Win prizes in 'United for a High Five' competition

Manchester United Foundation’s fundraising raffle will go live at 09:00 BST on Monday 1 June, giving you the chance to win some incredible prizes, whilst continuing to support its Covid-19 response.

The ‘United for a High Five’ raffle focuses on the number five, as fans are encouraged to take just five minutes to donate at least £5 to be in with a chance of winning five prizes released over five days.

The raffle will be kicked off by the Reds' very own number five, Harry Maguire, as he offers the chance for one lucky fan to join him on a virtual hangout to chat all things football.

Harry said: “I’m delighted to support this brilliant initiative by Manchester United Foundation, especially as it is centred around my number five! The Foundation has done fantastic work so far during the pandemic and with the help of the fans we can continue to make a difference to those who need it most. Please donate what you can, and I look forward to seeing one of you online!”

The raffle follows the Foundation’s recent commitment to the local community and beyond throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past few weeks the Foundation has worked with the club to provide meals for the NHS, donate money and activity packs to partner schools to support their pupils and families, and team up with worldwide Manchester United Supporters’ Club to support local youth charities in their own Covid campaigns.

The Foundation is now asking for the public’s support to continue its response to the pandemic, and in return is offering money-can’t-buy prizes, donated by Manchester United players, legends and partners, over a five-day raffle to commence on Monday 1 June.

John Shiels, Chief Executive of Manchester United Foundation, said: “We’re now giving our fans the chance to get involved in our Covid response by raising money, which will be used to continue supporting our communities as we try to start getting back to normal. So many people will find the transition back to ‘normal life’ just as difficult as lockdown, but the Foundation will be there for them at every step.”

The 'United for a High Five' raffle will launch at 09:00 BST on Monday 1 June across all Manchester United and Foundation online channels. Fans can donate via Virgin Money Giving or via text to be in with a chance of winning five exclusive prizes.

Premier League welcomes Government go-ahead

The Premier League published the following statement on Saturday afternoon, after the UK Government authorised the return of competitive sport in June...

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: “The Premier League welcomes the Government’s announcement today.

“All major sports, including the Premier League, have been working together with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to produce this Stage Three protocol.

“We could not have reached this point without the full support of the Government, especially DCMS, Public Health England and the Chief Medical Officer’s team.

“We have provisionally planned to restart the Premier League on 17 June, but there is still much work to be done to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

“This includes consulting with our clubs, players and managers - along with all our other stakeholders - as the health and welfare of our participants and supporters is our priority. If all goes well, we will be thrilled to resume the 2019/20 season in just over two weeks’ time.”

Premier League statement on match venues

The Premier League have published the following statement regarding where matches will be played when the 2019/20 season resumes.

“The Premier League’s ambition is to complete all of our remaining fixtures this season home and away, where possible.

“We are working with our clubs to ensure risks are assessed and minimised, while co-operating with the police at a local and national level.

“Discussions with the National Police Chiefs' Council and UK Football Policing Unit have been positive and are continuing.

“We are prepared for all outcomes and have a neutral venue contingency.”

Manchester United will announce the details of our rescheduled 2019/20 fixtures once these have been confirmed.

Provisional Emirates FA Cup dates announced

The provisional dates for the 2019/20 Emirates FA Cup have been released, with the tournament set to get under way again towards the end of June.

Manchester United are one of the eight teams competing to lift the trophy, with the final now not due to be staged until 1 August, following the pause in action due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Reds had been drawn away to Norwich City in the quarter-final, a game that will now take place on either 27/28 June.

United defeated Wolves, after a replay, in the third round before a comprehensive 6-0 victory at Tranmere Rovers. A 3-0 win at Wayne Rooney's Derby County followed in the last-16 stage, with the team still to concede a goal in the competition.

There is a determination throughout the squad to go all the way and win the FA Cup this season, and therefore match Arsenal's record of 13 successes. The last time we won it was in 2016, when Jesse Lingard scored an extra-time winner against Crystal Palace at Wembley.

The other three ties at the last-eight stage are Leicester City v Chelsea, Newcastle United v Manchester City and Sheffield United v Arsenal. All eight sides remaining in the hunt for the trophy are Premier League outfits.

The FA has stated that venues and timings will be announced at a later date, and this initial scheduling could still be subject to change.

“We are pleased to agree the provisional restart date for the 2019-20 Emirates FA Cup,” said FA chief executive officer, Mark Bullingham.

“The competition has been an integral part of the English football calendar for nearly 150 years, and we’d like to thank the Premier League executive and clubs for their support in scheduling the remaining matches during this unprecedented time.

“This has been a difficult period for many people and, while this is a positive step, the restart date is dependent on all safety measures being met. The health and well-being of players, staff and supporters remains our priority.”

EMIRATES FA CUP SCHEDULE

Quarter-finals: Saturday 27 June & Sunday 28 June

Semi-finals: Saturday 18 July & Sunday 19 July

Final: Saturday 1 August

Dates could be subject to change.

Premier League confirms provisional return date

The Premier League has issued the following statement on Project Restart, confirming matches could start again from Wednesday 17 June...

“Premier League Shareholders today agreed to a new provisional restart date for the 2019/20 season of Wednesday 17 June, provided that all safety requirements are in place.

“Aston Villa v Sheffield United and Manchester City v Arsenal – postponed due to the EFL Cup Final – will now take place on 17 June, followed by a full match round, beginning on Friday 19 June. Due to COVID-19, games will take place behind closed doors.

“Premier League Shareholders also approved a proposal that would see all 92 remaining matches broadcast live in the UK by the League’s existing broadcast partners: Sky Sports, BT Sport, BBC Sport and Amazon Prime.

“Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: 'Today we have provisionally agreed to resume the Premier League on Wednesday 17 June. But this date cannot be confirmed until we have met all the safety requirements needed, as the health and welfare of all participants and supporters is our priority.

“Sadly, matches will have to take place without fans in stadiums, so we are pleased to have come up with a positive solution for supporters to be able to watch all the remaining 92 matches.

“The Premier League and our clubs are proud to have incredibly passionate and loyal supporters. It is important to ensure as many people as possible can watch the matches at home. We will continue to work step-by-step and in consultation with all our stakeholders as we move towards resuming the 2019/20 season.

“The planned kick-off times in the UK for live matches will also differ from the traditional times.

“Weekend matches will be scheduled as follows (all times BST): Friday - 20:00; Saturday - 12:30, 15:00, 17:30 and 20:00; Sunday - 12:00, 14:00, 16:30 and 19:00; Monday - 20:00.

“Midweek matches will be scheduled as follows (all times BST): Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - 18:00 and 20:00).”

DREAM UNITED TEAM: SIR MATT BUSBY V SIR ALEX FERGUSON

Manchester United can proudly boast of having two of the greatest managers to have ever graced English football: Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson.

Between them, the great Scotsmen won 18 league titles, seven FA Cups and ensured United were European champions on three separate occasions.

Of course, both men built all-conquering sides during their extended spells in charge at Old Trafford, and as part of our Dream United Team series, we’re asking: which team would come out on top in a six-a-side game?

We’re certainly not spoiled for choice in either side and, after reading through both line-ups, be sure to vote for which team you think would win.

Busby-era side (selected by Ivan Ponting, freelance journalist and author)

1: Harry Gregg
2: Johnny Carey
3: Duncan Edwards
4: Bobby Charlton
5: George Best
6: Denis Law

With all due respect to Old Trafford icons of other eras, it defies belief that any more exciting combination than this scintillating sextet could conceivably have been produced during the reign of another club manager in the game’s history.

One thing seems a certainty. If the opposition, any opposition, lost the ball to Matt Busby’s men, then in all likelihood they would not recover it until they fished it out of their net.

The fiery Gregg, a study in utter commitment, would issue orders from his line, while every outfield player was capable of dazzling dexterity in possession and ceaseless industry if the ball was lost. Each individual was such a complete all-rounder that the attacking interplay would be bewildering, frequently impossible to combat by fair means or foul.

The team is beautifully balanced, too. Though captain Carey and Edwards were not out-and-out speed merchants, they weren’t exactly sluggish either, while they were strong, supremely unflappable and their reading of the action was second to none. In addition, their ability to spear destructive passes through even the tightest of defensive ranks to find their forwards, was game-changing.

And what forwards! Law would be the front man, whipcord tough, sharp as a dart in front of goal and with a will to win that was positively savage. Best would roam to every corner, dribbling mesmerically, a twisting, teasing, bright-eyed assassin who found the net for fun but could also tackle like the most jagged of defenders; and then there was Charlton, lying slightly deeper, all that spectacular firepower underpinned by a dynamic work ethic.

Busby’s only problem would be justifying his selection to the stars he left out. Just about any member of his three great teams could make a case for inclusion, with the likes of Charlie Mitten, Roger Byrne, Tommy Taylor, Dennis Viollet, Nobby Stiles and Paddy Crerand perhaps the most aggrieved. What a bench – and what a dream!

The players

Goalkeeper: Harry Gregg
The Ulsterman with the periodically short fuse was a fearsome prospect between United’s posts. Supremely athletic, terrifyingly brave, he set out to command his penalty box, often charging through friend and foe alike in the process. Harry was also voted the top keeper in the 1958 World Cup.

Defender: Johnny Carey (C)
‘Gentleman John’ was an eloquent, soft-brogued Dubliner who majored as a cultured, composed footballing right-back, but one who could crunch into a challenge if needed. In addition, he was a natural leader of men, his imposing presence echoing the charisma and integrity of his manager.

Midfield: Duncan Edwards
A colossus capable of commanding the rearguard, rampaging though midfield or galvanising the attack, he was pretty much the complete footballer. There wasn’t an aspect of the game at which the buoyantly confident but unassuming young Midlander did not excel before he died at Munich.

Midfield: Bobby Charlton
The quiet north-easterner offered a compelling vision of football at its most beautiful, a sumptuous cocktail of silk and dynamite. He moved with the grace of a gazelle, turning would-be markers into irrelevant onlookers; he passed like a dream, shot like a cannon and grafted ceaselessly. Perfection.

Forward: George Best
The unique, ungovernable little Irishman was a once-in-a-lifetime talent of whom Matt Busby remarked: ‘George had more ways of beating a player than anyone I’ve ever seen.’ His 470 games and 179 goals over 11 seasons render idiotic the notion that he wasted his gifts. He just departed too early.

Forward: Denis Law
A footballing fireball with an outlaw streak which could teeter on the edge of villainy, the Scottish sharpshooter, the most deadly his country has ever produced, will be ‘The King’ of the Stretford End for all eternity. Awesome reflexes, aerial brilliance, delicious skills, matchless courage, he had it all..

Sir Alex Ferguson-era side (selected by Ben Ashby, Editor of Inside United)

1: Fabien Barthez
2: Rio Ferdinand
3: Paul Scholes
4: Wayne Rooney
5: Eric Cantona (c)
6: Cristiano Ronaldo

If any team could give the frightening set of Busby-era legends arrayed against them a game, surely this is it. Absolute players from back to front, the cream of the Sir Alex Ferguson generation.

You're probably thinking, “Where's Peter Schmeichel?”, or perhaps Edwin van Der Sar or David De Gea? All three are definitely worthy goalkeepers. But in this six-a-side format, I reckon Fabien Barthez would be a perfect wildcard. Efforts on goal would be raining in from all angles and the Frenchman was a shot-stopper par excellence. Plus, he'd be a secret weapon with the occasional dribble out of goal to make a six-on-five overload, which might come in handy!

This has to be a team of pure footballers in order to match Busby's men, players who can take the ball in any area, keep it and use it well. That's why Rio Ferdinand, the silkiest of ball-playing defenders, gets the nod as nominally the furthest man back (he wouldn't be a pure 'defender' as such, in an extremely fluid line-up).

Next comes Paul Scholes. He'll be the quarterback, the man to dictate play – think the deep-lying Scholes of his latter years. He'll also be encouraged to get into shooting positions whenever possible to harass Harry Gregg with his cannonballs.

Now we come onto a thrilling attacking triumvirate: Wayne Rooney, Eric Cantona and Cristiano Ronaldo. At first I had Ruud van Nistelrooy in mind, but there was not one of these three I could justifiably drop, and I quickly came round to the idea of forsaking a pure centre-forward for this phenomenal trio of multi-talented footballers. The movement would be bewitching, the interplay out of this world – and any of the three could put the ball in the net from anywhere. Defend against that!

My biggest fear would be telling various players they'd missed out... mostly Roy Keane! It's so hard to omit the likes of Bryan Robson, Ryan Giggs and many other legends of the Ferguson era.

The players

Goalkeeper: Fabien Barthez
As acrobatic and agile as keepers came, capable of breathtaking saves. The French World Cup-winner joined the Reds from Monaco and in his three seasons under Ferguson won two Premier League titles, before a loan and eventual permanent move to Marseille.

Defender: Rio Ferdinand
After learning his trade at West Ham and Leeds, when Rio moved to the Reds in 2002 he would learn to win. Relentlessly so. Cultured, quick and athletic, the defender scooped up six titles under Sir Alex, as well as the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup and plenty more.

Midfielder: Paul Scholes
So good he played for us twice. Emerging from the youth ranks to make his debut in 1994, across 19 seasons (and one false retirement) Scholes established himself as one of the great players of his generation, starting as a goalscoring, attacking midfielder, or second striker, before dropping deeper to become a tempo-controlling playmaker. Eleven titles to his name isn’t bad either!

Forward: Wayne Rooney
Thirteen seasons as a Red and at the end of it, one of the blue riband club records to call his own: all-time record goalscorer, with 253 strikes chalked against his name. But there was so much more to Rooney's game than goals – industry, invention, will to win and the leadership qualities to wear the captain's armband. A true great.

Forward: Eric Cantona
An Old Trafford icon and a footballing tour de force who helped United sweep all before them during the heady 1990s. Visionary passing, sublime touches, incredible goals – and all done with a unique panache and brio that made every supporter feel 10-feet tall. The King.

Forward: Cristiano Ronaldo
The boy wonder signed from Sporting Lisbon developed from skinny winger with an incredible box of tricks and unlimited potential, to a complete attacker who scored goals of every sort, by the bucketload, during his six seasons at Old Trafford. Now one of the select group of players in the argument for best the world has seen – ever.

'UNITED FOR THE HEROES' T-SHIRT AVAILABLE TO BUY

A fundraising T-shirt launched by Manchester United will allow fans to declare their support for the ‘Frontline Heroes’ of the coronavirus pandemic while giving money to a great cause.

All proceeds from the T-shirt will be donated to Manchester United Foundation, which is pursuing a range of charitable initiatives to support communities affected by the crisis.

The stylish T-shirt, which has the slogan “United for the Heroes” emblazoned across its front, builds on United’s 'Frontline Heroes' campaign to recognise key workers and volunteers who are saving lives and serving their communities.

Fans have been invited to nominate their Frontline Heroes for recognition, including supporters who are key workers providing essential services or volunteers supporting charities or helping vulnerable neighbours.

Some of the nominees have received ‘Thank You’ messages from players and now United fans around the world will be able to show their appreciation on a T-shirt.

Proceeds from the T-shirt will go to the “Donate. Support. Unite” campaign launched this week by the Foundation to raise funds for its expanding charitable response to the pandemic. A charity auction will be held next week across all club and Foundation channels, featuring prizes from Harry Maguire and other players and legends.

Since the start of the crisis, the Foundation has delivered tens of thousands of items of food and drink to food banks, distributed activity packs to help families cope with lockdown, and provided 60,000 meals for frontline workers in NHS hospitals in Manchester and Salford.

Last week, the Foundation announced plans to expand its response across the UK and overseas by working with the 240 Manchester United Supporters’ Clubs around the world to help children’s charities reduce the impact of the pandemic on young people in their local areas.

John Shiels, Chief Executive of the Foundation, said: “There are so many heroes working selflessly for others in response to the pandemic and this T-shirt is a great way for United fans to show their appreciation.

“The proceeds from this T-shirt will help Manchester United Foundation meet the growing need we see in all the communities in which we work, and honour the key workers and volunteers who are on the frontline of the crisis. We are grateful to the Club for coming up with this great product and to everyone who buys it.”

You can pre-order your T-shirt here.

Manchester United will donate all proceeds that it receives from the sale of this product to the Manchester United Foundation Charity No: 1118310.

You can donate directly by visiting www.mufoundation.org/donate.

SHAW NAMES HIS STRONGEST TEAM-MATES

Luke Shaw has revealed the four Manchester United colleagues he considers to be the strongest in the squad.

As part of his weekly diary, the left-back tackled fans' questions and was asked about this subject by @KhaalisDeLas on Twitter.

Luke explains that Scott McTominay and Axel Tuanzebe, two homegrown youth products, are monsters in the gym, while midfielders Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba are tough in terms of getting the ball off them on the pitch.

“Ohhh, that’s hard,” replied Shaw, when asked the question. “We’ve got quite a physically strong team in general.

“Everyone’s quite competitive and we have a lot of lads who enjoy going in the gym. We’ll talk a lot, people will say they’re lifting this or doing that, but a few stand out. Scotty’s very strong and very aggressive with it, Axel is another one who loves it in the gym.

“Beyond that you’ve got the likes of Nemanja and Paul who are very difficult to get the ball off, so I’d probably pick those four.

Another question was supplied by @Akingbemilal, who wanted to know which of the defender's team-mates were the most skilful and had the best technique.

“Most skilful?” he responded. “We’ve got Rashy [Marcus Rashford] and Anthony [Martial], who are both extremely skilful. We see that so much in training and people obviously see it in games as well.

“Paul would fall into that as well because he’s very skilful, and I’d have to say he’s got the best technique as well. I’ve mentioned him before in my diary, but he really does have outstanding technique. With his qualities, I can’t look past him.”

PREMIER LEAGUE STATEMENT ON PHASE TWO OF TRAINING

The Premier League released the following statement at 12:15 BST, providing an encouraging update on Project Restart...

“Premier League Shareholders today voted unanimously to resume contact training - marking another step towards restarting the Premier League season, when safe to do so.

“Squads are now able to train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising any unnecessary close contact.

“The Premier League’s priority is the health and wellbeing of all participants.

“Strict medical protocols are in place to ensure the training ground is the safest environment possible and players and staff will continue to be tested for COVID-19 twice a week.

“Stage Two of the Return to Training protocol has been agreed following consultation with clubs, players, managers, the PFA, LMA and the Government.

“Discussions are ongoing as work continues towards resuming the season, when conditions allow.”

UTD PODCAST: SIR ALEX ABSOLUTELY RIPPED INTO US!

It's one thing having a house party shut down by complaining neighbours. But imagine Sir Alex Ferguson doing the honours – in full hairdryer mode.

Well, that's exactly the fate that befell Lee Sharpe and Ryan Giggs in the early 90s, as Sharpe explained in hilarious detail during the latest episode of UTD Podcast.

At the time, the two youngsters were riding the crest of a wave. Both had broken into the United first team as mere teenagers, and played starring roles in the club's first top-flight title in 26 years during the 1992/93 season.

But when Ferguson learned of their plan to paint Stockport red one midweek evening, he had no hesitation in bringing them crashing right back down to earth.

Sharpe takes up the story: “I'd bought a new Barratt or Wimpey new-build house in Altrincham. Giggsy's still living at home with his mum.

“Giggsy rings me up. 'Oh, we'll go out in Stockport, Thursday night. We're alright, we don't have to play until Sunday. We're fine.'

“Yeah, come down.”

A taxi had been ordered to take the pair and some friends to Stockport but, when a knock on the door sounded soon after, the group got a shock.

“At 10 o'clock, the manager knocks on the door,” the Midlander remembered. “Giggsy's mate answers the door with the only two bottles of beer I've got left in the house from the weekend before!

“One of the lads run upstairs and says: 'You'll never guess what? The manager's downstairs!'

“I'm like 'Oh, no he's not, he's not.' I'm putting the final touches to my barnet.

'No, no, the manager's downstairs!'

“No you're joking.”

“So I peer over the stairs. The manager's got the scarlet face on, with a bit of froth in the corner of his mouth.

“'Get these c**** out of this house! I want a word with you and that Giggs! Get in that living room!'”

Though Ferguson held no authority over the non-United members of Sharpe's party, the legendary Scot quickly assumed control.

“He's booting everybody out the front door,” continues Sharpe. “Kicking them up the backside, smacking them around the back of the head.

“He absolutely rips into me and Giggsy. 'You're finished at this club! You can't head it, you can't pass it, you can't run! You're letting your team-mates down, you're letting your mum and dad down, you're letting your family down!'

“Then he's over to Giggsy, doing the same. 'You! You're letting your mum down, letting your family down... There's married men out there with kids, supporting their kids!'”

The tale took a surreal twist when Ferguson was accosted by a new canine acquaintance of Sharpe's, and then learned of the player's hitherto unknown musical aspirations.

“As he's doing this [the hairdryer], I've got a big double door leading into a dining room and a big set of sparkling drums that fill the dining room,” laughed our then no.5. “And a big St Bernard dog that's just trying to mount the gaffer while he's telling me off!

“He looks up and he goes: 'What the f*** are they! Why do you need f****** drums!?'

“I rang my mum and dad up and said: 'I think I'm getting sacked in the morning.' Nightmare! That's Giggsy again – he always got me into trouble!”

FOR JUAN DAY ONLY, MATA IS IN CHARGE OF MUTV

Juan Mata: United fans’ favourite, World Cup winner, all-round nice guy, and now… MUTV producer!

That’s right, the Spaniard has kindly taken the time out to help with today's (Wednesday 27 May) scheduling, selecting six great shows to be broadcast as part of his MUTV Takeover.

Mata has included a variety of programmes, that have been influenced by his experiences as a youth at Real Madrid, and in England with Chelsea and, of course, United.

Juan’s schedule will start at 10:30 BST and run until 17:30 BST. After an hour’s break, we’ll start the whole thing over again, with the second instalment running until the early hours of Thursday morning. Find out what the midfielder has decided to watch…

UTD PODCAST: JUAN MATA

Earlier this season, Juan took part in an episode of UTD Podcast and enjoyed the experience so much he wants supporters to have another chance to watch it.

“I think podcasts are nice,” he explained. “They’re becoming trendier and there are a lot of people who listen to them when on a walk, or before bed, or when they’re cooking.

“Doing mine, I really enjoyed it and they came to my dad’s restaurant Tapeo & Wine. We had a good time and we had a nice conversation about my career, about my experiences in Spain, in England, and at Manchester United.

“It was very nice because during an interview with a journalist, you speak about the last game and the next game, but this was more like a conversation; it was more like speaking with my friends or family.

“It felt very nice to go through all of my career. I think it’s a really nice experience and I’ve seen that other team-mates have done it. It’s a format that I recommend.”

2019/20 MATCH: UNITED 1 WOLVES 0

We asked Juan to select a game from this season, and he opted to go for January’s Emirates FA Cup third-round replay against Wolverhampton Wanderers, when our no.8 popped up with the only goal of the match.

“In the previous game [at Molineux] it was 0-0, and, at Old Trafford, it was also close,” he reflected. “We could only score one goal and it was important for us to go through to another round in a special competition.“

Mata’s inch-perfect chip in this clash was nominated for our January Goal-of-the-Month award, and the midfielder talked us through the excellent strike.

“I got the ball and had a lot of space in front of me, and I just tried to get to the goal as quick as possible, so the defenders couldn’t catch me,” Juan recollected.

“Then I tried to get my body in front of the defender so he couldn’t get to the ball, and, if he did, he might have fouled me and given away a penalty.

“I was waiting for the keeper to make a move so I could decide what to do, and he moved closer to me so I didn’t have a lot of space. In the last second, when I saw that he was close to me, I just chipped it and, luckily, it went in.

“Sometimes you chip it and it doesn’t go quick enough and the defender can get it, or it can go over the goal, but, thankfully, this time it was okay and it went in.”

ERIC CANTONA: REFLECTIONS OF AN ARTIST

Mata’s third choice was a documentary on ‘The King’ and he has already explained in greater detail about his special relationship with Eric.

CLASSIC MATCH: UNITED 4-3 REAL MADRID (2002/03)

As part of his MUTV Takeover, Juan selected a classic match from our archives, and he opted for an unforgettable European encounter against his one of his former clubs.

“I picked that game for various reasons,” he said. “I remember watching that game as a kid. I remember that Ronaldo - the Brazilian one - had an amazing game and scored a hat-trick.

“Even though he was a rival player, when he was substituted, everyone at Old Trafford clapped for him. That was amazing - I know how amazing our fans are every week and that moment shows how special our supporters are.”

Although this win meant United actually exited the competition, Juan believes the quality on show that night is more than enough reason to rewatch this epic tussle.

“I remember David Beckham scored that game - he scored a great goal but it wasn’t enough. Even though United didn’t qualify, I remember it as one of the top European games because it was between two of the biggest clubs, and it was played with an incredible group of players on the pitch who were both going for the win.

“Of course, United were pushing to qualify but, with Ronaldo, Real were making it very difficult to qualify. I’m sure United fans weren’t happy to not qualify but they appreciated the game itself.”

As a youngster, Mata came through the ranks at Real and he reflected on training with the likes of David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and, of course, Ronaldo.

“He is not just one of the best strikers to have played the game, but one of the best players overall,” Juan said.

“Also, he showed so much resilience when he had two very bad injuries in his knees in the peak of his career, and he came back and scored many goals. Without a doubt, he is one of the best players I have seen and one the best players I have trained with - I didn’t play with him, but I trained with him quite a bit.

“I’d definitely put him near the top of my list of the best players in football. In that game at Old Trafford when he scored three goals, he was just great.”

2000 PL GOALS: 2012/13

If you’re in the mood for watching goals on repeat, Juan has got you sorted. The 32-year-old’s fifth choice is every single strike from the 2012/13 season - Sir Alex Ferguson’s last year in charge at Old Trafford.

“I’m going to choose the campaign 2012/13 for very obvious reasons,” he explained. “It was a campaign that Manchester United won the Premier League. It was a campaign when a few United players were absolutely outstanding, like Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick - I think he had one of his best seasons that year.

“On a personal level, it was a very good season for me. I was at Chelsea and scored a few goals in the Premier League and we ended up winning the Europa League. It was a very good season for Manchester United and many of the players were in the Team of the Season, so I thought it was a good idea to combine them both.”

ALL THE GOAL: VAN NISTELROOY

To finish things off, the Spaniard has decided to merge his experiences from United and Real together, by watching Ruud van Nistelrooy during his pomp.

Our former no.10 netted 150 times during his stint as a Red, but Juan has opted to watch all of Ruud’s goals based on a memorable trip to Ukraine.

“I went for Ruud because I don’t think I have watched all his goals, and he scored many,” said Juan. “He was an incredible striker and I think he scored all bar one of his United goals inside the box, which shows that he was just a pure striker.

“I also had a great experience with him when I was on a trip to Ukraine [with Real Madrid]. Ruud was on that trip and I remember on the flight to Kiev I was sitting next to him and he started to speak to me, asking me what was my name, how old I was and what I wanted to achieve in my career.

“I remember him being very humble and nice, and he gave me motivation and confidence. It was very nice to see a player of his calibre speaking to me, a kid at the time, and speaking to me in a nice manner. That’s why I also want to pick his goals.”

Juan also revealed what was his favourite van Nistelrooy goal for United: “There was one when he takes the ball just in the middle of the pitch and dribbles past about five players. It was Fulham.

“I don’t think it’s easy to be better at finishing than Ruud van Nistelrooy,” he added. “It wasn’t just his accuracy, but he was powerful. He used to finish like a storm, so the goalkeeper didn’t have a chance.”

ALL THE GOAL: VAN NISTELROOY

To finish things off, the Spaniard has decided to merge his experiences from United and Real together, by watching Ruud van Nistelrooy during his pomp.

Our former no.10 netted 150 times during his stint as a Red, but Juan has opted to watch all of Ruud’s goals based on a memorable trip to Ukraine.

“I went for Ruud because I don’t think I have watched all his goals, and he scored many,” said Juan. “He was an incredible striker and I think he scored all bar one of his United goals inside the box, which shows that he was just a pure striker.

“I also had a great experience with him when I was on a trip to Ukraine [with Real Madrid]. Ruud was on that trip and I remember on the flight to Kiev I was sitting next to him and he started to speak to me, asking me what was my name, how old I was and what I wanted to achieve in my career.

“I remember him being very humble and nice, and he gave me motivation and confidence. It was very nice to see a player of his calibre speaking to me, a kid at the time, and speaking to me in a nice manner. That’s why I also want to pick his goals.”

Juan also revealed what was his favourite van Nistelrooy goal for United: “There was one when he takes the ball just in the middle of the pitch and dribbles past about five players. It was Fulham.

“I don’t think it’s easy to be better at finishing than Ruud van Nistelrooy,” he added. “It wasn’t just his accuracy, but he was powerful. He used to finish like a storm, so the goalkeeper didn’t have a chance.”

MUTV CHOICES IN FULL:

10:30 & 18:30- UTD PODCAST: JUAN MATA
11:30 & 19:30- 2019/20 MATCH: UNITED 1 WOLVES 0
13:30 & 22:00- ERIC CANTONA: REFLECTIONS OF AN ARTIST
14:30 & 23:00- CLASSIC MATCH: UNITED 4-3 REAL MADRID (2002/03)
16:15 & 00:45- 2000 PL GOALS: 2012/13
16:30 & 01:00- ALL THE GOAL: VAN NISTELROOY

WHAT DOES VAN DER GOUW THINK OF OUR KEEPERS?

Raimond van der Gouw believes Manchester United have an extremely high calibre of goalkeeper at the moment.

With David De Gea, Sergio Romero and Lee Grant all getting game time under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season, and the on-loan Dean Henderson impressing at Sheffield United, the Reds really are spoilt for choice between the sticks.

The former keeper knows a thing or two about being a dependable presence, having worked alongside the likes of Peter Schmeichel, Fabien Barthez and David James during his career.

“Well, United have very good goalkeepers,” Raimond said of our current crop, during his appearance on the latest MUTV Group Chat.

“De Gea is fantastic – he has shown that he is one of the best goalkeepers in England. Not only for one year, but for the last couple of years.

“Last season he made a couple of mistakes, but that’s normal. He’s a human being, and if I look back at when I was at Manchester United, when I first saw Peter Schmeichel I thought he would never make a mistake.

“But then during the Treble season he had a bad spell and you wonder how that is possible. De Gea is fantastic, but he can make mistakes. So do all top players! Fantastic players are always looking over their shoulders and if they make a mistake people say they’re not as good anymore.

“This is ridiculous because they are human beings. For a goalkeeper, you have to be stable and if you make a mistake, make sure next time you are in the right place so you can stop the ball.”

For the for first three seasons of Raimond’s time at Old Trafford, the Dutchman mainly played back-up to Schmeichel. However, when Peter left the Reds at the end of the Treble campaign, the now Vitesse Arnhem goalkeeping coach played a key role in our title-winning seasons of 1999/00 and 2000/01.

“You have to deal with the competition. In my situation that was with Mark Bosnich,” van der Gouw said of those two campaigns.

“There was a new goalkeeper, but I thought this could be my chance. Peter was the no.1, but Mark was going to have to show it.

“I gave myself a chance and I was lucky because Mark Bosnich wasn’t really fit, he had a lot of injuries and I took my chance. When I look back, I played a lot of matches and I think that season [1999/00] I was probably no.1.”

WHY SHAW IS EXCITED ABOUT RETURNING TO FULL TRAINING

Hi everybody. This has been quite a nice, quiet week at home, but the big news has obviously been our return to training at the Aon Training Complex.

It has been great fun getting back to work and getting closer to team training. Of course, it’s been different because of all the new rules and regulations we’ve had to learn to work with, and we’re still social distancing from one another all the time, but it’s been so nice to be back in the same surroundings as everyone else.

We’ve been split into different groups in different time slots – half of us in the morning, half in the afternoon – so I’ve mostly just been seeing people that I’ve been in the same time session as. Each group trains maybe 15 or 20 minutes after each other and that gives us the chance to have a little chat and see how everyone else is. It’s nice to see the players and staff; everyone’s looking really good from what I’ve seen. A lot of good has come from this week.

Everyone has clearly got a high level of fitness, which shows how dedicated and professional we’ve all been during lockdown. I’ve been running with Jamo a lot – he was in my group to start with, and he looked really sharp.

On Tuesday we saw the group of Paul, Bruno, Angel and Nemanja, and those four are looking very strong and very good. There was a lot of competition and shouting going on in that group. It’s clear that everyone’s still got that winning desire, even in training. We’ve missed that.

At first we were in groups of four, with the players picked at random. It had nothing to do with positions, it was just totally randomised, given a time slot and we all did the same sort of training. It was physically hard going, then some ball work to get us used to the work again and of course some running. The last few days now have been more position-specific. It’s still a set number of people in your group, but a bit more focus on working on your position, so obviously full-backs and centre-backs doing ball work together in my case.

It’s been great to have the ball at my feet again, but to be honest every aspect of it has been enjoyable. Just getting back to training, being back on our own pitches, being in our own training kit… it feels like things are moving forward. We all missed the ball a lot, but I think it’s more that we missed being together. Everyone’s here now, even the lads who have been out injured for a long time, and it feels great.

Now obviously we’re waiting for the clubs to have their meeting and hopefully bring us good news about a return to full training. That’s what we’re all looking forward to. We’re all very excited and hoping that the meeting goes smoothly. I think everyone feels really safe at our training ground because the club has gone to huge lengths to make it that way, and everything has been followed to the letter. We’re even more excited because we feel ready and confident for the season to restart.

Take care of each other and stay safe.

Luke.

SOLSKJAER COMMENTS ON IGHALO DEAL

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has commented on the prospect of Odion Ighalo staying beyond the end of his current loan deal from Shanghai Greenland Shenhua.

The 30-year-old forward has been thrilled to represent his boyhood heroes, since arriving on the final day of the winter transfer window.

Ighalo made an instant impact, scoring four times in eight appearances. These figures do not tell the whole story, however, as the Nigerian has netted in all three of his starts, as well as contributing when coming off the bench late on in games, such as in the memorable derby win over Manchester City.

Shanghai are keen to bring the attacker back ahead of the planned resumption of the Chinese Super League, which has also been hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The likelihood is this will be in late June.

Meanwhile, the Reds await confirmation of when the Premier League is due to get under way, with the Project Restart plan also still to be finalised.

The players are back at the Aon Training Complex but are following social distancing guidelines by working in small groups with no contact.

“The loan deal went until the end of May now, so obviously he’s supposed to be going back,” the boss told us, in today's episode of MUTV Group Chat.

“We’re in dialogue. They’ve been great towards us, his club, and allowed him to play for his dream club.

”It’s been a dream for him and hopefully he can finish off what he started, hopefully with a trophy for us. At the moment, nothing has been agreed. Their league is going to get started soon so we’re just waiting to see.”

Ighalo’s arrival came when Marcus Rashford had been ruled out with a back problem but the England international is currently training and Ole has told us he expects to have a full squad to choose from when the sport does return.

In addition to completing the Premier League fixtures, United are also hoping to be able to compete for silverware in the Emirates FA Cup and Europa League, providing everything goes to plan – competitions Ighalo has already scored two goals apiece in.

OLE: WE HAVE TO CREATE OUR OWN ATMOSPHERE

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants Manchester United's players to use the memory of their behind-closed-doors victory over LASK when competitive football returns to the UK.

The Reds have not played domestically since 8 March, when goals from Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay earned a third derby win of the season over Manchester City.

Four days later, in Austria, United played our final match before the COVID-19 pandemic saw football indefinitely postponed – but the match had to take place in an empty stadium.

Despite the unusual circumstances, the team delivered an emphatic performance, trouncing LASK 5-0 in the first leg of a UEFA Europea League round-of-16 tie.

“It’s going to be difficult,” said Solskjaer, when asked about the potential of resuming the Premier League behind closed doors.

“But we played against LASK just before lockdown and they played fantastically well. That must play in the boys’ head. We’re capable of playing without an atmosphere.

“You’ve got to create it yourself as well, within the team,” he continued.

“I was impressed in that game, how focused we were. The gaffer [Sir Alex Ferguson] always used to say 'concentrate, play with determination'. Everyone plays with concentration, but that was focus.

The Norwegian admitted playing without the Red Army in situ – whether at home or away – is not ideal, and the return of fans to stadia is something he and the squad unanimously desire.

“I hope we don’t get used to it!” stressed Ole. “Football is to be played in front of fans [with] passion [and] excitement.

“Going out at Old Trafford and playing, our fans appreciate how much a tackle [means] – if it’s from a striker, that’s a boost for everyone.

“I’m sure we’ll do well, everyone wants to do well, but I want the fans back as soon as we possibly can, when it’s safe.”

In between dissecting this season's United matches, the 47-year-old has also been keeping a keen eye on Germany's Bundesliga, which restarted its schedule on 16 May.

The boss is particularly looking forward to Der Klassiker later today (Tuesday), where the league's top two sides, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, face each other.

“We’ve been watching what’s been happening in Germany,” admitted the Treble hero. “For us to follow their template, it’s important they can show everyone the way. It’s been great watching some live football, not just the old classics. We’ve been spending hours analysing our own games.

“But tonight with Dortmund v Bayern Munich, that’s going to be a fantastic game to watch. There’s no doubt that football is a bit different with no fans. There’s that extra edge with the fans that you’re not going to replicate. Football is for the fans but we want to play football and fans can watch on telly at least, if we can get to the next stage. Hopefully we can.”

MATA: MY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ERIC

As footballers, it’s tough to think of two more differing characters than those of Juan Mata and Eric Cantona.

The former is a shy, straight-talking midfielder, who is more than happy to let his team-mates take the limelight. Eric, on the other hand, certainly differs in this regard, and as a player, the enigmatic and philosophical Frenchman often appeared to revel in the drama football can throw up.

Yet, despite their contrasting personalities, the duo have formed a strong friendship in recent years, as Juan explained as part of his MUTV Takeover.

“Eric Cantona has always been a very special player for me, since I was a kid,” the Spaniard told us. “I remember him being an artist on the pitch and scoring these great goals and providing amazing assists for his team-mates. He scored some important goals, like the one against Liverpool in the FA Cup final.

“Also the celebrations and the aura that was around him. He certainly was, and is, a special character.”

Juan’s admiration for our former striker means he is always interested in reliving Eric’s years as a Red, as well as hearing from the great man himself.

As a result, Mata has selected to watch Eric Cantona: Reflections of an Artist as part of his MUTV Takeover. The 32-year-old is in charge of our TV channel for one day only, and has selected six cracking shows to be scheduled, including the documentary on the Frenchman.

“I have to pick this because of these reasons, and because, when I came to Manchester, I met him,” Juan explained. “We have a great relationship; he’s a really nice person.

“I actually met Eric because he joined the Common Goal movement. He was our first mentor at Common Goal. We had some time together, we had lunch and it was a very nice experience for me.

“I remember him as a player, so being with him, and sharing this moment with me, it was very precious for me. I choose him for what he was on the pitch, and his personality and aura outside of the pitch.

“When you have lunch with him, you feel that he is a different character. His life - because of his experiences at Manchester United and elsewhere - it’s just a special life and he has a special personality.

“He was funny and very calm when we met. We spoke about football nowadays and how it has changed and things like that. He’s also an artist. After football, he has become an actor. He actually wrote some books and drew a few drawings in a notebook that after, he published. He also reads a lot. He likes his philosophy and he’s a very interesting character. That’s how I felt he was when we met.”

Juan has been a pioneer for the Common Goal movement in recent years and spoke about his gratitude to Eric for taking such an active role in the charitable organisation.

“To be honest, it has been great that he’s joined and it’s great that he shares the belief that football can help many people in the world,” said Mata.

“His contribution has been as a mentor, meaning that, as an ex-football player, he can be an example for all of us and especially for the new generation of players. They see how he is committed with these movements and he had an active part in visiting one of the organisations that we collaborate with.

“He came and he was with the kids and he spoke to them and played some football. He played an active part with that and he also had a conversation about Common Goal with the president of UEFA. It was very nice and he’s very active in his involvement.

“He also went with Jurgen Griesbeck, the founder of Common Goal, to do a massive speech during a convention about football.”

You can watch Eric Cantona: Reflections of an Artist on MUTV at 13:30 and 22:00 this Wednesday (27 May), as part of Juan’s MUTV Takeover. The other five programmes selected by the Spaniard will be announced on Wednesday morning.

FOUNDATION LAUNCHES FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

Manchester United Foundation is launching a major fundraising campaign to expand its long-term response to the coronavirus pandemic, with a focus on the social and economic impacts on young people.

Harry Maguire, Manchester United captain, will kick-off the fundraising drive by offering the first of five money-can’t-buy prizes to be raffled each day next week.

Separately, a charity t-shirt, emblazoned with the slogan ‘United for the Heroes’, will go on pre-sale this week to raise money for the Foundation whilst paying tribute to the ‘Frontline Heroes’ of the COVID-19 crisis.

The twin initiatives are part of a new ‘Donate. Support. Unite.’ campaign to raise vital funds to enable the Foundation to expand its pandemic response across the UK and internationally, while continuing to meet elevated levels of need in local communities across Greater Manchester.

Over the past few weeks, Manchester United Foundation has committed £1 million to COVID-related initiatives, including working with the football club to provide 60,000 meals for NHS staff, donating money and activity packs to partner schools to support their pupils and families, and teaming up with worldwide Manchester United Supporters’ Clubs to support local youth charities in their own Covid campaigns.

The £1m of funds was raised at the Treble Reunion legends’ match, which took place at Old Trafford a year ago today, to celebrate 20 years since Manchester United won the coveted Treble in 1999.

The Foundation is now asking for the public’s support to help further increase the scale of its response and ensure that it can be sustained over the long-term, building on the ongoing support provided to the Foundation by Manchester United Football Club..

John Shiels, Chief Executive of Manchester United Foundation, said: “We’re extremely proud and thankful that money raised at our Treble Reunion match this time last year has been able to make such a difference to our local communities, and beyond, during these unprecedented times.

“Our commitment doesn’t stop there; we are now giving our fans the chance to get involved by raising even more money, which will be used to continue supporting our communities as we try to start getting back to normal. So many people will find the transition back to ‘normal life’ just as difficult as lockdown, but the Foundation will be there for them at every step.”

The ‘United for a High Five’ raffle focuses on the number five, as fans are encouraged to take just five minutes to donate at least £5 to be in with a chance of winning five prizes, donated by Manchester United players, legends and partners, released over five days.

The raffle will be kicked-off by Manchester United’s very own number five, Harry Maguire, as he offers the chance for one lucky fan to join him on a ‘Virtual Hangout’ to chat all things football.

Harry said: “I’m delighted to support this brilliant initiative by Manchester United Foundation, especially as it is centred around my own number five! The Foundation has done fantastic work so far during the pandemic and with the help of the fans we can continue to make a difference to those who need it most. Please donate what you can, and I look forward to seeing one of you online!”

The raffle will launch at 9am on Monday 1st June across all Manchester United and Foundation online channels, with information on how to enter.

The ‘United for the Heroes’ t-shirt will allow fans to declare their support for the ‘Frontline Heroes’ of the coronavirus pandemic whilst raising money for the Foundation.

The stylish t-shirt builds on United’s Frontline Heroes campaign to recognise key workers and volunteers who have saved lives and served their communities during the COVID crisis.

John Shiels said: “There are so many heroes working selflessly for others in response to the pandemic and this t-shirt is a great way for United fans to show their appreciation.

“The proceeds from this t-shirt will help Manchester United Foundation meet the growing need we see in each community in which we work, and honour the key workers and volunteers who are on the frontline of the crisis. We are grateful to the club for coming up with this great product and to everyone who buys it.”

The ‘United for the Heroes’ t-shirt will be available to pre-order from Thursday 28th May for £20 via United Direct, and Manchester United will donate all proceeds from the sale of this product to Manchester United Foundation Charity No: 1118310.

THE FIVE GAMES RYAN GIGGS WOULD RELIVE

Ryan Giggs has revealed the five games from his Manchester United career that he’d like to go back and play again.

With a record 963 appearances for the Reds, there are plenty of matches to choose from and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Giggsy’s first pick is arguably the most famous 90 minutes in the history of the club.

“There are so many! It was always good when you scored in the last minute,” Giggs told the MUTV Group Chat recently.

“Obviously, the Champions League final in Barcelona [in 1999] was amazing.

“It wasn’t the best game but that’s the best feeling I’ve ever had on a football pitch.”

The Welshman’s next three nominations were all packed with late drama, with Giggs right in the thick of the action.

The Reds’ 2-1 turnaround victory over Sheffield Wednesday in 1993 proved to be key in United ending our 26-year title drought, while John O’Shea’s smash-and-grab winner at Anfield 14 years later also had a galvanising effect, leading to further glory at season’s end.

Giggs also highlighted the dramatic 4-3 win over Manchester City in September 2009, when his pinpoint threaded through-ball allowed Michael Owen to send Old Trafford into raptures in the 96th minute of the game.

“You go back to the first time we won the league and Brucey’s two goals against Sheffield Wednesday, when Michael Owen scored the winner against City, Sheasy’s goal at Anfield… it’s those sorts of feelings you get when you score in the last minute,” he added.

Of course, no rundown of Ryan’s finest moments in a red shirt could be complete without a mention of his extra-time heroics in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay.

Giggs’s goal to sink Arsenal is regarded as among the finest ever scored in the grand old competition, yet the 46-year-old still thinks our subsequent European success, secured 21 years ago today (Tuesday), beat it in terms of pure emotions.

“Of course, the FA Cup semi-final. I was a sub and came on and scored the goal, and that was the game that had everything.

“There have been so many games, but the best feeling I ever had on a football pitch was at the Nou Camp, unbelievable.”

EXCLUSIVE: SOLSKJAER'S TRAINING UPDATE

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has spoken for the first time since his players returned to the Aon Training Complex last week.

The squad have been observing strict social distancing rules as they work in small groups, as you can see from our training video below, and the boss believes the players are in good shape as preparations continue for the potential return of the Premier League next month.

“We’re back in training which has been great. The boys have been fantastic, the weather’s been good and they’ve enjoyed it,” Ole said in an exclusive MUTV Group Chat interview, which you can watch on ManUtd.com and in the Official App from 16:00 BST.

“Hopefully now we’ve proved we can do this safely and we can move to the next step. It’s been really enjoyable being on the training ground again.

“Everyone’s looking sharp, everyone’s been in with a good mood and we’ve been splitting up in groups so [working in] fours and fives together and they’ve really done well. Hopefully, they can as I said, step up and go to bigger training groups but so far it’s been good.

“The players have been looking after themselves. They’ve done well. Charlie [Owen] the fitness coach, Kieran [McKenna], Michael [Carrick] and Martyn [Pert] have been on to them all the time. They’ve not had many days off!

“There have been video calls and of course the last couple of weeks they’ve been stepping it up.”

Among those pictured in action last week were Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford, who have recovered from the injuries which had kept them sidelined for a significant period of time prior to the suspension of football in March.

Solskjaer is happy with how both have coped so far and, assuming everything goes well, says they should be available for selection when the Premier League does restart.

“They’re looking good, they’ve joined training now and they’ve done everything the other boys have been doing. No reaction so far, touch wood,” added Ole.

“When we get started, it looks like we can have a full squad to choose from.”

Two months training alone at home may have been difficult for the players, but Ole praised his side’s mentality and believes they’re ready to make the step up to full contact training, whenever it is safe to do so.

“That’s what you do when you’re a footballer, you just want to play football. Of course, the first step now has been coming together, obviously in small groups, but they’ve enjoyed that.

“I think when we start training in full groups, of course we need a bit of time to gel again, but they’re mentally ready and physically they look okay too.”

SHARPE: WHY ROBBO KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE GAME

If you ever need some protection on a football field, former Manchester United winger Lee Sharpe believes there is no one better to have in your corner than club legend Bryan Robson.

Speaking in a new episode of UTD Podcast, Sharpe told an amusing anecdote that underlined just how committed 'Captain Marvel' was to his fellow team-mates, whether the help they needed was mental, tactical or – in this case – physical.

United were playing Tottenham at home, when the teenage Sharpe received some rough treatment from Spurs midfielder Paul Stewart early in the game.

“Paul Stewart has done me early,” remembered the then youngster, who had signed from Torquay United in 1988.

“I'm on the edge of the box, passed the ball back to the keeper, and Paul Stewart's put his studs right down the back on my ankle.”

As club captain, it was Robbo's responsibility to notice these little incidents, and he wasn't willing to simply let the young pro be bullied.

“Robson's gone, 'Are you alright, kid?' and I'm like, 'Yeah, yeah', continued Sharpe. “He's like: 'C'mon then, let's get this game going.'

“About 10 minutes later, Paul Stewart has got this ball, a little trickly ball has come into him in the centre circle, and Bryan Robson’s just gone straight through him. He’s gone straight through him from ankle height to about waste high with a forearm smash to the throat.

“Paul Stewart landed on the deck, virtually crying, getting carried off, and Robson’s turned around to me, winked and gone: ‘You are alright now kid.' I went, ‘Oh yes, I am'.”

And that was just one of the ways in which Robson – the longest-serving captain in United history – was superior to everyone else, according to Sharpe.

“He just seemed to be on another level,” he explained. “You know what it’s like when you are in the game, to sit in the stand and to watch a game you can see everything, you can see every bit of space, you can see where everyone’s moving. When you are in amongst it, it is hard to see things because there are bodies all around you.

“But Robson just seemed to have his overview of everything, knew where everything was, where we were getting attacked, where we were attacking other teams, where they were weak, where we were strong. Knew what sort of pace the game needed to be played at. What the game needed at any particular time and always just was composed and had time and helped you out. He stood close to you when you were struggling. Gave you room when he knew you were playing well and when you could get on with it. He just knew everything about everybody and everything about the game. He was just on another level.”

Sharpe, who made 263 appearances for the club between 1988 and 1996, revealed that manager Sir Alex Ferguson demanded the senior players support their younger, more inexperienced colleagues.

And in United's first title-winning team of the Premier League era – which featured players like Robson, Mark Hughes and Paul Ince – there was no shortage of willing volunteers when a scrap was on the cards.

“Even later on when I was playing regularly, there was myself, Giggs and Kanchelskis [who] were probably the only three players who couldn’t kick them back and sort of hurt them if you like,” said Sharpe.

“We had a team full of aggressors who just wanted to fight people as much as play football. The manager was big into us being looked after, especially young lads getting in the team.”
Listen to Sharpe's UTD Podcast on Deezer and all your favourite podcast platforms from 17:00 BST tonight (Monday).

WHICH BARCELONA ICON INSPIRES ANGEL GOMES?

Manchester United midfielder Angel Gomes has named Andres Iniesta as the player he tries to emulate most while out on the pitch.

Spanish icon Iniesta, who is still playing in Japan for Vissel Kobe at the age of 36, was part of the formidable Barcelona side which overcame United in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals.

Gomes, who was 10 years old when the latter final was played, had his eye caught by the grace and vision of Iniesta, who won an incredible 32 major trophies with the Catalan giants.

“In terms of who I model parts of my game on, I’d say [Andres] Iniesta. He was always one of my idols,”Angel told us.

“[He was] a big player I watched while growing up. [He played] in similar positions as me and I’ve always tried modelling my game on Iniesta.”

Our 19-year-old has an eclectic taste when it comes to footballing influences, with a number of Brazilian and Argentinian players named among those he has loved watching.

Gomes also has fond memories of going to Old Trafford during the 2007/08 season, when a team including his famous godfather, Nani, clinched domestic and European glory.

“In terms of footballers when I was young it was always Ronaldinho, the Brazilian players, Robinho [plus Portuguese] Cristiano Ronaldo at the time.

“I remember the Joga Bonito stuff with the freestyling and stuff like that. As a youngster, all you wanted to do was practise skills, so I’d say players like Ronaldo [were my inspiration].

“I had an uncle, we used to go to his house. We’d sit and watch videos and he was quite old-school, so he’d show me players like [Diego] Maradona [and Juan Roman] Riquelme. I watched Thierry Henry growing up as well.

“Then obviously, when I was growing up at United, Nani had a big influence on me and when I was around eight years old, when I used to go and watch, it was that time when we had a great season and [we had Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Carlos] Tevez.

“All those players inspired me when I was growing up.”

Gomes has made six first-team appearances for United this season, and 10 in total.

In his ‘My Inspiration’ interview, which you can watch above in full, he also talked about his faith and how it fits in with his football.

“I’m religious, I’m a Christian, so I’ll pray before games and coming on to the pitch I’ll always pray,“ he revealed.

“In the back of my mind, I just think about my family really, and trying to make them proud. That will always be in the back of my mind.”

GIGGS: HE WAS SO TOUGH, HE BROKE MY NOSE!

Ryan Giggs has named the toughest opponent he faced during his long and storied career.

With a record 963 Manchester United appearances under his belt, the Welshman will have come up against hundreds of individual defenders and, in all likelihood, frightened the life out of most of them.

But one particular player stands out and, after hearing what this right-back did to Ryan during a 1999 Champions League quarter-final tie, you might realise why!

“The hardest player I played against was [Javier] Zanetti from Inter Milan,” Giggs told the latest MUTV Group Chat.

“He ran all day and he used to be a midfielder so he was comfortable on the ball, he could defend, he was tough and he actually broke my nose in the quarter-finals against them.

“He had everything as a defender.”

Giggs and United famously got the better of the Argentinian and his Inter side in 1999, and both men were still stalwarts of their respective outfits a decade on, when the Reds once again vanquished the Nerazzurri on our way to a European Cup final.

Zanetti, though, got his hands on the trophy a year later at the ripe old age of 36, and, like Giggs, continued playing well into his 40s.

The pair managed to put the broken nose incident – caused by a stray elbow from Zanetti – behind them, getting together for a Twitter Q&A in 2014, the summer both men retired from professional football.

“I remember our own personal duel,” the now Inter vice-president said six years ago, when Ryan reminded him of that last-eight tie.

“You are one of the toughest opponents I have ever played against!”

If you were perhaps surprised that Giggs skirted over greats like Cafu, Alves, Lahm and Ivanovic, the two names he gave as the best he played alongside won’t come as a major shock.

The 46-year-old couldn’t ignore Cristiano Ronaldo’s supreme talent and determination, but it’s a fellow Class of '92 graduate whom Giggs spent most time in awe of, especially on the training pitch.

“The best player is Cristiano [Ronaldo],“ said Giggs. ”But obviously he was only with us for a short space of time, when he was brilliant, and then went on to do just as well as he did at United elsewhere.

“But Scholesy [Paul Scholes] is the best player I played with at United. You’ve all seen him. In training, he was ridiculous, you couldn’t get near him. His brain was quicker than everyone else, his range of passing and he was nasty!

“If someone had taken the mickey out of him it was logged in the brain. Whether it be that training session or a week later or even six months later, he’d get you back!

“You’d think you’d got him in training and then he’d just pop the ball off and give the little feign, he was just brilliant in training.”

Exclusive: An insight into Bruno's lockdown life

Few players have had a more immediate impact at Old Trafford than Bruno Fernandes.

The Portuguese international has claimed our Man of the Match award in each of his five Premier League games, and was a major part of our 11-match unbeaten run prior to the suspension of football in mid-March.

We all know how good the 25-year-old is with the ball at his feet, but what's he been up to off the pitch during the lockdown?

How do you stay motivated, both mentally and physically?
“Physically it’s easier than mentally, because you just need to follow the programme and you will be okay. Mentally it is also nice because I have my family with me so you can spend a lot of time with the family. I have my baby so I have a lot of time to be with her. Normally, if I have games and training, for most of the time I’m out sleeping in hotels and everything, so I don’t have the same time to be with her. So it’s nice to have this time. Obviously, it’s a lot of time and sometimes we don’t know how we can be active with her, because she has a lot of energy – more than me! So you need to play a lot with her [and do] different things.”

What films or TV shows are you watching?
“I watch movies – in the first week, I watched a little bit more. Now, I watch series. I like the new one from Michael Jordan [The Last Dance]. I think every sport person will like to know the past of Michael Jordan and I think it must be really nice to be one of the best sports teams in the world. So I want to watch them. I watch also the story from Carlos Tevez [Apache] – he also have a new one on Netflix. I watch most of the sports [documentaries], you know? I also want to watch – it’s not a new one, it came out a few months ago – the one from Rafinha Alcantara, from Barcelona.”

If you were going to cook for someone, what would you make?
“I love pasta! Since I was a little boy, in my home, when I need to cook for me and my little sister, it was pasta every time. Because it’s what I liked most and, at that time, the only one I can do! I can do more things now. I also like to do a grill because when we have all the family together, we normally do a big grill for everyone, because I have a big family.”

Any advice for young footballers in isolation?
“I think it’s easy because I remember when I grew up, in my home with my father, my mother, my brother and my sister, we didn’t have a lot of space to play. In the first years, I had an apartment – when we were three we had to change home. In an apartment, you can do a lot of things, you know? Just with a wall sometimes, you take the ball left and right, left and right, it’s easy – you don’t need to break something or cause a big problem with your mum! Just be quiet there and try easy things – normally these easy things are most important for the game, no? [You can] learn how to play with both feet.”

Are you having group calls with team-mates?
“It’s good because you can see everyone and talk with everyone but normally I talk with Juan [Mata], Diogo [Dalot], of course, because he is Portuguese and we talk a lot. But I talk with David [De Gea] one time, with Tim [Fosu-Mensah] also, I don’t know! I don’t remember now. With Fred also I talk, with [Nemanja] Matic sometimes. I talk with Jesse [Lingard] on Instagram, because I comment on everything on his history.”

What game would you nominate for our Match Rewind series?
“The game I would like to watch would be the game where I scored my first goal, against Watford, because I want to feel – not exactly how I would feel in the game – but I can feel the game, the atmosphere and everything when I score. I can have the motivation to keep training and keep the focus on the return of the game. I think from history I have maybe one game – the Champions League final when Cristiano [Ronaldo] scores with the header. After this, he misses a penalty, I think it’s the same one right, against Chelsea? This one. I think it was a great final and for Cristiano it was one of the best games yet. Because he scored an amazing goal with a header. He doesn’t jump, he flies. After this, he missed the penalty but at the end United won the Champions League and at the end we see him crying on the ground because he won the Champions League. It was one of the most important games in the history of Manchester United.”

If you had to self-isolate with one team-mate, who would you choose?
“I would choose Juan, because if I isolate with Juan I can listen to my song all day, every day! He always sings it to me! It’s not the atmosphere of Old Trafford, but Juan is the kind of guy who puts all his heart in the song, so when he sings the music for me is really nice! Normally I arrive before him, and he comes at breakfast, gives me his hand and starts to sing the song – Bruno, Bruno, Bruno!”

Ryan Giggs: Sir Alex Ferguson had everything

Ryan Giggs has compared the methods of Sir Alex Ferguson and Louis van Gaal, following on from Wayne Rooney's comments on the Dutchman in a newspaper column.

United's all-time record appearance-maker was the latest guest on the MUTV Group Chat, and was soon asked about his former team-mate's praise for van Gaal.

Rooney had written in his Sunday Times column that “tactically, van Gaal was by far the best” but that, overall, “Fergie was streets ahead”, and Giggs admitted he completely understood the legendary striker's judgment.

“I understand what Wayne was saying,” explained Giggs. “Obviously we both worked under Sir Alex who I’ve known since I was 13. Sir Alex had everything – man-management, discipline, standards, tactics, knowing a player… but with him, because we had such good players who had been together for a long time, you’d just go out and play. You knew your role, it was just a matter of just tweaking it.

“With Louis it was probably the opposite. We played different systems under him whereas under Sir Alex we more or less just played one system and we’d tweak it. I can’t remember us ever playing three at the back, maybe once or twice if we needed to hold on, but other than that we didn’t.”

Giggs, who is currently the manager of the Welsh national team, thinks the differences between the two managers was down to their divergent experiences.

While Ferguson had an instinctive understanding with his squads at United, built over lengthy periods of time, van Gaal loved to work on different tactical approaches and ideas, picked up from his many years traversing the continent and working in Holland, Spain and Germany.

“It was about getting an understanding of the different ways to play,” noted Giggs. “So I know what Wayne was saying because Louis worked a lot more on the training pitch with regards to patterns of play and tactical work.

“He’d come from Holland and also an international background and he took that into club football, so we had a lot of meetings – players felt sometimes too many! With Sir Alex it was quite simple. I’m not saying we didn’t have meetings – of course we did – but we had such good players that the manager would just need to tell them once and it would just be a little tweak here and there, like Ji-sung Park would go and mark Pirlo for example and Ji would do it and do it brilliantly. So I know what Wayne meant in terms of learning a lot under Louis.”

However, the two undoubtedly shared some similar qualities according to our former no.11, including a cast-iron commitment to discipline in all departments.

“Discipline for one, that was the one thing that Sir Alex and Louis had,” surmised Giggsy. “Standards in training and on the pitch in games and also believing in young players.

“I got a chance at 17 and I’ve tried to do the same with Wales: pick out the best young players and give them a chance. If they take their chance then great, if they don’t then at least they’ve had a chance. And it’s about trying to play football in the right way, an exciting way, scoring goals and having players on the pitch who want to excite the fans and excite me as well.”

Why does Bruno love this moment in Moscow so much?

Bruno Fernandes has picked out the Manchester United match from history he’d like to watch back in full – and it’s one we streamed earlier this week, as part of our 'Match Rewind' series!

The Portuguese magnifico selected our 2008 Champions League final success over Chelsea, in which his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo played a major part.

Bruno, who was a budding 13-year-old learning his trade with Boavista at the time, has fond memories of the goal our former no.7 scored that night in Moscow, as well as Ronaldo’s tearful reaction at the culmination of an anxiety ridden penalty shoot-out.

“I think from history I have maybe one game – the Champions League final when Cristiano scores with the header,” Bruno told us.

“After this, he misses a penalty, I think it’s the same one right, against Chelsea? This one. I think it was a great final and for Cristiano it was one of the best games yet, because he scored an amazing goal with a header. He doesn’t jump, he flies.“

“After this, he missed the penalty, but United won the Champions League and at the end we see him crying on the ground because he won the Champions League.

“It was one of the most important games in the history of Manchester United,“ he added.

But what about United matches he himself has featured in? Although the 25-year-old has only made nine appearances for the club since signing in January, there have already been plenty of standout moments – and Bruno has opted for the day he opened his Reds account.

“The game I would like to watch would be the game where I scored my first goal, against Watford,” Bruno added.

“I want to feel – not exactly how I would feel in the game – but I can feel the game, the atmosphere and everything when I score.

“[If I watch this] I can have the motivation to keep training and keep the focus on the return of the game [after the COVID-19 pandemic].”

Bruno’s not the only Portuguese Red who bore witness to one of our great nights, years before signing for the club.

Just last week, Nani – a man who played a key part in our penalty success in Russia – revealed that, after watching our last-gasp 1999 Champions League final win, he’d told a friend that he’d go on to play for the Reds one day.

Eight years later, that promise came true.

“The game when Manchester United won 2-1 against Bayern Munich, in the final, I remember I had a situation with another friend. I think he lives in England now,” recalled Nani.

“The game was on and we ran to one café to get to watch the last minutes. I remember I said to him: ‘That’s my team. I will be in that team’.

“I remember that and, sometimes, things come out of my mouth and I don’t have an idea what I’m saying. Probably saying it, you just feel it.

“Come on, you’ve got to have a reason, but there are so many things that happened in the past that now make sense.”

UTD Unscripted: Meeting Young Rooney

“Be careful, that kid is super rapid.”

Jim Ryan, our coach at the time, was talking to all the defenders at half-time during our game against Everton at Old Trafford in 2002.

He was talking about this kid called Wayne Rooney. I didn’t know much about him, but I did know that he was the kid who had scored an amazing goal against Arsenal – and David Seaman – a couple of weeks earlier.

That goal told me enough. First, it’s a sign of precocity, a sign of class because it really was a perfect goal. Second, you know that he’s taken the decision to take on that shot, so it shows he is prepared to take a risk.
Then, he’s taking the option of having a go himself instead of looking at the runs of others, so he’s brave, courageous, he believes in his ability and everything about that goal shows he’s much more advanced than any other 16-year-old around the world.

That goal was an announcement which said: Hey guys, I’m here. Be ready. I belong at this level.

He wasn’t the finished article, but this goal was telling everybody that he was ready for the Premier League, and that he wouldn’t be scared if he came on against us at Old Trafford.

Jim had scouted him a lot over the years, so he knew much more about him. When he gave us that warning, it meant something. So, when Rooney came on with around 20 minutes to go, I remembered that warning. He still took me by surprise the first time he ran at me!

About 10 minutes after he came on, he turned, went straight past me, straight past a couple of the other lads and had a shot which Fabien Barthez had to save. I was fast, but he’d gotten away. In that moment I was thinking: “Ohhh, Jim was right. The kid is super fast!”

You could see there and then that he had no fear at all. Whether it was Old Trafford or his back garden, it was the same stage to him. Straight away he showed us all his ability.

Obviously we played against Everton every season, so I faced Wayne a few times over the next couple of years and it was never easy. I think his biggest strength was when he came from the left-hand side, going across the field. Put yourself in the defender’s position there. I have to shuffle from my left and he’s pushing the ball with his right foot, and that’s a really difficult situation to be in with Wayne. You’d be late for the challenge or for the block because of his touch, his coordination, the tempo he was using to push the ball the extra yard and find the space to shoot or dribble one more time. That was something we saw from him on his first appearance at Old Trafford and it’s something he always had.

From day one, that was his biggest asset for me: his ability to read those positions, off-balance the defenders and find space to create himself a chance or an assist.

It wasn’t long before he was called up by England and he was part of their squad for Euro 2004, despite his age. France were drawn in the same group stage and we had a really tough opening game against England to start the campaign.

Beforehand, I warned Lilian Thuram about Wayne. Fabien warned him too. I think Lilian was maybe a little bit arrogant about the situation! England were already winning 1-0 when Wayne sped past him during the second half. I had to cover, I was late and I had to concede the penalty. Again, that speed, that directness had caused big problems. Fortunately for us, Fabien saved the penalty from Becks. Also fortunately, we had a guy named Zinedine who scored two late goals and we just about won the game.

Afterwards we were talking about him, about what he’d done to us. He had a little bit of a reputation before the game, so we weren’t completely taken by surprise, but at that time there wasn’t too much about videos; players weren’t looking at the opposition as much as now. Now everybody in our dressing room knew about him, everyone who had watched the game knew about him and by the end of the tournament, Wayne had been so good that the world really knew about him. He was just excellent.

So, when I heard we were signing him later that summer, I was super, super happy. It was the same feeling as when we signed Cristiano the year before. You know you are getting someone that’s going to stay there for a while and perform, bring what you need to win trophies, which is scoring goals and creating chances. I think we were all really excited to sign one of the best young prospects around.

For me, it meant an even harder test every day because I had to face him in training, but I loved that. I had always felt that it was better to face the likes of Wayne and Cristiano in training – before them it had been Ruud, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Ole, Teddy – because I was a competitor and I always wanted to test myself against the best. Not only was he fast and clever, he was strong too. So was I and physicality, as a defender, is an important part of the game, so I was always looking forward to the challenge of facing him.

He was great when he arrived, but he was always developing. He learnt a lot from the others, from Ole, Ruud, Louis, and like Cristiano he was a fast learner. He needed to bring consistency quickly into his game to be able to retain his place in the starting XI for United and England. He was, like the rest of us, a bad loser, and if you don’t want to lose then you always have to improve. He got that. He was always looking to improve his game.

When he first came he was injured because he’d broken his foot at Euro 2004, but already he was very close to the English boys and that was an easy adaptation for him. He’d gone straight into the England team and it was easy for him to create a bond with everybody. I think he found it easy to fit in with everyone. He had a big personality. He was still a teenager but you don’t expect him to take 10 years in one. It’s one of his strengths to not ask himself too many questions before games, just go and do his business. Just be natural. If you think too much, especially as a striker, you can have a dip in form – missing shots in one game, then you can carry it into the next game. Wayne is not this type of guy. He just played naturally.

I think we saw that during his debut. It wasn’t too bad, was it?

He smashed in two brilliant goals in the first half, the kind of goal we knew he could score, but his third, the free-kick, was something different. That surprised me because I didn’t expect him to have the finesse to score that goal. He’d shown us his power so many times already, but this was close to the goal, so he had to be delicate. I hadn’t seen him practicing that before much, so it was like: Okay, wow, he’s got that as well!

He really did have it all. I spent four seasons with him at United and having him as a team-mate was exceptional. He was a real team player. He’s not selfish in any way at all. Some strikers just want to score the goals all the time, but Wayne was the opposite. You would sometimes say to him that he had to be more selfish. Then the other elements of his game: come short or go long, he could give you different options when you had the ball in defence. That was a pleasure for us as defenders because he was always, always making himself available for you.

He went on to have an amazing career at United and he was always developing. After I left and joined Arsenal, I came up against him when he was probably at his peak. His decision-making, his maturity were both good when he first arrived at United, but by this stage they were so good that it was difficult to stop him. Really, really difficult. He got even better at playing with the others, his understanding with Cristiano and Carlos Tevez got better and he became an even bigger team player. It didn’t seem to bother him if the manager asked him to play on the left wing, he just got on with it and did a great job.

When I sit down and think about the players I played with during my career, for my clubs and my country, it’s ridiculous. Zidane, Ronaldo, Cristiano, Baggio, Henry, Trezeguet, Blanc, Zanetti, Simeone, Keane, Beckham, Scholes, Giggs, and that’s just a few of them. It’s a joke, but no question at all, when I sit down and think about the best of them, Wayne is among them.

That’s not just because of his ability, but also because I know what it takes to play that long for United, the work behind the scenes that people don’t see and can’t even imagine. It might seem like the weekend comes, you put on your kit and do your magic, but no. He played for United for well over a decade and scored more goals for the club than anybody else. During that time, putting in all his effort for the club and the team, going up and down the field, defending like he did from the front, playing injured many times, giving his all for United. He was a true Red.

Jesse Lingard surprises young United fan

Jesse Lingard gave young Manchester United fan Amy the surprise of a lifetime when he popped up on a recent video call.

Amy, a year-eight pupil at the Manchester Health Academy, and also an aspiring footballer, was tricked into thinking she was helping to answer a football question, but was left stunned to find one of her heroes on the other end of the line.

“My dad was acting a bit suspicious,” Amy told Jesse, and MUTV’s Mark Sullivan. “I kept asking him what was going on and then my aunty said there was a football question on my conference call.”

Amy showed up wearing her Lingard no.14 jersey – something her dad had carefully orchestrated.

“I only knew at the last minute that they were doing it, because they were telling me do this and do that. My dad made me take my jacket off and I said: ‘Can I not put it back on? It’s cold’, and he said no.”

During the extended call, Amy asked Jesse about his career, including what was his favourite goal to date, while the midfielder also gave her some great advice on how to achieve her dream of making it as a professional footballer.

“Just work hard and believe in yourself, Amy,” Jesse told her. “Do well in school as well, it’s important to have a good education and to get good grades. That was my back-up, but my main plan was to play for Man United.

“It took a lot of hard work, dedication and sacrifice. You might not get to play out [with your friends] as much as you want – you have to be at home practising.

“I think you need to be dedicated to the game, make sacrifices and have self-belief. Then, hopefully, you can get to the top and just carry on through. I think you’re on the right path, anyway. I’ve heard really good reviews – just keep it up and keep practising during lockdown.

“Work on your weaknesses when you can,” Jesse added. “Now’s the perfect time. Get practising in the garden – get some cones out!”

Amy is involved in Street Reds, one of the many fantastic programmes run by Manchester United Foundation. Lingard has seen first-hand some of the great work our Foundation do, having attended numerous events in recent years, such as visiting his old school in March 2019.

“The work the Foundation do with schools is brilliant and we’re going to try and continue that for the future and hopefully get girls like Amy to the top.

“She loves football, she’s dedicated, she works hard, and as long as she keeps that attitude and remains humble that’ll put her in a perfect position to be successful.

“We want to show our support and give back as well, that’s why we do the Foundation stuff and visit the schools as well.”

Could this be United's youngest PL team ever?

Manchester United are on course to post our youngest side, on average, in a season since the Premier League started in 1992.

According to data available on stats site transfermarkt.com, the record held by the 1995/96 team is under real threat as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's rebuild has one eye on developing a successful group for years to come.

Sir Alex Ferguson's squad that won the Double was inspired by Eric Cantona, but incorporated a number of the Class of '92 stars such as Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham.

With nine fixtures still outstanding in 2019/20, and the hope that the campaign can be concluded via Project Restart, it will be interesting to see if Ole's charges end up remaining as the youngest.

United currently have the youngest average age in the division, 24.8 years, and the last time we were top in this respect came in that 1995/96 term, when it was shared with Aston Villa as both sides recorded figures of 25.7. The following year, we were in second spot with Villa again at the summit.

The Reds were the joint-third youngest team in 2014/15, when Louis van Gaal was in charge, and several youngsters such as Tyler Blackett, Paddy McNair, Adnan Januzaj and James Wilson were involved.

The eldest selection, on average, was in 2010/11, when it was over 28 (28.2) for the only time in the Premier League era. This placed us 19th overall that season in that respect but the experienced side did the business on the pitch by winning the league and reaching the Champions League final. Edwin van der Sar, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Giggs were among the chief contributors.

United have not posted an average age of under 25 in a Premier League season before, so this current figure highlights Solskjaer's faith in youth and the belief that the current crop will only improve as they mature.

Bruno Fernandes (25) and Odion Ighalo (30) arrived in January to bolster the squad, but the departure of Ashley Young (34) to Inter Milan will also have an impact on the final stat. We may have to take into consideration the fact everyone will be marginally older than would ordinarily be the case if the season does not end until July or even August!

Manchester United's average age in the Premier League
1992/93: 26.5
1993/94: 27.0
1994/95: 26.7
1995/96: 25.3
1996/97: 25.7
1997/98: 26.1
1998/99: 26.4
1999/2000: 26.6
2000/01: 26.8
2001/02: 27.3
2002/03: 26.9
2003/04: 25.7
2004/05: 25.9
2005/06: 26.3
2006/07: 27.2
2007/08: 26.5
2008/09: 27.0
2009/10: 27.7
2010/11: 28.2
2011/12: 26.3
2012/13: 27.2
2013/14: 26.6
2014/15: 25.8
2015/16: 25.5
2016/17: 26.6
2017/18: 26.6
2018/19: 26.2
2019/20: 24.8
Stats courtesy of transfermarkt.com.

Which Under-23s star is Giggsy's 'kind of player'?

Wales manager Ryan Giggs has been impressed by Dylan Levitt, after including the teenager in his senior international squad.

The Manchester United legend joined Stewart Gardner, David May, Wes Brown, Danny Webber and Ben Thornley on the MUTV Group Chat and was asked for his opinion on the Reds' Under-23s midfielder.

Although the 19-year-old has been promoted to Giggs's squad, he has still to make his senior bow for his country, with our former winger explaining this was only because of the intensity and high pressure of the bid to reach Euro 2020, something the Dragons achieved by finishing second in Group E behind Croatia.

“When Dylan was in the squad, we had must-win games so I couldn’t really throw him in and put him in that pressure cooker,” Giggs told us. “But, in training, he’s one of the best. He’s my kind of player – a good character, quiet but tough, and he’s one that I’ll be taking a big look at over the next year or so.

“I want him to develop and if he does and, if he plays more games, then he’ll definitely be in the reckoning. He’s a really intelligent player with a good range of passing and he stands out in training in every session.

“As I said, it’s just a shame that I couldn’t get him on the pitch.”

Levitt has become a key member of Neil Wood's Under-23s side and has benefited from the experience of playing in Europe and the Leasing.com Trophy this term, as well as getting to go away with Wales.

“Obviously, when I’ve been going away with them, I’ve not really played, but just being around them is amazing,” the youngster told us about his time with the Wales squad. “Seeing the different side of international football, day in and day out, with everyone training at 100 per cent. We worked so hard to qualify so it’s a big shame really that it’s been pushed back [until 2021]. All of us were raring to go for the summer as soon as we beat Hungary so it’s a bit of a setback.

“I’ve seen the quotes from the manager and it really means a lot to hear that from someone who has achieved so much in the game.“

Levitt has risen through the ranks at United and made his first senior appearance in the Europa League tie against Astana, in Kazakhstan, last November.

He started alongside James Garner in midfield, with the pair having been at the same development centre at the age of eight and nine, and they performed well.

A maiden call-up to the Wales squad came last year, after impressing with his country's Under-21s, and he will hope to push on next season.

Giggs admires Solskjaer's transfer policy at United

Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been trying to bring good characters into the dressing room - with Daniel James and Bruno Fernandes evidence of this policy.

The Wales boss is pleased with the work his former team-mate is doing at Old Trafford and, during our latest MUTV Group Chat, our special guest explains the qualities that make his compatriot James so valuable for club and country.

Meanwhile, Fernandes has arrived as a potential leader and the signing has drawn comparisons with Eric Cantona and Robin van Persie in the past.

“Dan's not only a talented player,” Ryan tells host Stewart Gardner, plus ex-Reds West Brown, David May, Ben Thornley and Danny Webber. “He’s a really good character and a solid lad. He wants to improve and that’s what I’ve seen over the last 18 months.

“Every time I went to watch him at Swansea, he was getting better and better and he’s had a great start to his United career. He’s a United player as well and someone who United fans will enjoy watching. He’ll beat men, he’ll make things happen and, of course, he has that devastating speed.

“But as I said, more than that for me, is he’s a really good character. I think that’s what Ole has tried to do over the last months, have some really good characters in the dressing room.”

United were on an unbeaten run of 11 games, in all competitions, prior to the action being halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. It had given real cause for optimism among the supporters and Giggs is no different, feeling the club he served with such distinction is clearly heading in the right direction.

“It was a shame we had to pause the season because we were flying,” he says. “Ole started his management with United flying, then had a tough spell, and then we were on a good run. But, like I said earlier, the players he’s got in have been really impressive.

“They’ve improved the team and the dressing room and obviously, in Fernandes, we’ve seen over the years the effect one player can sometimes have.

“You talk about the Cantonas, the van Persies… and I’m not comparing him yet to them but he’s made other players play better and he’s given everyone a lift. I still think we need four or five players but we’re definitely going in the right direction.”

Whenever the next transfer window opens, it will be hoped that Ole continues his excellent record when it comes to landing players with the right character, who improve the squad.