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From Fergie Time to VAR Drama: Manchester United’s Thrilling Moments

WARWICK, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Sir Alex Ferguson at Warwick Racecourse on November 16, 2022 in Warwick, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Sir Alex Ferguson is the most successful manager in British football history. He has won the most championships than any manager in football history. Manchester United was under his management for 27 years, from 1986 to 2013.

On April 10, 1992, the team was on the top, leading to years of domination under his management. He coined the famous ‘Fergie Time’ which means excessively added to the lateness of the goal.

Steve Bruce scored into stoppage time for Manchester United versus Sheffield Wednesday. The vital three points were a ticket to reaching the inaugural Premier League title in 1992-1993.

Looking back at the ‘Fergie Time’ moments

There are surely a lot of memorable moments during Alex Ferguson’s management. Listed below are some of the best highlights of his career:

  • 1998–99 — Barcelona 1 vs. Manchester United 2 

The most famed incident of late drama in the history of United as they scored two goals during injury, claiming a thrilling Champion League crown.

  • 2009-10 — Manchester United 4 vs. Manchester City 3 

United was 10 minutes away from an FA Cup fourth-round defeat against their bitter rivals. The Reds were in control after Michael Owen made an early goal.

  • 2008-09 — Manchester United 3 vs. Aston Villa 2 

Federico Macheda went on to the scene with a last-gasp kick to keep the hopes up for getting United’s Premier League title while Ferguson was working a draw with Aston Villa.

Macheda made a name for himself by scoring a goal in added time. Man United claimed another title, but his future career was less recognized.

  • 2009-10 — Manchester City 0 vs. Manchester United 1 

United was chasing Chelsea in the race for the Premier League title. The game was almost a bore. Paul Scholes came back in the game to head home a winner. That gave Ferguson’s team the boast of entitlement against their neighbour.

How many times did Ferguson win the treble?

Ferguson led Manchester United to a three-peat, winning one of the greatest achievements of his career. Manchester United won three straight league titles at the start of the treble-winning season of 1998-99.

Roy Keane — The favourite player

Sir Alex Ferguson revealed that Roy Keane was his best-ever player. According to him, it is because of how Roy Keane influenced the team. He had something in him that separates him from the others.

Ferguson believes Keane’s ability to motivate his team made him more valuable than . Although there are talented football players in the likes of Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona, and Ryan Giggs, Keane has a strong desire to win. The way he emboldens players as well as his thirst for success made him a very influential player and team captain.

What is a VAR?

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is an official main video. It is a system of video technology that accesses the actual footage. VAR may assist the referee only in a serious missed incident or an obvious error.

How does it work? 

A team of three people work together and make decisions with the decision made by the main referee. They do this by watching the video footage of the relevant incident.

What is the purpose of VAR?

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) video official is a current or former qualified referee whose main job is to check all incidents that need a review and recommend an OFR where a possible mistake has happened.

VAR in English Football

The avid fans of Manchester United were enraged because Craig Pawson decided to award Manchester City a penalty against Brighton. However, Bernardo Silva appeared to initiate the contact. United fans claimed that there was an inconsistency from the referee.

Here’s What Happened

Manchester City was awarded a penalty in the first half at home to Brighton. It is when referee Craig Pawson placed a foul on Bernardo Silva after a review.

However, the decision sparked controversy among United fans because Pawson did not award a penalty to Jadon Sancho in their 0-0 draw with Newcastle a week before the incident happened.

Why Was It Given?

After checking the monitor for a VAR review, Pawson awarded City a penalty after judging that Lewis Dunk committed a foul against Bernardo Silva foul using his leg.

Online fans reacted to this decision. They believed that Silva intentionally did that to make a contact. The penalty allowed Erling Haaland to score in the game, making it 2-0 before half-time.

Written by Thomas Hein

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