Manchester United’s best 5 games this season
It’s hard to gloat when your team has been embarrassed in the semi-finals of the Champions League and you still have an FA Cup final to play.
But over the course of the season, there has been plenty to celebrate for Manchester United. And at the heart of this has United’s attacking form and their ability to score a glut of goals, almost at will.
Here are 5 of Manchester United’s best performances this season – although I’m hoping the next three games (Chelsea on the 9th, West Ham on the 13th and Chelsea again on the 19th) provide at least one more classic.
1. Manchester United 5-1 Fulham
Sunday, 20th August, 2006
The first game of the season. All the pressure. All the hype about Chelsea and Liverpool running away with the league, and United being left behind scrapping for 4th place. United’s own fans were questioning the team more than ever.
It took 14 minutes – from the 1st goal in the 5th minute to the 4th goal in the 19th – or 4 minutes (United’s 2nd, 3rd and 4th goals) – to show everyone that Manchester United were in title-winning form. Predictions be damned, Manchester United laid down the marker on the first day of the season and challenged their rivals to match it. Only Chelsea rose to it.
If there’s ever a time you were driven to tears by watching football, this is it. After the pressure and speculation, this was the perfect reply, and the perfect start.
2. Manchester United 7-1 Roma
Tuesday, 10th April, 2007
This game will be remembered for a long time in Manchester United’s history, standing alongside the 6-1 drubbing of Arsenal as one of the best games of Manchester United’s history. Detractors will point to a suspect defence (including shoddy keeping) and luck, supporters will point to the squad’s all-conquering potential.
As these things stand, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Roma were bad, Manchester United were irresistable and a 2-0 / 3-0 win became an emphatic, 7-1 win.
It also re-established Manchester United’s position as one of Europe’s elites. Granted, they were outclassed in San Siro, but they have shown good form to get to the semi-finals after such a long time and this season’s European achievements will give the team a lot of confidence next year.
3. Everton 2-4 Manchester United
Saturday, 28th April, 2007
This game gets a big mention for the drama that went on throughout the game (with respect to the title race) and the sudden change of fortunes after half-time.
At one point, Manchester United and Chelsea were even on points – Chelsea winning 2-1 against Bolton at home and Manchester United losing 0-2 away to Everton.
A Bolton goal, a keeper error and a Phil Neville own goal (one of the most important goals of the season for United) started the turnaround and with Bolton holding on at Stamford Bridge, United charged to a win thanks to goals by Rooney and Eagles.
This game sealed the fate of the Premiership – and converted those doubters who hadn’t been convinced by the first game of the season 
4. Manchester United 4-1 Blackburn Rovers
Saturday, 31st March, 2007
If Everton was ‘lucky’, there wasn’t a hint of ‘luck’ here for Manchester United. They lost Vidic early on to a shoulder injury and then Blackburn scored before sitting back and resorting to kicking Scholes, Ronaldo and Rooney off the park. Rio Ferdinand was given enough space to roam up front and run into the Blackburn penalty area – even getting caught offside when running on to a through-ball.
It was a frustrating situation that Paul Scholes – that little master – changed completely with a jinking run where he dodged several Blackburn defenders over 5-10 metres and then coolly slotted home the goal. With all the pressure, it was an excellent comeback by United and started Blackburn’s rout as the red devils finished the game 4-1, ripping Blackburn to shreds in the last 30 minutes.
Chelsea may have scrapped through till the end, but none of their comebacks were quite like this – the whole team playing together to rip the opposition apart with gluts of goals.
5. Benfica 0-1 Manchester United
Tuesday, 26th September, 2006
4 goal defeats of Bolton (home and away) and Tottenham (away) were probably more impressive, and United’s home win against Benfica (3-1) more important in terms of European football, but the sheer value of the away win against Benfica cannot be doubted.
Manchester United’s previous season had seen them knocked out bottom of their group, and their confidence in away games was at an all-time low. To top it off, United had lost to Arsenal at home and drawn to Reading away in the league. It was a tough game and at the team everyone called United poor (including me).
In hindsight, this was a watershed win for United in Europe and allowed Manchester United the confidence to grind out wins the hard way away from Old Trafford in Europe.
Your Picks
It’s time for you to pick your 5 best games of the 2006/2007 season. Let me know what you think about the above list, and make your own additions as you see fit.
Ahmed, I think in a top 5 you should have included the win at Anfield. That was a major blow for Chelsea and one of the most satisfying victories of the campaign
I’d put that in instead of the Benfica game: that 1-0 win was good, too, especially because of the revenge for 2005 but no doubt that I felt much more satisfaction when we beat Liveerpool!
You’re also forgetting the superb last-gasp win at Fulham…and what about the way we dismantled Bolton at the Reebok? That deserves a very honorable mention as does the Liverpool double
For me, the Roma and Fulham game are my top two though i’d exchange the positions, simply because one sent out a statement of intent to Europe and one to Premiership contenders. Three and Four are identical to yours, but #5 is the Bolton masterclass at the Reebok. I don’t know any other Premiership team that can go to the Reebok and dish it out like we did.
The Benfica win was quite scratch, so I didn’t really like it. That’s just my opinion though
Yeah,
I’d but bolton’s hammering at the reebok up there at number 4. Remember Bolton had not conceded a goal at home till that time.
I actually liked the first leg of the champions league semi final as well. As the second leg proved, our performance in the first was really really good.
Nice list, Ahmed.
Like Ryan, I would have had the game at Anfield up there.
Liverpool dominated most of the match, but United still won in the end, which I think is one of the main characteristics for a title-winning team.
Also, Congrats on winning the Premiership!! I await the inevatible string of upcoming Soccerlens articles about United’s fantastic season.
Although the 7-1 victory over Roma and the 1-0 over Benefica were sweet, I wouldn’t say they helped us win the Premiership. Instead, I would include Our away win to Fulham, which were 3 points we grinded out at the death, and our win at Anfield. Honorable mention goes to both our victories over Bolton; we were just class.
The Bolton game definitely has to been on that list. They way they demolished that rock solid Bolton defence was almost embarrassing. It showed the huge desire and hunger the united team had. And that was early on the season too, should be on the list for me.
Just echoing the previous comments. I would have included Liverpool away as one of the top games of the season, not by way of footballing style but the significance of the win.
I would also have included Blackburn away as an honourable mention – we had an awful record at Ewood Park. Winless there since 1998 or something, wasn’t it? Bolton away also deserves a mention since we were the first team to breach their defences and we did it in style.
Agree with the rest.
I got a few that should be noted.
Win at Anfield
Liverpool 0-1 Man Utd – Chelsea expected us to lose and we came away with i think the steal of the season.
Win at Bolton
Bolton 0-4 Man Utd – Rooneys Hat trick, we were brilliant.
Win at Totenham
Totenham 0-4 Man Utd – We looked to be playing poor in the first half, and then we dominanted the second half like champions.
Win at Man City
Man City 0-1 Man United – You have to include this one, its the game that won us the title. Van Der Sars saved Penalty and we had to play containing football to win the three points.
i’m guessing when you mean ‘best games’ you mean, best based on performance and overall result (correct?)
this season there were some fixtures that are considered as ‘key moments’ to me and other Man Utd supporters. Many highly clinical, last gasp wins were not stated although these wins helped Man Utd win our ninth title and prove to we were the hallmark of champions but somehow they were not mentioned, why???
let me guess? they didn’t warrant praise solely because the deficit wasn’t 3 or 4 goals, right?
minus the Benfica game away from home all the results mentioned had multiple scorers where United were concerned but i think a great performance can come from 1-0 wins…
i.e:
Fulham 0-1 Man Utd — last minute winner by Ronaldo got us a ‘vital’ three points
Liverpool 0-1 Man Utd — same away scorline as the Fulham game, same story as the Fulham game, a last gasp winner by O’Shea at the Kop End got us another ‘much needed’ three points.
Man City 0-1 Man Utd — a derby game for starters, we take the lead then! Van Der Sar keeps his cool and makes the title winning save with those lanky legs of his earning the club 3 points and more importantly our first title in 4 years.
based on the title of this article and what i assume u imply by ‘best games’ u could mention our second half 4-0 demolition of Tottenham, the 4-0 thrashing of Bolton when Rooney scored an emphatic hat-trick. our audacious come back at OT against Milan and even the the maming away we gave Championship bound Watford.
personally, i cant see how u could not have one or two of these in there.
^ ^ ^
(especially from the last gasp 1-0 victories list)
Fulham 1-2 Man Utd, although it was a last gasp victory, it was 1-1 at the time when ronaldo scored. Oh and Giggys goal!
Fulham away is right up there for me, I was resigned to a draw that day. And the Bolton win was great, specially the first 20 minutes when we absolutely blew them off. That was just fun watching. But you know, scoring for fun at the beginning of the season? That was the best moment this season, after such an uncertain offseason. Goal, goal, goal – and our intent was right there. I remember when we beat Fulham 3-2 to open (and win) the Premiership – maybe they should make it out first fixture every year?
HEY WHERE IS MANCHESTER UNITED 4-0 ARSENAL????