Easter Double Headers

For all the talk of a fixture pile-up for the Reds ahead of the away assignments at Sunderland and Chelsea, a double-header over the Easter period is nothing new for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

Since the inception of the Barclays Premier League, the Reds have played twice during the four-day spell on six occasions, including in each of the first four years of the new division as it was traditionally a busy time for football.

1993: Sheff Wed (H) 2-1, Coventry (A) 1-0
A vital and joyous time for all United fans as the team closed in on the first title for 26 years. Steve Bruce's late headers against the Owls will never be forgotten but Denis Irwin's long-range winner at Highfield Road also enabled the trophy to move closer into view.

1994: Blackburn (A) 0-2, Oldham (H) 3-2
An Alan Shearer brace upset United's championship plans, only for a narrow win against the Latics to get the club back on course for a first-ever Double. Ryan Giggs, substitute Dion Dublin and Paul Ince scored the goals with the latter two coming in the space of a couple of minutes.

1995: Leicester (A) 4-0, Chelsea (H) 0-0
The Foxes were thumped at Filbert Street, thanks to Lee Sharpe, Andy Cole (2) and a last-minute Ince effort, but Chelsea proved a tougher nut to crack at Old Trafford as Kevin Hitchcock kept the Reds at bay and the dropped points were ultimately very costly.

1996: Man City (A) 3-2, Coventry (H) 1-0
Despite Eric Cantona and Cole strikes, City made life difficult in the derby until Giggs was shown the way to goal by Keith Curle and arrowed a shot into the top corner. The biggest league crowd in Britain for nine years then saw Cantona end Coventry's resistance early in the second half.

2000: Southampton (A) 3-1, Chelsea (H) 3-2
United clinched the title at The Dell with three goals inside the opening half-hour. David Beckham, a Francis Benali own goal and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did the damage. There was no let-up from the champions as Dwight Yorke (2) and Solskjaer ensured the hosts shaded an entertaining clash with Chelsea.

2006: Sunderland (H) 0-0, Tottenham (A) 2-1
A surprise goalless stalemate with the Premier League's basement side, effectively ended United's hopes of another title. The Wearsiders were relegated as a result of the draw, in any case, but Sir Alex's team recovered to win at White Hart Lane with a Wayne Rooney double.