The Last Man Utd Side to Complete a League Double Over Chelsea - 32 Years Ago
Manchester United have never completed a league double over Chelsea in any season of the Premier League era. Even accounting for the fact that Chelsea have been a close rival for much of the last 20 years, that is still a rather remarkable stat.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United go into Monday night’s game at Stamford Bridge with the chance to break that duck, having won 4-0 at Old Trafford when the sides met at Old Trafford on the opening day of the season. United will also take heart from the fact that they have already beaten Chelsea on the road this season in a Carabao Cup tie that was won by a stunning Marcus Rashford free kick.
The last time United actually managed to beat Chelsea home and away in the league in the same season was the 1987/88 campaign, completing the double over the west Londoners when they won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on 13 February 1988 – 32 long years ago.
It was a time when an inconsistent United were still finding their feet under Alex Ferguson and when Chelsea were a yo-yo side between the First and Second Division.
Here’s a look back at the United 11 that won at Stamford Bridge that day…
Goalkeeper & Defenders
Chris Turner (GK) – Signed from Sunderland in 1985, Turner initially took over the number one jersey from Gary Bailey. He ultimately shared duties with homegrown stopper Gary Walsh and left United in 1988 when Jim Leighton arrived.
Viv Anderson – The England right-back arrived in Manchester towards the end of a glittering career that had brought success with Nottingham Forest and Arsenal. Stayed until 1991.
Steve Bruce – In his first season with United after joining from Norwich, Bruce scored one of the United goals in the 2-1 win over Chelsea. At his most prolific, the goalscoring defender would go on to score 19 times in all competition during the 1989/90 campaign.
Graeme Hogg – Scottish defender Hogg emerged from the United youth ranks in the mid-1980s and played just over 100 times for the club, before leaving for Portsmouth in 1988.
Arthur Albiston – Another Scot who came through the youth system, Albiston was a mainstay of the United back four for 14 years and over 450 games. He also left Old Trafford in 1988.
Midfielders
Bryan Robson – Nicknamed Captain Marvel, Robson was United’s talisman, leader and hero throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. He won multiple FA Cups and stayed just long enough to lay his hands on the first two Premier League titles.
Liam O’Brien – Aside from the aforementioned Bruce, O’Brien was the other player who scored against Chelsea. He was Ron Atkinson’s last United signing and was shown the door in 1988.
Colin Gibson – Versatile Gibson joined United from Aston Villa in 1985 and was used at either left-back or left-wing. He was sold to Leicester in 1990 after 97 appearances.
Norman Whiteside – He found fame as the youngest player to score in a World Cup in 1982, but Whiteside’s United career was coming to an end by the late 1980s. He had suffered injury problems, although Ferguson’s big task at Old Trafford was to break the club’s drinking culture.
Forwards
Brian McClair – Poached from Celtic in 1987 for a sizeable £850,000, McClair was United’s top scorer in the 1987/88 campaign with 31 goals in all competitions. Remained at the club until 1998, by which time the ‘Class of ‘92’ were thriving in the first team.
Peter Davenport – United spent £750,000 to buy Davenport from Aston Villa in the final months of Ron Atkinson’s reign. Like four of his colleagues from this XI alone, he was cut loose in 1988.
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