The 1991–92 season was Manchester United's 90th season in the Football League, and their 17th consecutive season in the top division of English football.
The season saw United lift the League Cup for the first time in their history with a 1–0 win over Nottingham Forest at Wembley Stadium. They also added the European Super Cup to the trophy cabinet with victory over Red Star Belgrade at Old Trafford. However, they then endured the disappointment of being beaten to the league title by rivals Leeds United, having led the league for much of the season.
New signings for the season included Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and England right-back Paul Parker. Ryan Giggs, who had played twice for United in 1990–91, broke into the first team and was one of the most exciting players in the country as he won the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Soviet international winger Andrei Kanchelskis, who had joined United in the later stages of the 1990–91 season, was also putting in star performances to give manager Alex Ferguson a more attacking alternative to the ageing Mike Phelan on the right hand side of midfield.
It was the final season at Old Trafford for striker Mark Robins, a key player from the FA Cup winning team two seasons earlier. His first team opportunities were limited due to the form of Mark Hughes and Brian McClair, and he was unfit when injuries opened up an opportunity for regular action in attack near the season's end. He was then put on the transfer list and by the start of the following season, he had been sold to Norwich City. Lee Martin had regained fitness following his back injury the previous season, but was unable to win a place in the team. Danny Wallace, who was by now rarely selected for the first team, was put on the transfer list before Christmas, but was still at Old Trafford when the season ended, despite talk of a return to Southampton. Russell Beardsmore, now a rare sight in the first team, had a brief loan spell at Blackburn Rovers.
Media reports for most of the season linked United with a move for Southampton striker Alan Shearer, but the player opted to remain at the South Coast club until the end of the season before making a decision on a future.
United would be among the founder members of the FA Premier League for the 1992–93 season, as the top 22 clubs broke away from the Football League.
Pre-season and friendlies
DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance24 July 1991MazdaH1–2Ferguson29 July 1991StrømsgodsetA3–1Ince, Beardsmore, Wallace7,80930 July 1991VikingA1–0Robins6,0251 August 1991MoldeA3–1Blackmore, Hughes (2)3,4684 August 1991DumbartonA5–0Robins (2), Hughes (2), McClair1,5705 August 1991AberdeenA1–1(4–3p)Hughes20,3007 August 1991Austria MemphisA1–5McClair12,00011 August 1991Republic of Ireland XIH1–1Robson33,4123 May 1992EvertonH2–4Ince, Hughes7,4348 May 1992Manchester CityA2–1Bruce (pen.), Toal4,696
First Division
DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition17 August 1991Notts CountyH2–0Hughes 40', Robson 57'46,2781st21 August 1991Aston VillaA1–0Bruce 38' (pen.)39,9951st24 August 1991EvertonA0–036,0852nd28 August 1991Oldham AthleticH1–0McClair 85'42,0781st31 August 1991Leeds UnitedH1–1Robson 85'43,7781st3 September 1991WimbledonA2–1Blackmore 25', Pallister 43'13,8241st7 September 1991Norwich CityH3–0Irwin 20', McClair 23', Giggs 28'44,9461st14 September 1991SouthamptonA1–0Hughes 48'19,2641st21 September 1991Luton TownH5–0Ince 23', Bruce 63' (pen.), McClair (2) 76', 80', Hughes 87'46,4911st28 September 1991Tottenham HotspurA2–1Hughes 21', Robson 86'35,0871st6 October 1991LiverpoolH0–044,9971st19 October 1991ArsenalH1–1Bruce 44'46,5941st26 October 1991Sheffield WednesdayA2–3McClair (2) 17', 22'38,2602nd2 November 1991Sheffield UnitedH2–0Hoyland 35' (o.g.), Kanchelskis 78'42,9421st16 November 1991Manchester CityA0–038,1802nd23 November 1991West Ham UnitedH2–1Giggs 15', Robson 42'47,1851st30 November 1991Crystal PalaceA3–1Webb 26', McClair 57', Kanchelskis 58'29,0172nd7 December 1991Coventry CityH4–0Bruce 13', Webb 20', McClair 27', Hughes 81'42,5492nd15 December 1991ChelseaA3–1Irwin 19', McClair 57', Bruce 61'23,1201st26 December 1991Oldham AthleticA6–3Irwin (2) 2', 54', Kanchelskis 43', McClair (2) 56', 59', Giggs 78'18,9471st29 December 1991Leeds UnitedA1–1Webb 46'32,6381st1 January 1992Queens Park RangersH1–4McClair 83'38,5542nd11 January 1992EvertonH1–0Kanchelskis 56'46,6191st18 January 1992Notts CountyA1–1Blackmore 70' (pen.)21,0552nd22 January 1992Aston VillaH1–0Hughes 48'45,0221st1 February 1992ArsenalA1–1McClair 27'41,7032nd8 February 1992Sheffield WednesdayH1–1McClair 12'47,0741st22 February 1992Crystal PalaceH2–0Hughes (2) 11', 51'46,3471st26 February 1992ChelseaH1–1Hughes 87'44,8721st29 February 1992Coventry CityA0–023,9671st14 March 1992Sheffield UnitedA2–1McClair 62', Blackmore 82'30,1832nd18 March 1992Nottingham ForestA0–128,0622nd21 March 1992WimbledonH0–045,4282nd28 March 1992Queens Park RangersA0–022,6032nd31 March 1992Norwich CityA3–1Ince (2) 41', 58', McClair 66'17,4891st7 April 1992Manchester CityH1–1Giggs 20'46,7811st16 April 1992SouthamptonH1–0Kanchelskis 65'43,9721st18 April 1992Luton TownA1–1Sharpe 25'13,4101st20 April 1992Nottingham ForestH1–2McClair 36'47,5762nd22 April 1992West Ham UnitedA0–124,1972nd26 April 1992LiverpoolA0–238,6692nd2 May 1992Tottenham HotspurH3–1McClair 37', Hughes (2) 57', 59'44,5952nd
FA Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance15 January 1992Round 3Leeds UnitedA1–0Hughes 44'31,81927 January 1992Round 4SouthamptonA0–019,5065 February 1992Round 4ReplaySouthamptonH2–2 (a.e.t.)(2–4p)Kanchelskis 42', McClair 90'33,414
League Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance25 September 1991Round 2First legCambridge UnitedH3–0Giggs 44', McClair 48', Bruce 66'30,9349 October 1991Round 2Second legCambridge UnitedA1–1McClair 2'9,24830 October 1991Round 3PortsmouthH3–1Robins (2) 59', 89', Robson 74'29,5434 December 1991Round 4Oldham AthleticH2–0McClair 1', Kanchelskis 25'38,5508 January 1992Round 5Leeds UnitedA3–1Blackmore 31', Kanchelskis 51', Giggs 56'28,8864 March 1992Semi-finalFirst legMiddlesbroughA0–025,57211 March 1992Semi-finalSecond legMiddlesbroughH2–1 (a.e.t.)Sharpe 29', Giggs 106'45,87512 April 1992FinalNottingham ForestN1–0McClair 14'76,810
Cup Winners' Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance18 September 1991First roundFirst legAthinaikosA0–05,4002 October 1991First roundSecond legAthinaikosH2–0 (a.e.t.)Hughes 109', McClair 111'35,02323 October 1991Second roundFirst legAtlético MadridA0–340,0006 November 1991Second roundSecond legAtlético MadridH1–1Hughes 4'39,654
European Super Cup
DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance19 November 1991Red Star BelgradeH1–0McClair 67'22,110
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupRumbelows CupEuropeOtherTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Peter Schmeichel40030603010530GK Gary Walsh200010100040GK Ian Wilkinson000010000010DF Clayton Blackmore19(14)3104(1)1101026(15)4DF Steve Bruce37510714010506DF Mal Donaghy16(4)0203(1)0000021(5)0DF Denis Irwin37(1)43070201050(1)4DF Lee Martin0(1)000101(2)0103(3)0DF Gary Pallister37(3)130803(1)01052(4)1DF Paul Parker24(2)03060200035(2)0MF Russell Beardsmore0000001(2)0001(2)0MF Darren Ferguson2(2)0000000002(2)0MF Ryan Giggs32(6)42(1)06(2)3100(1)041(10)7MF Paul Ince31(2)3306(1)0301044(3)3MF Andrei Kanchelskis28(6)52142101036(6)8MF Mike Phelan14(4)0002(1)0400020(5)0MF Bryan Robson26(1)4205(1)1300036(2)5MF Lee Sharpe8(6)10(1)01(3)100009(10)2MF Neil Webb29(2)33060301042(2)3FW Mark Hughes38(1)112(1)160421051(2)14FW Brian McClair41(1)183184411157(1)25FW Mark Robins1(1)0000(3)22(1)0003(5)2FW Danny Wallace0000001(1)0001(1)0
Transfers
In Date Pos. Name From Fee 6 August 1991 DF Paul Parker Queens Park Rangers £1.7m GK Peter Schmeichel Brøndby £625k
Out Date Pos. Name To Fee 5 August 1991 FW Deiniol Graham Barnsley £50k 6 February 1992 GK Jim Leighton Dundee £200k 19 March 1992 DF Jason Lydiate Bolton Wanderers Undisclosed 30 June 1992 MF Mark Gordon Released Free MF Paul Gough Released Free FW Andy Noone Released Free MF Paul Sixsmith Preston North End Undisclosed MF Peter Smyth Released Free DF Leonard Taylor Released Free MF Paul Wratten Hartlepool United Undisclosed
Loan in Date from Date to Position Name From 1 March 1992 1 May 1992 MF Andy Arnott Gillingham
Loan out Date from Date to Position Name To 12 September 1991 12 December 1991 DF Derek Brazil Swansea City 29 November 1991 29 February 1992 GK Jim Leighton Reading 19 December 1991 19 January 1992 MF Russell Beardsmore Blackburn Rovers 24 December 1991 10 April 1992 DF Brian Carey Wrexham 16 January 1992 21 February 1992 DF Neil Whitworth Preston North End 21 February 1992 10 April 1992 DF Neil Whitworth Barnsley
Events of the season Five years after becoming manager of Manchester United, Alex Ferguson enjoyed success at the club. In 1990, he ended his fourth season in charge with the FA Cup that ended the club's five-year trophy drought, and followed it up a year later with the European Cup Winners' Cup title. He then attempted to win the league title that had not been United's since 1967, when Matt Busby had been manager and the likes of Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and George Best were in the team.
Ferguson made two major signings in the close season. He boosted his defence with a £1.75 million move for Queens Park Rangers and England right-back Paul Parker, with the previous season's first choice right-back Denis Irwin being switched to left-back – the position that Clayton Blackmore and Lee Martin had spent the last couple of seasons competing for.
With Les Sealey and Mark Bosnich gone, Jim Leighton almost a forgotten man after just one appearance the previous season, and Gary Walsh seemingly not good enough to be first choice goalkeeper, Ferguson paid £500,000 for Brøndby and Denmark goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel. He now had a squad that few if any clubs in the First Division could match. As well as having established stars like Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Bryan Robson and Mark Hughes at his disposal, there was plenty of young talent on the way up at Old Trafford. 20-year-old winger Lee Sharpe's impressive displays in 1990–91 had earned him the PFA Young Player of the Year award, and there was much hype surrounding 17-year-old winger Ryan Giggs, who had made his debut the previous season and scored in only his second senior game. When Giggs turned professional the previous November, he was billed as the next George Best, though it still seemed that it would be a while before he would become a first team regular.
On 11 August, Sir Matt Busby, 82-year-old club president and former team manager, earned around £250,000 in gate receipts from his testimonial in which Manchester United drew 1–1 with a Republic of Ireland XI at Old Trafford.
Six days later, Manchester United began their league campaign with a 2–0 home win over newly promoted Notts County in the First Division. By 7 September, they had opened up a four-point lead over Leeds United at the top of the First Division by winning 3–0 against Norwich City at Old Trafford.
Later that month, they began their defence of the Cup Winners' Cup with a 0–0 draw with Athinaikos in Greece in the first round first leg. There were ugly scenes on the night of the game, leading to five Manchester United supporters receiving £1,500 fines and seven-month prison sentences for their involvement in a Greek bar brawl.
Before the end of September, they began their quest for Football League Cup glory with a 3–0 home win over Cambridge United in the second round first leg.
The following week, they progressed to the next stage of the Cup Winners' Cup with a 2–0 win over Athinaikos in the first round second leg at Old Trafford, four days before a goalless draw with Liverpool at Old Trafford, in which United's Mark Hughes and Liverpool's Gary Ablett were both sent off.