kagawa – 427 Minutes – 2 – 1 – 93 – 1
3. Alex Buttner – 90 Minutes – 1 – 1 – 46 – 1
4. Nick Powell – 20 Minutes – 1 – 0 – 21 – 0

TOTAL – 1026 Minutes – 9 – 4 – 295 – 3

SUMMER SIGNINGS OF ARSENAL

NAME/MINUTES PLAYED/GOALS/ASSISTS/PPI/D.T.

1. Santi Carzola – 620 Minutes – 2 – 3 – 120 -1
2. Lukas Podolski – 509 Minutes – 2 – 2 – 106 – 0
3. Olivier Giroud – 358 Minutes – 1 – 1 – 44 – 1

TOTAL – 1487 Minutes – 5 – 6 – 270 – 2

Now, if we compare the overall performance of the new signings in both the teams :

TEAM – GOALS/MATCH – ASSISTS/MATCH – PPI

Manchester United – 0.79 – 0.35 – 270
Arsenal – 0.30 – 0.36 – 295

In the above table, the stark contrast in the goals per match between the new signings of MUFC and Arsenal can be seen. With a difference of 0.49 goals per match, Arsenal signings have clearly under-performed in front of goal which is further highlighted by the fact that, out of the 3 signings done by Arsenal, 2 are strikers. When it comes to assists per match, both teams stand on equal grounds. (However, it is to be kept in mind that it is Arsenal that is considered to be a passing team)

The PPI of the new signings of MUFC is way above that of Arsenal.

Even, when we consider the number of times the new signings have featured in the EPL Dream Team as selected by the FA, Arsenal new signings have featured only twice, whereas, United signings have featured thrice even after playing less.

Therefore, it doesn’t take any expertise to conclude that, MUFC signings have performed way better than the signings of Arsenal.

Note:

The EA SPORTS PPI is the only official player rating index of the Barclays Premier League which measures a player’s all round contribution to the success of his team using six key indices.

Legend : D.T. – Dream Team ; PPI – Player Performance Index

All the statistics are updated till 10/10/2012.

MANCHESTER UNITED FIXTURES

Wayne Rooney of Manchester United runs with the ball as a scar on his right thigh is visible during the Capital One Cup Third Round match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Old Trafford on September 26, 2012 in Manchester, England.

Recently, there has been a lot of talks about the fitness of MUFC striker Wayne Rooney.There were talks about his place in the MUFC side, with many claiming that he would be sold for some $50 million. Among the many UK tabloids, The Sun reported that Sir Alex Ferguson was unhappy with the fitness level of Wayne Rooney and was ready to show him the door.

However, like always, Wayne Rooney has put the doubts to rest. Soon after The Sun claimed Rooney was at the verge of being sold, he hit back on Twitter and vowed to stay at MUFC as long as he was wanted. His determination was proved, when he made his return from the horrifying injury which he sustained on his right thigh by the boots of Hugo. Initially, the medical team had set a target of 8 weeks for his return. However, Wayne returned within a month. This speaks volumes about his determination, grit and commitment to the game as well as the club. On his return against Newcastle in the 3rd Round of the Capital One Cup, Wayne put a solid performance for a player just returning from injury. He had a role in both the goals scored by Anderson and Cleverly.Its not the first time that Wayne Rooney has returned from an injury earlier than expected.

After his second or third season at MUFC, Wayne had fractured his right ankle. The initial assessment claimed that it would take Wayne at least 8 weeks to return to full training. However, with his determination and hard work, Rooney returned to the first team just after 4 weeks, surprising even the medical staff of MUFC.

In the opening game of the Premier League 2012-13, Wayne Rooney put up a dismal performance against Everton. Almost everyone started to claim that he was not fit enough to play full ninety minutes and seemed to be overweight. However, even the best players take 2-3 matches to get into their rhythm. When Rooney was dropped to the bench in the next match, reports emerged all over the world in almost every daily about how unfit Wayne was and that his relations with Sir Alex was strained. I even read that Wayne Rooney is already past his prime. According to me, one can never write off players like Wayne Rooney based on the performance of few matches. We all know what Wayne is capable of doing. Players like Rooney  who play with their heart and soul, are very rare . As a MUFC follower, I have seen Wayne Rooney play for United at almost every position. He can be seen battling against even the strikers of the opposite team. Not many players have the will and ‘stamina’ to fight for the ball after losing it.

How often do you see a striker performing the role of a defender?

Several times, Rooney has helped out his MUFC defenders with some vital tackles and interventions. As a team player, I don’t think anybody matches Wayne Rooney. He has played for the club at midfield as well as forward. Whenever required, he has given up his final third role for central midfield positions or wider positions. This further proves how versatile and adaptive Rooney is. All the allegations that were put up against him, have now been proved wrong. In his return match against Newcastle, Wayne performed very well, and in the post match interview, even Fergie responded to that performance and said that he was happy with Rooney’s fitness and play.

I can’t wait for Wayne Rooney to form a deadly partnership with Robin Van Persie upfront. I think with the vision and understanding that Wayne Rooney has and the skills of Van Persie, we can expect massive number of goals between them. And as for as the fitness doubts regarding Rooney, they can be put to rest, because now, he is up and running.

In the match against Tottenham Hotspurs, as soon as Wayne arrived in the second half, you could see the difference. He looked fitter than any other player on the park. You could see his sharpness and determination to win the ball and the match. His combination with Persie was just irresistible, although a lot of credit has to be given to Paul Scholes. But his arrival made a lot of difference in the approach of the MUFC players, making them look absolutely ruthless in front of the goal.

Now, Fergie doesn’t have any other option than to start Wayne Rooney in the next match, and also choose him ahead of any other striker in the upcoming matches.

I look forward to watching Rooney play and silence his critics as he always does.

After the first ever trophy – The Manchester Cup, which MUFC won in the year 1886 after beating Manchester City FC 2-1, the club has gone far, winning the top flight English Football League, known as the English Premier League, 19 times and 3 European titles, now known as the UEFA Champions League.

The club nearly went bankrupt at the start of the twentieth century, yet within a few years Manchester United were champions and in 1910, moved into the finest club stadium in the country – Old Trafford, also popularly known as ‘The Theatre of Dreams’.

After a period of decline, a young manager called Matt Busby took over the club, with its bomb-damaged stadium. He began to focus on developing young talent, but so many of the Busby Babes would lose their lives in the Munich Air Disaster of 1958. Somehow Busby found the will to do it all again and eventually built a team around the likes of Best, Law and Charlton and finally won the European Cup in 1968.

After triumph came relegation and disappointment, until Sir Alex Ferguson took charge in 1986 and, under him, United rose again. With the start of the Premier League era, the Reds would dominate, thanks to stars like Cantona, Giggs, Scholes, Ronaldo and Rooney winning more Premier League titles than all the others put together.

For me, Manchester United FC is the best football club on this planet, keeping in mind its rich history and the great comeback spirit. I don’t think any other club would have been able to reach the great heights that Manchester United has reached after losing one of its first teams to a tragic airplane crash and recovering from the verge of bankruptcy.