The 1987–88 season was Manchester United’s 86th season in the Football League, and their 13th consecutive season in the top division of English football.
The season was a relative success, with the club finishing second in the league, but they did not play in the UEFA Cup the following season due to the ban on English clubs in Europe after the Heysel Stadium disaster. They finished nine points behind champions Liverpool, who lost just twice all season and for much of the campaign looked uncatchable. Perhaps the most memorable game of the season was in the league at Anfield just before Liverpool’s title was confirmed, when United were 3–1 down at half time but fought back to hold the hosts to a 3–3 draw, denying them two points and delaying their bid to seal the title.
United lost just five times in the league in 40 games, and lost only once at Old Trafford, but a few disappointing draws against relatively unfancied sides including Charlton and Luton led to crucial points being dropped and prevented them from mounting a serious threat to Liverpool.
It was Alex Ferguson’s first full season as United manager, and it was the first season at the club for new signings Brian McClair (who finished the season as one of the First Division’s top scorers with 24 goals) and Viv Anderson. December also saw the arrival of defender Steve Bruce from Norwich City in a £900,000 deal, after an approach for Rangers and England defender Terry Butchercollapsed when the player suffered a broken leg.
After the season’s end, Ferguson brought Mark Hughes back to Old Trafford from Barcelona in a £1.8 million deal – making him United’s record signing. He also replaced Chris Turner in goal by paying £500,000 for Jim Leighton, who played under Ferguson at Aberdeen. He also attempted to sign Paul Gascoigne from Newcastle United, and a deal was agreed, but while Ferguson was on holiday, Gascoigne agreed to join Tottenham Hotspur in the first £2 million fee to be paid by a British club.
It was the last season at United for long-serving defender Kevin Moran, who was transferred to Sporting Gijon after losing his place in the team to Steve Bruce. Remi Moses played his last game for the club before ongoing injury problems forced his retirement from playing, when still in his twenties.
Pre-season and friendlies
Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
22 July 1987 | Næstved | A | 2 – 0 | Moran, Robson | 6,500 |
24 July 1987 | IS Halmia | A | 9 – 1 | Whiteside (4), Davenport (2), Strachan, Olsen, Marshall (o.g.) | 2,607 |
26 July 1987 | B 1903 | A | 3 – 2 | Robson, Davenport, McClair (pen.) | 2,500 |
28 July 1987 | Vejle | A | 4 – 1 | Anderson, Davenport, Olsen, McClair | 7,000 |
4 August 1987 | Manchester City | A | 3 – 1 | McClair (2), Robson | 20,250 |
5 August 1987 | Atlético Mineiro | N | 3 – 1 | McClair (3) | 7,150 |
10 August 1987 | Irish League | N | 0 – 0 | 10,000 | |
21 October 1987 | Weymouth | A | 0 – 1 | 4,904 | |
28 November 1987 | Bermuda | A | 4 – 1 | Robson, McClair (pen.), Whiteside, Davenport | 4,200 |
1 December 1987 | Somerset Trojans | A | 4 – 1 | Wilson, McClair, Knox, Olsen | 2,000 |
28 March 1988 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 3 – 2 | Strachan (2), Davenport | 20,190 |
22 April 1988 | Walsall | A | 3 – 1 | Whiteside, Strachan, McClair | 6,141 |
8 May 1988 | Manchester City | H | 0 – 2 | 14,898 | |
17 May 1988 | Milan | H | 2 – 3 | McClair, Olsen | 37,392 |
First Division
Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance | League position |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 August 1987 | Southampton | A | 2 – 2 | Whiteside (2) 25′, 31′ | 21,214 | 10th |
19 August 1987 | Arsenal | H | 0 – 0 | 43,893 | 12th | |
22 August 1987 | Watford | H | 2 – 0 | McGrath 10′, McClair 20′ | 38,769 | 7th |
29 August 1987 | Charlton Athletic | A | 3 – 1 | McClair 10′, Robson 22′, McGrath 45′ | 14,046 | 5th |
31 August 1987 | Chelsea | H | 3 – 1 | McClair 25′, Strachan 48′, Whiteside 83′ | 46,616 | 1st |
5 September 1987 | Coventry City | A | 0 – 0 | 27,125 | 2nd | |
12 September 1987 | Newcastle United | H | 2 – 2 | Olsen 8′, McClair 45′ (pen.) | 45,619 | 3rd |
19 September 1987 | Everton | A | 1 – 2 | Whiteside 59′ | 38,439 | 6th |
26 September 1987 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1 – 0 | McClair 44′ (pen.) | 48,087 | 6th |
3 October 1987 | Luton Town | A | 1 – 1 | McClair 54′ | 9,137 | 6th |
10 October 1987 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 4 – 2 | Robson 40′, McClair (2) 53′, 78′, Blackmore 60′ | 32,779 | 4th |
17 October 1987 | Norwich City | H | 2 – 1 | Davenport 46′, Robson 80′ | 39,821 | 4th |
24 October 1987 | West Ham United | A | 1 – 1 | Gibson 45′ | 19,863 | 5th |
31 October 1987 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2 – 2 | Robson 54′, Whiteside 59′ | 44,669 | 5th |
15 November 1987 | Liverpool | H | 1 – 1 | Whiteside 50′ | 47,106 | 5th |
21 November 1987 | Wimbledon | A | 1 – 2 | Blackmore 65′ | 11,532 | 6th |
5 December 1987 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2 – 0 | Davenport 35′, Robson 74′ | 20,632 | 6th |
12 December 1987 | Oxford United | H | 3 – 1 | Strachan (2) 23′, 31′, Olsen 50′ | 34,709 | 4th |
19 December 1987 | Portsmouth | A | 2 – 1 | Robson 35′, McClair 48′ | 22,207 | 4th |
26 December 1987 | Newcastle United | A | 0 – 1 | 26,461 | 5th | |
28 December 1987 | Everton | H | 2 – 1 | McClair (2) 50′, 73′ (pen.) | 47,024 | 4th |
1 January 1988 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0 – 0 | 37,257 | 4th | |
2 January 1988 | Watford | A | 1 – 0 | McClair 39′ | 18,038 | 4th |
16 January 1988 | Southampton | H | 0 – 2 | 35,716 | 5th | |
24 January 1988 | Arsenal | A | 2 – 1 | Strachan 11′, McClair 67′ | 29,392 | 3rd |
6 February 1988 | Coventry City | H | 1 – 0 | O’Brien 5′ | 37,144 | 3rd |
10 February 1988 | Derby County | A | 2 – 1 | Strachan 71′, Whiteside 88′ | 20,016 | 2nd |
13 February 1988 | Chelsea | A | 2 – 1 | Bruce 50′, O’Brien 52′ | 25,014 | 2nd |
23 February 1988 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1 – 1 | McClair 82′ | 25,731 | 2nd |
5 March 1988 | Norwich City | A | 0 – 1 | 19,129 | 2nd | |
12 March 1988 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 4 – 1 | Blackmore 1′, McClair (2) 7′, 53′, Davenport 79′ | 33,318 | 2nd |
19 March 1988 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0 – 0 | 27,598 | 2nd | |
26 March 1988 | West Ham United | H | 3 – 1 | Strachan 58′, Anderson 83′, Robson 90′ | 37,269 | 2nd |
2 April 1988 | Derby County | H | 4 – 1 | McClair (3) 16′, 23′, 64′, Gibson 51′ | 40,146 | 2nd |
4 April 1988 | Liverpool | A | 3 – 3 | Robson (2) 3′, 66′, Strachan 77′ | 43,497 | 2nd |
12 April 1988 | Luton Town | H | 3 – 0 | McClair 44′, Robson 66′, Davenport 68′ | 28,830 | 2nd |
30 April 1988 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2 – 1 | Bruce 10′, Parker 83′ (o.g.) | 35,733 | 2nd |
2 May 1988 | Oxford United | A | 2 – 0 | Anderson 7′, Strachan 37′ | 8,966 | 2nd |
7 May 1988 | Portsmouth | H | 4 – 1 | McClair (2) 5′, 58′, Davenport 25′, Robson 35′ | 35,105 | 2nd |
9 May 1988 | Wimbledon | H | 2 – 1 | McClair (2) 50′, 75′ (pen.) | 28,040 | 2nd |
Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Liverpool | 40 | 26 | 12 | 2 | 87 | 24 | +63 | 90 |
2 | Manchester United | 40 | 23 | 12 | 5 | 71 | 38 | +33 | 81 |
3 | Nottingham Forest | 40 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 67 | 39 | +28 | 73 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
FA Cup
Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 January 1988 | Round 3 | Ipswich Town | A | 2 – 1 | D’Avray 28′ (o.g.), Anderson 64′ | 23,012 |
30 January 1988 | Round 4 | Chelsea | H | 2 – 0 | Whiteside 42′, McClair 70′ | 50,716 |
20 February 1988 | Round 5 | Arsenal | A | 1 – 2 | McClair 52′ | 54,161 |
League Cup
Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23 September 1987 | Round 2 First leg | Hull City | H | 5 – 0 | McGrath 38′, Davenport 71′, Whiteside 74′, Strachan 81′, McClair 85′ | 25,041 |
7 October 1987 | Round 2 Second leg | Hull City | A | 1 – 0 | McClair 62′ | 13,586 |
28 October 1987 | Round 3 | Crystal Palace | H | 2 – 1 | McClair (2) 7′ (pen.), 28′ | 27,283 |
18 November 1987 | Round 4 | Bury | H[3] | 2 – 1 | Whiteside 63′, McClair 68′ | 33,519 |
20 January 1988 | Round 5 | Oxford United | A | 0 – 2 | 12,658 |
Football League Centenary Tournament
Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 April 1988 | Round 1 | Luton Town | N | 2 – 0 | McClair, Davenport | |
16 April 1988 | Quarter-final | Everton | N | 1 – 0 | Bruce | |
16 April 1988 | Semi-final | Sheffield Wednesday | N | 1 – 2 | Davenport (pen.) |
Squad statistics
Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | Littlewoods Cup | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
GK | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
GK | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
DF | 5(6) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5(6) | 0 | |
DF | 30(1) | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 37(1) | 3 | |
DF | 15(7) | 3 | 1(1) | 0 | 3(1) | 0 | 19(9) | 3 | |
DF | 21 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | |
DF | 39 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 47 | 0 | |
DF | 5(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 7(2) | 0 | |
DF | 26(3) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 33(3) | 2 | |
DF | 9(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 11(2) | 0 | |
DF | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | |
DF | 21(1) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 23(1) | 3 | |
DF | 20(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23(1) | 0 | |
MF | 16(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 18(2) | 0 | |
MF | 6(11) | 2 | 0(2) | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 6(15) | 2 | |
MF | 30(7) | 2 | 2(1) | 0 | 3(1) | 0 | 35(9) | 2 | |
MF | 36 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 43 | 11 | |
MF | 33(3) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 41(3) | 9 | |
FW | 21(13) | 5 | 1(1) | 0 | 3(1) | 1 | 25(15) | 6 | |
FW | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | |
FW | 40 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 48 | 31 | |
FW | 26(1) | 7 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 34(1) | 10 |