Last-day catastrophe that cost United the title
May 8, 2008 |16:08 | Gossips | Matches | News By : Team X
It is, as Sky keeps reminding us, the "most amazing weekend ever" since, well, the last time it told us that. But aside from the hype, this is not actually the first time two clubs have gone into the final weekend of the league season level on points at the top of the table and so evenly matched you would struggle to get a cigarette paper between them. And Manchester United supporters of a certain generation - or, at least, those who have chosen not to airbrush it from the club's history - could be forgiven for feeling an unnerving sense of deja vu.
On Sunday, Sir Alex Ferguson's players will go to Wigan Athletic hoping to see off Chelsea in a title race which, more than anything, has become a feat of endurance. It is the first time for 40 years that the leading sides have been separated by nothing more than a simple formula with 90 minutes to play. Then, as now, United were one of the clubs involved, with a European Cup final also on the horizon, although then they were still a semi-final second leg away. But the similarities do not end there. In 1968 Sir Matt Busby was missing his star striker, Denis Law, through injury; now Ferguson is fretting about Wayne Rooney. It was to be a chastening experience - and, again, the last match of the domestic season fell on May 11.
"The situation was clear," recalled Wilf McGuinness, one of Sir Matt Busby's trainers of the time. "We had to win and hope that we got a better result than Manchester City, who were playing at Newcastle. We had a home match against Sunderland, who weren't doing well in the league, and it was expected that we would win. We expected to win and our supporters certainly expected it. So what happened next was, in football terms, a catastrophe for us - a really big shock."

Rafa Benitez believes that Liverpool are finally ready to defeat their bitterest rivals - thanks to the man he dubs the new Roy Keane.
This is Manchester United's best chance to go three points ahead of Arsenal when they welcome the visit of Bolton to Old Trafford. As it is now thjey have a game more than Arsenal as well as superior goal difference. And given the form Ronaldo is in scoring in almost every game, they can look to go three points clear at the top now.
The old saying ‘It never rains but it pours’ could not be more applicable to Derby as following their 6-1 mauling at the hands of Chelsea, Paul Jewell’s doomed side must host Premier League top scorers Manchester United on Saturday.
The game will mark the 25th anniversary of the Dons winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1983. 
Sir Alex Ferguson recently announced that he probably has three more year left in him as Manchester United boss, and given his fantastic service with the Premier League giants and just how much he has achieved since he joined them way back in 1986, is it time to start looking at life at Old Traford after Sir Fergie?









