It was September 2002 when Sir Alex Ferguson delivered what is probably — behind that epic night in Barcelona when “football, bloody hell” became a part of our football lives — the most instantly recognisable quote of his time as Manchester United’s manager.
His team was going through one of those spells when it felt as though the roof at Old Trafford could tumble in. They had finished the previous season 10 points behind Arsenal and barely a month into the new campaign they were six points down on Arsene Wenger’s side. Alan Hansen described Ferguson’s position as “the greatest challenge of his career”.
The response was delivered like a cobra strike, quick and brutal. “My greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their fucking perch,” Ferguson said. “And you can print that.”
Liverpool’s last league title was in 1990 and Ferguson did not win the first of his 11 championships until three years later. Yet everyone knows what Ferguson was talking about.
Forget, for one moment, all that stuff about United not playing well.
The fact is that apart from one night, in November in the Carling Cup at West Ham they have not lost a single match. Everything seems to be falling into place and unless something can happen to stop their current trajectory it is difficult to see beyond them winning the title that would establish them as the most successful league side in the history of English football.
That statement is made with a note of caution because it is true that United have not totally clicked. They have won matches without finding the cohesion we expect of them and it was the same again as they maintained their superiority over a disjointed Liverpool last week. Ferguson’s men did not get on top until Steven Gerrard was sent off and even then there was never any sense they would overwhelm Liverpool. They were efficient rather than exceptional.
Yet what we are seeing is a team of serial winners playing with no trepidation and demonstrating the kind of belief that takes years to cultivate. It is a mentality, a combination of know-how and “seen-it-all-before” expertise.
You go through some of their players individually and wonder what all the fuss has been about. Rio Ferdinand, for example, was probably the best player on the pitch, when it was not so long ago people were wondering whether he might be finished. Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher have been coaxed out of dips in form. Jonny Evans’s confidence appears to have been rebuilt. Rafael Da Silva has been taught how to defend.
Dimitar Berbatov is a far better player than he was a year ago. Nani is improving at an even faster rate, with 38 goals or assists in 40 appearances.
The only problem yet to be solved is Wayne Rooney’s lack of goals — he has only three so far, compared with 34 last season. Yet even that has not made a significant impact and it is a testament to the ethos that comes from Ferguson. Rooney might have played like a drain at times, but others have stepped forward. United have had 18 different scorers.
You look for weaknesses and there aren’t many. Gary Neville, at 35, is one, but he has been taken out of the squad since his display at West Bromwich Albion on New Year’s Day. The goals will surely come for Rooney, who should be back for Sunday’s game at Tottenham Hotspur. Nemanja Vidic should also be fit and Tomasz Kuszczak has done well enough in goal to mean it will not be too drastic if Edwin van der Sar misses out again.
Being knocked out of the FA Cup will have hurt Liverpool, but it is what happens next that might bring the worst pain.—