10 Easter Memories For Manchester United

We reflect on 10 Manchester United memories from Easter periods over the past 30 years...

1988: Liverpool 3 United 3
Anfield on Easter Monday and the stuff of legend. Bryan Robson converted Peter Davenport's cross to hand United an early boost against leaders Liverpool, but the joy was shortlived. Peter Beardsley and Gary Gillespie turned things around by half-time and Steve McMahon punted a spectacular third. Colin Gibson was sent off for a second yellow card but, somehow, United battled back. Robson's deflected drive gave Alex Ferguson's men hope and Gordon Strachan's coollest of finishes, and iconic celebration, rescued a point for the 10 men.

1993: United 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1 | Coventry 0 United 1
A double-header for the Reds of huge significance. Everybody will recall Steve Bruce's two late headers against Sheffield Wednesday to turn things around en route to the first Premier League title but the 1-0 victory at Coventry City on Easter Monday, courtesy of a belter by Denis Irwin, was the perfect follow-up to that pivotal and emotional triumph over the Owls.

1995: Leicester 0 United 4
A biggest win of the Easter period in recent times was a 4-0 demolition of Leicester City at Filbert Street. United played some marvellous football, with Lee Sharpe getting the ball rolling before setting up the second for Andy Cole. When Bruce had an attempt cleared off the line, Cole rammed in his second and the Reds' third, before a delightful cross by Paul Scholes was met on the stretch by Paul Ince for the coup de grace.

1996: Manchester City 2 United 3
A vital fixture at both ends of the table was decided by a Ryan Giggs rocket. Shown the way to goal by Keith Curle, he duly obliged by thrashing home a corker that stunned Maine Road. City had twice hit back, replying to an Eric Cantona penalty and Cole's effort, through Mikhail Kavelashvili and Uwe Rosler, but the Reds had the last say in a Double-winning campaign.

2000: Southampton 1 United 3 | United 3 Chelsea 2
A title-clinching win at Southampton and all done at a canter. David Beckham's trademark free-kick set the Reds on the way and, after a Francis Benali own goal, Beckham turned provider to set up Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's clinical finish. Marian Pahars's consolation meant little and Chelsea provided a guard of honour on the Easter Monday at Old Trafford before succumbing to a 3-2 defeat, with Dwight Yorke netting twice and Solskjaer on the scoresheet again.

2001: United 4 Coventry 2
United would clinch the Premier League crown later in the day, when Arsenal slumped to a shock 3-0 home reverse to Middlesbrough, but relegation-haunted Coventry fought all the way at Old Trafford. Yorke and John Hartson both scored doubles in the first half and it took a couple of beauties from Giggs and Paul Scholes to settle matters.

2002: Leeds 3 United 4
David O'Leary's Leeds refused to lie down but were beaten 4-3 in a thriller of an early kick-off at Elland Road. Scholes's opener was cancelled out by Mark Viduka before the visitors took full control. Solskjaer struck twice and Beckham galloped down the right flank, deep into Leeds territory, before squaring for Giggs to apply the finish. It looked all over at 4-1 but Ian Harte and Lee Bowyer ensured a nervous finale.

2008: United 3 Liverpool 0
Liverpool had no answer to the rampant Reds, particularly after Javier Mascherano foolishly talked himself into a red card. The breakthrough came when Pepe Reina came off his line to meet a Wayne Rooney cross but the ball found the net off Wes Brown's back. Cristiano Ronaldo headed in a corner by Nani for his 34th goal of the season and Nani added a spectacular third when taking a touch before rifling home from the edge of the box.

2012: United 2 QPR 0
A win over Queens Park Rangers nudged United eight points clear at the Premier League summit but the game was not without controversy. QPR felt Shaun Derry was harshly sent off for bringing down Ashley Young, but Rooney nervelessly dispatched the penalty past Paddy Kenny. Scholes, something of an Easter goals specialist, cracked home his third strike since coming out of retirement to seal the points.

2015: United 3 Aston Villa 1
Rooney produced a moment of magic as Louis van Gaal's team saw off Aston Villa 3-1 at Old Trafford. Ander Herrera scored twice, the first just before half-time, but it was Rooney who took centre stage when getting a toe to an Angel Di Maria centre and spinning to hammer the ball into the top corner of the net.