2015 was not a year most Manchester United fans would love to look back on fondly. The year saw us finishing 4th in the 2014-15 campaign, which was a massive recovery after the shambles in which the club was in since David Moyes was sacked. The summer window, saw van Gaal and Ed Woodward, spending nearly 150 million pounds to bring in the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sergio Romero and Anthony Martial. It was expected, then that the team would improve and aim for a higher league finish as well as do well in the Champions League.
However, as we the fans soon found out, everything is not always so rosy in football as the new campaign saw United failing to get past the group stage in the Champions League, as well as finishing the year without a win in 8 successive games, However, we still had our highs, and here we list 5 memorable games from the year gone by:
1. MANCHESTER UNITED 3-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR, OLD TRAFFORD, 2014-15 SEASON
On TV, it looked like a typical United side, ruthlessness upfront, solid defence that completely neutralised Harry Kane and the Spurs’s midfield maestro Eriksen and to top it all off, a special Wayne Rooney goal that had an even more special celebration to it. Van Gaal showed a glimpse of what the team could do if everyone was on song and Rooney showed that no matter what the press wrote about him, he would punch them all out on the pitch.
2. MANCHESTER UNITED 2-1 LIVERPOOL, ANFIELD, 2014-15 SEASON
In what was probably, according to many the game of the season, Juan Mata scored a sensational brace at the home of our eternal rivals, Steven Gerrard was unceremoniously sent off in his last North Western Derby for a stamp on Ander Herrera just 45 seconds after coming on and the entire United travelling fans chanted “ JuanField” for a long time after the game. Boy what a day that was!
3. MANCHESTER UNITED 4-2 MANCHESTER CITY, OLD TRAFFORD, 2014-15 SEASON
This one is surely another contender for the game of the season, Manchester City came to Old Trafford looking to register another win on our soil, but they never even realised what hit them back. Ashley young drew the first blood, and even though City rallied back to go ahead, the United front trio of Mata, Rooney and Herrera were simply unstoppable that day as they ripped out the City backline to put 4 past Joe Hart. Stretford End never sang louder than before that day!
4. MANCHESTER UNITED 3-1 LIVERPOOL, OLD TRAFFORD, 2015-16 SEASON
In what was touted as Brendan Rodger’s redemption game, Liverpool were carved out once again. Although Christian Benteke scored a sublime goal to put the Reds back into the game once they went 2-0 down, yet United’s latest signing, the French wonderkid Anthony Martial announced his arrival by scoring an outstanding third goal minutes after he came on the pitch. The Scousers were showed their place once again.
5. MANCHESTER UNITED 7 -3 CLUB BRUGGE (AGGREGATE SCORE), UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAYOFF, 2015-16 SEASON
This convincing win saw Memphis Depay get his opening goals for United in quite spectacular fashion, Wayne Rooney got a brilliant hat trick and Manchester United returned to their rightful place as a Champions League team once again. It was a long and punishing wait, but we finally had European nights back at the Theatre Of Dreams.
