The summer of ’98 was a rather busy one for Ferguson and Martin Edwards as their players travelled to France for the World Cup. The most significant plus perhaps, was the return of Roy Keane from injury. £10.6 million was handed to PSV for Jaap Stam and £12 million to Villa for Dwight Yorke. But each was an immediate and spectacular success. Yorke, for example had instant chemistry with Cole. It was the beginning of a partnership which led to Thierry Henry admitting in 2010 that he had never seen anything like that in the Premier League.
The tone was set on Day 1. The ethos of the 98/99 season: late, late goals. As Leicester put two past Peter Schmeichel’s net on opening day after Sheringham had opened scoring for United, David Beckham found himself standing over an added-time free kick. Could he bend it over the wall, past the goalkeeper? Of course he could.
Fergie’s team reacted to a slap in the face at Highbury where Wenger’s Arsenal won 3-0 by losing only two more matches all season. At Sheffield Wednesday in November and at home to Middlesbrough just before Boxing Day. United first surpassed Villa on New Year’s Day and Chelsea later that month and never lost top spot.
The FA Cup was equally thrilling. Having beaten Liverpool at Old Trafford through very late goals by Yorke and Solskjaer cancelling a very early Micheal Owen opener, United took down Fulham and Chelsea in a replay at Stamford Bridge before going to Villa Park to take on Arsenal in mid April. In the meantime they had two Italian giants to deal with in Europe and Newcastle, Everton and Wimbledon in the league.
This was getting serious.
You could not accuse United of having it easy in Europe either. Drawn in a group with Barcelona, Bayern and Brøndy, United had two 3-3 draws with Barcelona, a 6-2 and 5-0 thrashing of Brøndy, and a 2-2 draw with Bayern in Munich. By then, Barcelona knew that failure to progress meant no further chance of playing the final at their own Nou Camp. United then had the first of their confrontations with the Italians. A wonderful Giggs and Beckham show set up a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford. Although Ventola pegged them back at San Siro, a late Scholes winner relieved any signs of anxiety. Then, just before the famous FA Cup semi, came the next stage of the Italian challenge.
Antonio Conte sidestepped Juventus into the lead, midway through the first half at Old Trafford and it appeared to end that way but for a late Ryan Giggs equaliser. They had to then quickly reset their minds as Villa Park loomed. With big matches coming thick and fast, Ferguson did what he did best. Chop and change. Solskjaer started with Teddy and Blomqvist out wide leaving Cole, Yorke and Giggs on the bench.
After having drawn Wenger’s side, they went back for the replay three days later. Little did they know what destiny had in store for them.
Beckham with a curler put United ahead. Then, Bergkamp equalised and Keane got sent off following a second yellow. The Reds held on until stoppage time when Phil Neville brought Ray Parlour down inside the box. Bergkamp took it. Schmeichel saved. Still, Arsenal dominated.
It was the 110th minute when Patrick Vieira made the most wayward pass he’s ever made and picked Ryan Giggs out inside his own half. It was only his 49th and he used his freshness to devastating effect.
Ryan. Giggs. Ran.
With a faint sidestep he evaded Vieira’s challenge. He then drew Lee Dixon out before cutting in spurting between Dixon and Keown. A helpless David Seaman stood there taken aback by the sheer pace on the drive. Off came Giggs’s shirt, after having scripted one of the most significant moments in Manchester United’s history.
‘The magic of the FA Cup’.
To be continued.
Into Added Time 