For the first two decades of the Premier League (1992-2013), there was one club whose success towered above others — Manchester United. The Red Devils' success started long before then but truly became a global spectacle when the English first division was restructured in 1992. Since then, the club has grown in leaps and bounds and only began to falter after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. Between then and now, there have been many low moments, but last night’s defeat was pretty bleak. Against a team United used to compete for European trophies with, the Red Devils looked distinctly second-best and even the most optimistic fan will not be dreaming of winning a fourth UCL title anytime soon. Now, in the wake of a humbling defeat to Bayern Munich, fans of the Red Devils must confront a humbling reality - can their beloved Manchester United still hack it at this level of Football? **You can bet on Manchester United and all your favourite teams on Betking, Nigeria’s best online sports betting platform. We are committed to giving you the best betting tips and best odds to help you win big.** **Sir Alex Ferguson: The Glory Days** The legendary Sir Alex Ferguson arrived in 1986, a time when the club was in relative decline, yet to win a championship in over a decade and floundering near the foot of the table. His arrival signaled the beginning of an era of dominance that may never be replicated. During his 26 years with Manchester United he won 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles. To put that into perspective, in the 10 years since his retirement, United have won just 4 trophies and are yet to even come close to a Premier League triumph. At the end of the 1991-92 season, the old first division was basically torn apart, and the Premier League was formed. The League would have commercial independence from the English FA, leaving it free to organize its own broadcast and sponsorship agreement, a factor in its tremendous growth in the early years. Manchester United were at the forefront of the league’s early success stories, winning the league title in its inaugural season (1992-93). Ferguson was credited with not only improving Manchester United as a club and global brand but also improving the standing of English football across the globe. **Take advantage of Betking’s high odds by betting on the [Premier League](https://m.betking.com/sports/events/prematch/football/england/premier-league) and check out our [blog](https://m.betking.com/blog/) to equip yourself with professional betting tips to help you land winning bets.** **The Manchester United Way** After winning the league title in 1992-93, United replicated their success the following season, virtually leading the table from start to finish. Eric Cantona arrived in the middle of the 93 season and was a catalyst in driving the club’s success and global appeal. More titles followed, and by the end of the 1997 season, Ferguson’s men had won their 4th title in 5 years as their dominance of the English game continued. The ‘United Way’ as it became commonly known, referred to an expansive style of play, utilizing both wings and relying on fast paced transitions. It also includes a strong focus on youth development, allowing academy players to find a path into the first team no matter their age. A great example of this is the ‘Class of 92,’ a group of academy graduates who became integral to the club’s most successful years. This group included Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville, and Phil Neville. Despite Arsenal’s emergence on the scene with Arsene Wenger at the helm and talents like Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira, United managed to keep their stranglehold on the league. In 1999, that dominance extended to the Champions League as Ferguson led the team to European glory on the biggest stage. Fergie’s men had won the Premier League and the FA Cup and were looking to complete a feat that had never been achieved. They did so in dramatic fashion, coming back to defeat Bayern Munich after looking dead and buried. United were down 1-0 inside the first six minutes and had to wait until the 89th minute for a Teddy Sheringham equaliser. However, three minutes into added time, Ole Gunnar Solksjær scored the winner, to help the Red Devils to a historic and unprecedented treble. Between that final in 1999 and Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, Manchester United won 8 league titles and another Champions League trophy (2008). **Post-Fergie struggles** Man United have had 5 permanent managers since Ferguson left and 3 interim appointments since Ferguson retired. David Moyes took over from Fergie and was sacked in April with the club 7th in the table. Ryan Giggs was brought in to see out the season. Next was Louis Van Gaal, who, despite having a winning philosophy, only lasted two years, winning an FA Cup trophy – to his credit. Jose Mourinho came in, delivered two trophies (Europa League & League Cup) in his first season but was soon on his way out, after a string of poor performances and a fractured dressing room that needed fixing. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the man United turned to, and after stabilizing the club and bringing back the feel-good factor, the job became too big for him and he was sacked in November 2021 after an atrocious 4-1 defeat to Watford. All of this was happening right as Manchester City or the ‘Noisy Neighbours’ as Ferguson famously called them, were building a legacy across Manchester. Pep Guardiola had swapped Bayern Munich for Oil-rich City and was keen to make his mark on England. By the time Solksjaer was getting fired, City were romping to a third league title in four years.
**Present-day Manchester United** Erik ten Hag was earmarked as the man to take over, especially after Ralf Rangnick’s rather forgettable interim spell in charge. Ten Hag, in charge of Ajax at the time, was famed for his attacking philosophy and focus on free-flowing football – something United fans had missed. He arrived with a huge reputation, three Eredivisie titles and a UEFA Champions League semi-final under his belt meant his stocks were higher than ever. Afte a few chastening defeats to open his tenure, Ten Hag steadied the ship, eventually leading the Red Devils to a third-place finish, an FA Cup final, and a League Cup triumph. The new season has begun poorly. Three defeats in the first 5 games means the panic is starting to spread slowly across the fan base, but if there’s one thing Ten Hag has shown, it is his ability to bounce back. United began last season with back-to-back defeats and ended up in the top-four, proving that a false start is not the end of the world. For the club to get back to winning ways, injured players must return, and Ten Hag must play the best players in their favoured position. The Manchester United starting XI should look like this with everyone fit. **Andre Onana; Diogo Dalot, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw; Casemiro, Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes; Antony, Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund.** **Erik ten Hag criticism** Make no mistake, Ten Hag deserves a fair amount of criticism for his tactics and decision-making in recent times. The jury is also out on his man-management skills, and while he may have won the war against Cristiano Ronaldo, his recent stand-off with Jadon Sancho may prove tougher to navigate. He has also come under heavy fire for his decision to stick with Brazilian winger Antony despite his inconsistent performances since arriving from Ajax for £85m. Antony has not been terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but he has not been consistently impressive over the past 12 months. He arrived from Ajax to fill the problem right-wing area that Sancho was signed to fill a season earlier. While he may have scored 22 goals and contributed 22 assists in his three seasons in Eredivisie, United certainly did not sign the finished article. His debut season brought just 8 goals and 3 assists in 44 appearances, hardly a return that justifies the financial outlay. An over-reliance on his left foot and a tendency to shoot when in position to lay it off to a teammate are just some of the many frustrations of United fans. Ten Hag wanted him and so must now do what it takes to get a tune out of him or run the very real risk of losing his job. The situation becomes even more bleak when you consider that the club has given Antony a leave of absence as he is currently under investigation for allegedly attacking his ex-girlfriend. With Sancho banished from the first team, the only natural right-wingers available to Ten Hag are teenagers – Amad Dialo and Facundo Pellistri. Perhaps the situation is one of the manager’s making and if his decisions backfire, he will have no hiding place. Similarly, Andre Onana’s performances have left the Dutch manager facing heightened criticism after conceding 14 goals in just six games since he joined the Red Devils in the summer transfer window. The Cameroonian was the best goalkeeper in the UEFA Champions League last season and has not suddenly become a poor goalkeeper. If he continues to falter, hard questions will need to be posed to Ten Hag about the level of protection his tactical setup affords to a beleaguered defence line. Still, there is a school of thought that the Dutchman has been dealt a terrible stack of cards to start the season. Injurie to the likes of Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane, Mason Mount and most recently Aaron Wan-Bissaka have made things markedly tougher than they should be. Based on his performances last season, he should have just enough credit in the bank to buy him some patience from the fans, but that is fast running out. When his best players are fit, the real picture will begin to emerge, but will the club afford him that time?
**Remember, You can bet on live matches today, check today’s match result, enjoy free betting tips with high odds on our Blog and much more, all on BetKing.** Just [sign up to get started!](https://m.betking.com/account/registration)