Taking a look back at everything you need to know from the 2006/07 Manchester United season.
After difficult three years leading up to the 2006/07 season, it was a return to the perch of English football for Manchester United.
United won the Premier League title and this season led into that famous double winning 2007/08 season, which many categorise as the best ever.
- Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
After a transitional period which allowed Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and others to become world class, this campaign was the realisation of this promise, ending in a 15th league title.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s claim to greatest of all time status became stronger as he had successfully built another all-conquering team
Season results and top scorer
- Premier League position: 1st
- Total points: 89
- FA Cup: Final
- League Cup: Round of 16
- Champions League: Semi-fInal
- Trophies: 1
The top scorer label for United was shared by both Rooney and Ronaldo with 23 each.
- Top scorer: Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney – 23
Signings
- Michael Carrick – £23.9m
- Henrik Larsson – Loan
- Tomasz Kuszczak – Loan
Memorable matches
In a season with such triumph, there were obviously memorable matches.
Manchester United 7-1 Roma
Arguably the number one game which springs to mind when thinking about the 2006/07 campaign is when Roma brought a 2-1 lead to Old Trafford only to see that demolished.
United won 7-1 to claim a 8-3 aggregate victory with Michael Carrick and Cristiano Ronaldo scoring two each along with Ryan Giggs assisting four.
This was a real coming out party for this United side in Europe, winning a Champions League quarter-final so convincingly a prelude to going all the way in 2008.
Manchester United 3-2 AC Milan
Beating Roma earned United a date with AC Milan in the semi final, a team which boasted Maldini, Kaka and other legends of the time.
This was against the eventual winners and it saw Rooney and Ronaldo shine with three goals between them.
Milan won the second leg comfortably, but this win was a memorable one against some of the best players in the world at the time.
It also no doubt created a hunger in the players which inspired the Champions League win in 2008.
Manchester United 4-1 Watford
In 2007, United and Chelsea battled in the FA Cup final with a Didier Drogba goal claiming victory, but on the road there, United claimed a huge 4-1 win in the semi-final.
This game saw Rooney and Ronaldo once more run riot, showcasing the levels that they were beginning to reach.
Unfortunately it didn’t lead to silverware, but it was still a memorable outing.
Liverpool 0-1 Manchester United
As United walked to a first Premier League title in three years, one key victory saw the Red Devils head to Anfield and pick up a huge win.
Even under Sir Alex Ferguson, victory at Anfield was something to be celebrated, and the goal itself was a 90th minute winner by John O’Shea, via a Cristiano Ronaldo assist.
More interestingly, O’Shea had replaced Rooney to ensure a draw, but instead proved game winner.
What else happened in 2006/07
A lot of the narrative early in the 2006/07 season was around Rooney and Ronaldo’s World Cup 2006 fall out, with fans across the country booing the Portuguese winger for his role in getting Rooney sent off.
However, impressively the pair put it behind them, instead choosing to conquer club football, and thank goodness they did.
This season won’t get ranked next to the 1999 treble or 2008 double, however, it is absolutely a season worth remembering with so much to like about United in 2006/07.
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