Manchester United's treble winning
competitions of Premier League, F.A. Cup and European Champions League during their
1998-1999 season required them to play 59 games. They lost just three games, all in the
Premier League. They remained unbeaten throughout all their the Champions League matches.
During the season they scored 128 goals.
In addition, they played the pre-season friendly Charity
Shield, and also played under strength teams in their three Worthington League Cup
matches. Their season record including these two competitions was as follows.
Played |
Won |
Drawn |
Lost |
For |
Against |
63 |
36 |
22 |
5 |
128 |
63 |
Manchester United
also become the first English team to head the International Federation of Football
History and Statistics' top 100 teams thanks to their amazing 1998/99 season. United
topped the table with 380 points, two and a half points ahead of second-placed Palmeiras.
Dwight Yorke joined United for GBP 12.6 million at the
start of the campaign. It was a season in which Yorke, and fellow strikers Solskjaer, and
Andy Cole were to be Manchester United's three most potent strikers, all three earning a
place among the Leagues top 10 scorers. In Europe these three again produced when it
mattered, Yorke and Cole often in tandem, and Solskjaer of course made his place in United
folklore with his winner in Barcelona.
|
Prem |
WC |
FA |
Euro |
Total |
Dwight Yorke |
18 |
0 |
3 |
8 |
29 |
Andy Cole |
17 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
24 |
Michael Owen |
18 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
23 |
Alan Shearer |
14 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
21 |
Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink |
18 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
20 |
Nicolas Anelka |
17 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
19 |
Hamilton Ricard |
15 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
Robbie Fowler |
14 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
18 |
Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer |
12 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
18 |
Julian Joachim |
14 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
16 |
For David Beckham, the season was marked by
constant abuse from opposition fans on the back of his World Cup sending off with England
the previous Summer. However, Beckham answered his critics by consistently providing some
outstanding play. His pinpoint accuracy fed United's strikers with perfect crosses whipped
in from the wings, his range of unstoppable free kicks added to United's goal scoring
options. Beckham's contribution to United's season was immense.
Teddy Sheringham had joined United to win medals, and after
United's trophy drought the previous season found opposition fans jeering at his lack of
silverware. Sheringham found himself thrust into the team as a Substitute in vital matches
at the end of the season, and he produced the goals when it mattered; in the F.A. Cup
Final and above all, his stoppage time equaliser in the European Champions Cup Final.
Roy Keane was often the spirit and heart, not just of
United's midfield but the team. Able to produce goals when it mattered and leadership too.
Keane was a fans favourite and was without doubt one of the most influential players of
the season.
Jaap Stam took time to settle at United, his GBP 10.5
million transfer then a world record for a defender. However, after a bedding in period,
Stam was awesome. Rarely second best to any opposition player he added a stability and
authority to United's defence and established himself as an Old Trafford favourite.
And then Schmeichel, announcing that this would be his last
season at Old Trafford. For this writer at least, the turning point in the previous season
had been marked by the sight of Schmeichel limping back injured towards his own goal in
desperate circumstances in a match against Arsenal. Schmeichel's injury had marked the
point at which Arsenal appeared to gain the upper hand and went on to win both
Championship and F.A.Cup while United finished the season empty handed. In the treble
season, it was Schmeichel again who was involved in one of the defining moments, this time
with a last minute penalty save against Arsenal in the F.A.Cup Semi Final. At that point
United were still chasing all three trophies and had still to face the away leg of their
Champions League Cup Semi Final against Juventus, and the title run in. United went on to
win the match with Giggs incredible solo effort, and with a place booked in the F.A. Cup
Final the result galvanised United. At his best when it mattered, his vital stops from
Effenburg and Scholl in the Champions League Cup Final kept the deficit at just 0-1 and
set up the incredible finish.
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