Manchester United 4-3 Manchester City 2009, by Kelvin
Wellington @kelv_ne
I've been a United fan since age 8, so it's safe to say I've witnessed a lot of classic matches from the Red Devils. But just how do you write a piece on your favourite game as Manchester United fan? I've been privileged to witness great players like Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Roy Keane and a whole lot more walk out of the tunnel at Old Trafford.They've given us many breathtaking displays which live long in our memories. From near to impossible comebacks to latest of late goals; Nailbiting yet enthralling cup final victories to goal routs coupled with sumptuous displays of attacking football. This is what we experience week in week out supporting our boys.
I was lucky enough to witness the 1999 Champions League Final against Bayern Munich (which ranks high among most fans' favourite), although on the downside I was too young to fully understand what it meant to United and football as a whole. My favourite United game however is a little story of how to "Shut a noisy neighbour up".
20/09/09. Old Trafford. The Manchester Derby. It was touted "The Greatest Manchester Derby of All Time" by many a football fan. The match had a lot riding on it. City with their recently acquired financial backing had spent millions on new signings, most notably Carlos Tevez who made a controversial switch from United to City. Man City fans enraged us with their pathetic "Welcome to Manchester" poster for the Argentine. United old boy Mark Hughes was their manager. City went into the game with a 100% record, whilst we had just one loss to our name. This was their chance to stake thier claim as genuine title contenders. Fergie as always, was prepared for the challenge.
The game started in emphatic fashion as we grabbed a second minute goal coutesy the 'derby specialist' Wayne Rooney. He just loves scoring against City doesn't he? A quick throw-in caught Shaun Wright- Pillips off guard; Patrice Evra cut the ball back for Wazza who skipped between Nigel De Jong and Kolo Toure to slot the ball home. Good start, the fans and Fergie were pleased. Our joy was short lived however as in the 16th minute, third choice keeper Ben Foster who had been in goal in the absence of Edwin Van Der Sar gifted City a goal. A goalkeeping blunder resulted in Tevez winning the ball off him, who placed it in the path of Gareth Barry to draw City level. Just before half-time the moment we United fans dreaded the most almost came. Stephen Ireland set up Tevez in the box whose shot rattled the outside of the post to the relief of the Old Trafford faithful.
Within four minutes of the second half, we were back in front. The never-aging Giggs whipped a cross in at the far post which was met by the head of Darren Fletcher. Once again however, it did not take long for City to respond. Three minutes later, Bellamy broke on the left wing, cut inside and unleashed a beauty of a shot right into the top corner. Old Trafford stunned once again and somehow we knew it was going to be a long afternoon. Then came a series of missed chances, most of them down to the brilliance of Shay Given, who saved two headers from Berbatov and a volley from Giggs.
We looked to have sealed the three points when Fletcher once again rose to head home a Giggs cross in the 80th minute. As the celebrations went on Fergie was on the touchline issuing instructions to the boys not to let the lead slip again. But United never do things the easy way, do they? A moment of madness from Rio Ferdinand in the 90th minute. His attempted lob to John O'shea was chested down by Martin Petrov who set Craig Bellamy on his way at blistering pace to beat the unconvincing Ben Foster at his near post. Rio Ferdinand's reaction said it all. Fergie was livid. Only God knows how Rio could have faced his wrath in that dressing room. The City fans were ecstatic.
Referee Martin Atkinson added on time for
City's exuberant celebrations and also 30 seconds for the substitution of
Anderson for Carrick. Four minutes were added on, plus Atkinson's additional
'added on time’. What happened next was unthinkable. In the dying minutes, Mark
Hughes was on the touchline beckoning to the fourth official that the four
minutes were up, whilst Fergie cut a frustrated figure. United won a free kick
near the half- way line in the 96th minute, which was cleared by City and
hooked back in by Rooney. The attempted clearance fell to none other than Ryan
Giggs who unleashed Michael Owen with an 'out-of-this-world' pass. Owen
controlled it with the outside of his foot and slotted the winner home with
Wright-Phillips failing in his attempt to stop him. Old Trafford was sent into
raptures. Fergie and Gary Neville went crazy on the touchline. Mark Hughes was
furious! But who cared? The noise was deafening. Rio Ferdinand showed his
appreciation to Owen as he had just saved him from a 'hair-dryer' of epic
proportions. The noisy neighbours had been silenced in emphatic
fashion. United 4 -3 City.
I still get goosebumps when i recall the
words of the commentator that day: "...Comes out to Giggs... What a
pass! And OWEN WINS IT, IN THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY WAY!!!"
Arsenal 1-2 Manchester United 1999, by
Mayur Joshi @MediJoshi
I’ve
been a United fan for over 20 years so there have been a fair few matches that
I can choose from as my favourite. To be honest I was 8 years old when my
cousins in Manchester physically forced me to support the greatest team on the
planet and now I physically cannot take it when we lose. It’s been an odd
journey as I watch fans come and go stating they “want a more exciting league”
or they’ve “got used to the winning”. That’s when I realised why I love United
so much. They’re competitive and they absolutely HATE losing.
If
you look at our greatest players that is the common denominator: They Love
winning but, more importantly, they hate losing more. The manager calls it
hunger but I call it hatred. Brian Robson, Steve Bruce, Roy Keane, Eric
Cantona, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and the rest of our
players are all winners but they hate the feeling they get when they lose even
more.
There
aren’t too many players out there like that and you’ll find that the best
matches have an abundance of players on both sides that hate losing. One of the
best matches I went to watch, and my undoubted favourite, is the last ever FA
Cup Semi-Final replay when Giggs scored ‘that’ goal.
It
was a match filled with world class, aggressive, competitive and talented
footballers on both sides; the two biggest rivals in English football at the
time. It was a key match in the season and it was a replay!
Standing
in the stands as a geeky and timid young lad at the beginning of the game was
one of the most nervous moments of my life. I’m not even sure why I was
nervous; there was just something in the air that told me it was going to be a
special night.
From
the Arsenal fans within shouting distance spitting hatred and abuse, to the
group of United fans I had travelled with (including my aforementioned cousins)
I was surrounded by die-hard fans a lot older than me. Within five minutes I
had settled into the songs and banter with the United fans at Villa park and
was hurling as much abuse as I was getting; not really appropriate behaviour
for a future doctor. I don’t know what it is but football just brings out my
dark side earning me the nickname “Tourette’s”.
The
game had everything! Beckham’s opening goal was stunning and then Bergkamp
equalised with a deflected shot that gave big Pete no chance. The match was
tense and it could be felt in the stands. There was a certain ebb and flow to
the game that gave the fans a great ride.
Then
Anelka had a goal disallowed followed by Roy Keane’s sending off that gave the
Gooners even more ammunition to throw our way! It looked bleak and my voice was
disappearing from all the shouting and singing. What would happen next?
Penalty!
Oh no! Phil Neville done by Ray Parlour. I couldn’t believe it! I was in the
stands right behind that goal and I had to stand there and listen as the
Arsenal fans chanted “We’ve got Dennis Bergkamp” over and over again. Two
so-called United fans sitting in front of me decided to leave the stadium,
thinking the game was all over. I’m sure they will say they were there for the
whole game but those two fans know who they are.
Up
stepped the Dutchman to take the penalty and we all know what happened! There
was pandemonium as we started chanting, “We’ve got Peter Schmeichel” over and
over and over again! The Arsenall fans were strangely silent!
The
game then went into a bit of a blur for me. Ryan Giggs’ goal was at the other
end of the stadium and having found my voice again, I became so involved in a
slanging match with one particular Arsenal fan that I actually missed it! I
don’t mind saying that the moment I realise that we had scored another (and the
winner) was when I ended up on the floor with United fans going crazy all
around me!
We eventually recovered our composure and
dignity enough to ensure that we didn’t let the Arsenal fans forget the abuse
they gave us earlier in the game. It was beautiful; I had won the match! I had
beaten a grown man at least 20 years my elder in a football-slanging match! And
that is probably one of the reasons why I would like to thank Giggsy for one of
the greatest goals I didn’t see! And I would also like to thank every United
fan that was there, except for the two non-believers (you know who you are)!
That was my favourite game ever!
Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich 1999,
by Benjie Jackson @MUFCbloggerUTD
I'm sorry that I had to pick the rather obvious choice
but it seemed necessary. When we were 0-1 down in going into injury time,
frankly every United fan was on the edge of their seat. The words from the
commentator's lips: "Can Manchester United score? They always score"
as David Beckham whipped in the corner, it rather fortuitously came out to
the right foot of Ryan Giggs who attempted a tame shot which led into Teddy
Sheringham's path who with ease netted the ball to send United fans and SAF
into enchantment. However more was to come as another corner was won by United;
this time there was no Peter Schmeichal. Once again, David Beckham swung in one
of his delicious crosses into the head of Sheringham who flicked the ball onto
the poaching foot of Ole Gunner Solskjaer who made no mistake in flicking the
ball high into the net. For me this is my favourite ever game because of the
situation, it's 1999 and we are begging for the treble; it is the European Cup
Final at Camp Nou and that is what make's it so special. Therefore
this has my vote for my favourite game.
