Manchester United completed a memorable
double in 2007–08 with Premier League and
UEFA Champions League titlesWInnERS
Words Michael E HaskewA
fter three seasons in the doldrums, Manchester United bounced
back with a resurgent campaign in 2006–07, winning the Premier
League title by six points over rivals Chelsea, finishing runners-up
in the FA Cup final, and reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA
Champions League.
Such a performance offered promise for the future, but there
remained work to be done, and Sir Alex Ferguson knew it. For the
2007–08 season, he sought depth to augment his powerful line-up.
The United mastermind made moves to shore up the core of
standout performers that had propelled the team to relevance once
again. Carlos Tevez arrived from West Ham on loan for two years,
while Owen Hargreaves was signed from Bayern Munich, Anderson
from Porto, and Nani from Sporting Lisbon. The last two of these
required a combined investment of over £31m, but the dividend
would come in due time.
Tevez joined the most potent attack in the Premier League and
perhaps the world with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and stalwart
performer Wayne Rooney, while the midfield boasted experience in the
likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, ably assisted by Michael Carrick.
The back four of Wes Brown, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja
Vidić were among the best of the era, while veteran Dutch goalkeeper
Edwin van der Sar and Polish deputy Tomasz Kuszczak were a solid last
line of defence.
Following a mixed set of preseason results, the Red Devils kicked
off 2007–08 with a penalty shootout victory over rivals Chelsea in the
FA Community Shield. Then, with the opening of the Premier LeagueImagesGetty Images, Getty Images/Matthew Ashton/Corbis Sport (main)FourFourTwo.com The Story of Man Utd 103FERGIE’S
DOUBLE
WInnERS