IN 20 years of taking teams to Old Trafford, there was one thing I never worked out — how come it was always the longest game of the season?
Not just a few minutes of Fergie time, either. Some afternoons I’d sit in the dugout for what seemed like hours.
Bruno Fernandes has been a shining light for Manchester United this seasonRex
RexThe club captain has been key for the club[/caption]
That’s how it felt back then, anyway, when a trip to Manchester United pretty much meant respectability at best.
These days there isn’t a side in the Premier League who goes to Old Trafford and doesn’t believe they can’t win.
Seven have done so already. United have lost more than they’ve won — when Sir Alex Ferguson was manager, two home defeats meant a crisis.
United were the best team in the country — Sir Alex built a few of them, too — and if they were on it, you were in for it.
There were days, after we had conceded an early goal, and I’d think, “My God, this is going to be a long, long afternoon”.
Sir Alex had stars coming out of his ears, you didn’t only have to stop one or two. Never mind the Red Devils, it was more like the Red Arrows.
You were bombarded with pace down either wing, crosses were flying in, incredible movement, goals everywhere. United could run all over anyone.
People rave about what Pep Guardiola has done at City but when United were on their game, they were just as good — believe me.
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Some of the football they played under Sir Alex was out of this world . . . yet you don’t admire it quite so much when you’re in the opposition dugout!
I’d be praying for the ref to blow his whistle as soon as possible — thinking, “Let’s get out of here as quickly as possible with a bit of pride intact”.
PA:Press AssociationPaolo di Canio scored an infamous goal against Manchester United in 2001[/caption]
AP:Associated PressSulley Muntari helped Portsmouth beat the Red Devils in 2008[/caption]
I lost every league game as boss of West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth twice and finally QPR. And I’m not the only one by any means.
Mind you, I do know what it feels like to be a winning manager at Old Trafford . . . and, no, I’m not talking Soccer Aid, but two FA Cup ties remembered for very different reasons.
The first was with West Ham in 2001, when Paolo Di Canio scored the winner as Fabian Barthez stood appealing for offside.
Keeper Barthez was trying to con Paolo into turning to look at the ref, then he’d dive on the ball. But he didn’t fall for it and carried on to stick it in the corner instead.
Portsmouth’s win in 2008 caused even more controversy when Sulley Muntari scored the winner past Rio Ferdinand because Tomasz Kuszczak had been sent off.
Kuszczak had replaced Edwin van der Sar at half-time, leaving United without a keeper when he got the red card for his foul on Milan Baros.
Rio Ferdinand took the gloves — quite ironic seeing his boy is a keeper on Brighton’s books now — but Muntari put us in the semis.
Sir Alex was very, very down after that because he had his eyes on another Treble. At least he can say United lost to the losers, because we went on to win the Cup that year!
But every other trip ended in defeat. There were even sides who effectively lost before they left the tunnel.
You’d hope the team talk would give them a bit of belief, and then David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes or one of the others would blow it away in minutes.
Players have always gone on about making their ground a fortress but Old Trafford was the strongest of all.
There was a genuine fear about going there . . . now the only ones it strikes terror into are those in red shirts.
In Fergie’s era teams went to United hoping for a point. These days many are actually expecting a win — Arsenal certainly will be on Sunday.
After seven Champions League goals away from home in midweek, why wouldn’t they?
Imagine how many they’d have got if all their strikers were fit!
United can’t stick the ball in the net even when they are. They are so far behind the top teams, it’s frightening.
I like manager Ruben Amorim but it will take years to turn them round . . . if it can be done at all. It has become a great club in name only.
You’d look at the United of Fergie’s day and see superstars everywhere. Amorim would love just one.
Bruno Fernandes is the closest and even then no more than a place in the squad. He wouldn’t have a prayer of making the team.
Who would you drop? Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, Roy Keane, Paul Ince, even Nicky Butt or Darren Fletcher? Not a chance.
If Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer struggled to get a game, Fernandes wouldn’t get beyond putting the cones down and handing out bibs.
And I tell you what — if Bruno and Co had been at United when I was managing, I’d know all about winning at Old Trafford.
