United 92-93

The 1992–93 season was Manchester United’s first season in the newly formed FA Premier League, and their 18th consecutive season in the top division of English football.
The season was marked by the club winning the inaugural Premier League title, ending their 26-year run without an English league title. They ended up winning the title by a 10-point margin over runners-up Aston Villa, but had fought a three-horse race for much of the season with both Villa and Norwich City, not topping the table until January. The arrival of Eric Cantona from Leeds Unitedfor £1.2 million in late November helped boost United’s title challenge, after they had been as low as 10th in the league shortly before. Cantona’s arrival came after new striker Dion Dublin had been ruled out for six months with a broken leg, and Cantona was the catalyst in United’s triumph.
Mark Hughes topped the goalscoring charts with 15 league goals, while the brilliant Ryan Giggs was voted PFA Young Player of the Year for the second year in succession. Steve Bruce was United’s captain for much of the season, as the veteran Bryan Robson missed many games due to injury. The arrival of Eric Cantona saw former striker Brian McClair switched into midfield, further restricting Robson’s first team chances.
In the UEFA Cup, United bowed out on penalties to Torpedo Moscow of Russia, after two goalless draws. Their League Cup campaign ended in the Third Round with defeat at Aston Villa. The FA Cup bid ended in the Fifth Round when they lost 2–1 to Sheffield United in a game where Steve Bruce uncharacteristically missed a penalty.
Making their debuts this season were teenagers David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville.
Before the season began, United were linked with a move for Southampton striker Alan Shearer, who had first been mentioned in the media as a possible transfer target during the autumn of 1991, but the player signed for Blackburn Rovers instead. Dion Dublin was then signed from Cambridge United, but was injured just one month after his arrival, and United struggled to find the net in the weeks that followed, the club was linked the signature of numerous other strikers. A £3million bid for Sheffield Wednesday’s David Hirst was rejected, while Sheffield United striker Brian Deane was also linked with a move to Old Trafford, but no firm offer was made. The hunt for a new striker ended on 26 November, when Eric Cantona was signed from Leeds United for a fee of just over £1million.
By the end of the season, United were being linked with a move for Nottingham Forest’s 21-year-old Irish midfielder Roy Keane, who was also a target for Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers. After the player nearly signed for Blackburn, United snapped him up on 19 July 1993 for a British record fee of £3.75million.
It was the last season at Old Trafford for midfielder Neil Webb, who returned to Nottingham Forest in November after losing his place in the Old Trafford first team. Russell Beardsmore, who did not play a game all season, joined AFC Bournemouth on a free transfer at the end of the season.
 

Pre-season and friendlies

DateOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
28 July 1992StartA3–0Blackmore, Hughes, Wallace4,118
29 July 1992CelticA1–1Ince34,368
31 July 1992LillestrømA1–1McClair5,569
2 August 1992RosenborgA3–2Ince, McClair, Irwin9,379
4 August 1992ElfsborgA0–04,491
9 August 1992Republic of Ireland XIA2–0McClair, Hughes30,069
11 August 1992Swansea CityA1–1Hughes9,744
11 November 1992BrøndbyH3–2McClair, Wallace, Phelan5,102
1 December 1992BenficaA0–140,000
12 May 1993Aston VillaN1–1Phelan22,000
14 May 1993Bristol CityA3–3Hughes (2), Blackmore21,716
17 May 1993ArsenalA4–4Dublin (2), Sharpe (2)22,117

FA Premier League

DateOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceLeague
position
15 August 1992Sheffield UnitedA1–2Hughes 61′28,07019th
19 August 1992EvertonH0–331,90122nd
22 August 1992Ipswich TownH1–1Irwin 57′31,70420th
24 August 1992SouthamptonA1–0Dublin 88′15,62311th
29 August 1992Nottingham ForestA2–0Hughes 16′, Giggs 49′19,6948th
2 September 1992Crystal PalaceH1–0Hughes 88′29,7366th
6 September 1992Leeds UnitedH2–0Kanchelskis 28′, Bruce 44′31,2964th
12 September 1992EvertonA2–0McClair 29′, Bruce 76′ (pen.)30,0023rd
19 September 1992Tottenham HotspurA1–1Giggs 44′33,2964th
26 September 1992Queens Park RangersH0–033,2874th
3 October 1992MiddlesbroughA1–1Bruce 44′ (pen.)24,1726th
18 October 1992LiverpoolH2–2Hughes (2) 79′, 89′33,2435th
24 October 1992Blackburn RoversA0–020,3057th
31 October 1992WimbledonH0–132,6227th
7 November 1992Aston VillaA0–139,06310th
21 November 1992Oldham AthleticH3–0McClair (2) 10′, 28′, Hughes 11′33,4978th
28 November 1992ArsenalA1–0Hughes 27′29,7395th
6 December 1992Manchester CityH2–1Ince 20′, Hughes 74′35,4085th
12 December 1992Norwich CityH1–0Hughes 59′34,5004th
19 December 1992ChelseaA1–1Cantona 71′34,4643rd
26 December 1992Sheffield WednesdayA3–3McClair (2) 67′, 80′, Cantona 84′37,7082nd
28 December 1992Coventry CityH5–0Giggs 6′, Hughes 40′, Cantona 64′ (pen.), Sharpe 78′, Irwin 83′36,0251st
9 January 1993Tottenham HotspurH4–1Cantona 40′, Irwin 52′, McClair 53′, Parker 57′35,6481st
18 January 1993Queens Park RangersA3–1Ince 26′, Giggs 30′, Kanchelskis 48′21,1171st
27 January 1993Nottingham ForestH2–0Ince 47′, Hughes 68′36,0852nd
30 January 1993Ipswich TownA1–2McClair 84′22,0682nd
6 February 1993Sheffield UnitedH2–1McClair 65′, Cantona 80′36,1561st
8 February 1993Leeds UnitedA0–034,1661st
20 February 1993SouthamptonH2–1Giggs (2) 82′ 83′36,2572nd
27 February 1993MiddlesbroughH3–0Giggs 21′, Irwin 79′, Cantona 86′36,2512nd
6 March 1993LiverpoolA2–1Hughes 42′, McClair 56′44,3741st
9 March 1993Oldham AthleticA0–117,1061st
14 March 1993Aston VillaH1–1Hughes 57′36,1631st
20 March 1993Manchester CityA1–1Cantona 71′37,1362nd
24 March 1993ArsenalH0–037,3013rd
5 April 1993Norwich CityA3–1Giggs 13′, Kanchelskis 20′, Cantona 21′20,5822nd
10 April 1993Sheffield WednesdayH2–1Bruce (2) 86′, 90′40,1021st
12 April 1993Coventry CityA1–0Irwin 40′24,2491st
17 April 1993ChelseaH3–0Hughes 24′, Clarke 44′ (o.g.), Cantona 48′40,1391st
21 April 1993Crystal PalaceA2–0Hughes 64′, Ince 89′30,1151st
3 May 1993Blackburn RoversH3–1Giggs 21′, Ince 60′, Pallister 90′40,4471st
9 May 1993WimbledonA2–1Ince 63′, Robson 70′30,1151st
PosClubPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Manchester United42241266731+3684
2Aston Villa422111105740+1774
3Norwich City42219126165−472

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

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
5 January 1993Round 3BuryH2–0Phelan 7′, Gillespie 79′30,668
23 January 1993Round 4Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–0Giggs 75′33,600
14 February 1993Round 5Sheffield UnitedA1–2Giggs 30′27,150

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
23 September 1992Round 2
First leg		Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–1Wallace 36′16,649
7 October 1992Round 2
Second leg		Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–0Hughes 14′25,405
28 October 1992Round 3Aston VillaA0–135,964

UEFA Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
16 September 1992First round
First leg		Torpedo MoscowH0–019,998
29 September 1992First round
Second leg		Torpedo MoscowA0–0
(3–4p)		11,357

Squad statistics

Pos.NameLeagueFA CupRumbelows CupEuropeTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Peter Schmeichel420302010480
GK Gary Walsh0000101020
DF Clayton Blackmore12(2)00(1)0101014(3)0
DF Steve Bruce425303020505
DF Denis Irwin405303020485
DF Lee Martin0000101020
DF Gary Neville0000000(1)00(1)0
DF Gary Pallister421303020501
DF Paul Parker31130200(1)036(1)1
MF David Beckham00000(1)0000(1)0
MF Nicky Butt0(1)00000000(1)0
MF Darren Ferguson150001000160
MF Ryan Giggs40(1)922201045(1)11
MF Keith Gillespie001(1)100001(1)1
MF Paul Ince416203010476
MF Andrei Kanchelskis14(13)3102(1)01018(14)3
MF Mike Phelan5(6)02100108(6)1
MF Bryan Robson5(9)10(1)0100(1)06(11)1
MF Lee Sharpe271300000301
MF Neil Webb0(1)00010203(1)0
FW Eric Cantona21(1)910000022(1)9
FW Dion Dublin3(4)10000003(4)1
FW Mark Hughes41152031204816
FW Brian McClair41(1)930302049(1)9
FW Danny Wallace0(2)01011204(2)1