10 Top Players Who Left Manchester united

Cristiano Ronaldo is on his way to Real Madrid for a fee in the region of €94m. Carlo Garganese looks at 10 big names who left Old Trafford, and whether they were a success at their new club…

Johnny Giles to Leeds – 1963 (£33k)

Irishman Giles came through at United in the aftermath of the Munich Air Disaster, and established himself as one of Britain’s most promising youngsters, playing an important role in the FA Cup victory of 1963. He then demanded a transfer, joining Leeds United, where he would spend 12 brilliant years, winning two league titles. One of the greats of the English game.

Transfer success: 9/10

Mark Hughes to Barcelona – 1986 (£2m)

Burst onto the scene in the first half of the 1980s, and became a crowd favourite, scoring a hatful of goals. Terry Venables signed the Welshman for Barcelona in 1986 along with Gary Linker, but unlike the former Everton man, ‘Sparky’ had a disastrous season, scoring just four goals. He was loaned out to Bayern Munich, before returning to enjoy renewed success at Man Utd.

Hughes flopped in Catalonia

Transfer success: 2/10

Ray Wilkins to AC Milan – 1984 (£1.5m)

Departed Old Trafford after five decent years controlling the midfield, the highlight being lifting the FA Cup in 1983 - even scoring in the final against Brighton. Moved to the mighty Milan, and had three sound years in the fashion capital, but the Rossoneri were building after two relegations to Serie B, and Wilkins just missed out on the Silvio Berlusconi glory of the late 1980s.

Transfer success: 6/10

Paul McGrath to Aston Villa – 1989 (£400k)

A truly brilliant defender, who would have been even better had he not been ‘drunk’ half the time he trained and played. McGrath won one FA Cup with United, but by 1989 his career was said to be virtually over due to injuries and alcohol problems. Aston Villa took a chance on the 29-year-old, and he would go on to become one of the club’s best-ever players over the next seven years, even being named PFA Player of the Year in 1993.

McGrath is a legend at Villa Park

Transfer Success: 9/10

Andrei Kanchelskis to Everton – 1995 (£4.5m)

One of the Premier League’s best wingers after its formation, Kanchelskis was a key reason for Manchester United’s dominance between 1992 and 1995, but he fell out with Sir Alex Ferguson, and surprisingly moved to Everton for a then club record Goodison Park fee. The Russian had a superb first season, scoring twice in the Merseyside Derby against Liverpool, but moved to Fiorentina for £8m the following term, where he was an almighty injury flop. Yet, Everton made a great profit.

Transfer Success: 7/10

Paul Ince to Inter – 1995 (£7.5m)

‘The Guvnor’ was involved in a number of controversial transfers during his career, and one was his move from Man Utd to Inter. At Old Trafford he had been the midfield lynchpin of the side that dominated the early years of the Premier League.

Ince was a midfield terrier at Inter

In 1995, Serie A was far-and-away the best league in the world, but Ince impressed in his two years at San Siro, missing out on UEFA Cup glory on penalty kicks. One of the few Englishmen to do well in Italy.

Transfer Success: 7/10

Lee Sharpe to Leeds United – 1996 (£4.5m)

Before Ryan Giggs, there was another phenomenal winger that delighted the Stretford End. His name was Lee Sharpe, and he was named PFA Player of the Year in 1991 after dazzling in the European Cup Winners’ Cup success that year. However, his form and fitness dipped after the emergence of Giggs, and he was allowed to join Leeds in 1996, still only 25. Sharpe never rediscovered any kind of form – he was simply burnt-out by his mid-twenties.

Transfer Success: 1/10

Jaap Stam to Lazio – 2001 (£16.5m)

During his peak at Manchester United, Stam was arguably the best centre back in the world, and he single-handedly held the defence together during their historic treble-winning season in 1999. After three stellar years in the Premier League, some controversial comments made in his autobiography about Sir Alex Ferguson led to the Dutchman being offloaded to Lazio. The Biancocelesti were on their way to financial meltdown at the time, but Stam still excelled, and he would later move on to Milan and lose that Champions League Final to Liverpool.

Stam was a rock at the back for United, then Lazio

Transfer Success: 7/10

David Beckham to Real Madrid – 2003 (£25m)

Graduating from the Man Utd youth academy, Beckham spent 10 glorious years in the senior team, winning a whole host of honours, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League. Like Stam, he fell out with Ferguson, and was sold to the Real Madrid Galacticos. He was unfortunate to join an ageing team, but he finished his four years on a high by finally win La Liga under Fabio Capello in 2007.

Transfer Success: 6/10

Ruud Van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid – 2006 (£11m)

After five prolific seasons at Man Utd where he scored 150 goals, winning one Premier League crown, Van Nistelrooy’s relationship with Ferguson also deteriorated and he left for Fabio Capello’s Real Madrid in the summer of 2006. It was a masterstroke by Capello, as the Dutchman fired home 25 league goals to take the Blancos to their first title since 2003. Van Nistelrooy scored another 16 the following campaign as Madrid retained the championship.

Goal machine in Madrid

Transfer Success: 8/10

Cristiano Ronaldo To Real Madrid – 2009 (£80m)

Top or Flop?

Transfer Success: ?

Bye-bye Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester United has agreed a world record breaking fee of £80m from Real Madrid for their Portuguese winger, Cristiano Ronaldo. Looks like history repeating itself this time. United previously sold 2 of their superstar, David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy in the past. So, what is the big deal with United player? Why can't Madrid search and recruit young player like United did? Juz because of their spending power, they think they can buy anything in the world? What the heck?

On the positive side, £80m is more than enough to buy some world's great player like Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery and Olympic Lyon's Karim Benzema. And if that transfer is done, Real Madrid will hold top 4 of 5 world's most expensive players. Ronaldo's value is much higher than current world record holder, Zinedine Zidane which Real Madrid bought from Juventus in 2001.

The question is, can United find other suitable player to replace Ronaldo? It's the same dilemma when David Beckham leaves a few years ago. Luckily enough, Ronaldo is more than enough to fill in that blank. Now, will United be blessed with the same fortune......Only time will tell

Tribute to David Beckham

David Beckham is without question the most famous footballer of all time. No, he didn't make it all that way because of his football, but the records he has broken on the pitch are testament enough to his understated, world class ability.

Having grown up as a Manchester United fan, Beckham made his way up from east London to Old Trafford as a youth and came through the ranks along with the likes of Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes - all three of whom are still at the club.

Beckham went the way of Phil Neville and Nicky Butt, but of course, on a much grander scale. He ended up leaving the club after his super stardom got the better of Sir Alex Ferguson, but it wasn't before he made his mark as one of the best players in the world at the time.

He had stiff competition, and his style was far from conventional, but he made it work. A winger without pace, what Beckham possessed that few then and few now can match was an ability to pick a pass - or more often, a cross - of any range and with immaculate precision. The role of a playmaker in the position of a winger left many a little more than confused, but the bottom line is, was and always will be that he is the best at what he does. With Beckham on the pitch, goals are an inevitability. You can't put a price on that.

Ten years at United yielded six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, an Intercontinental Cup and most famously, the Champions League. Beckham's form in that treble-winning season was majestic. Not only did two of his corners set up 'those two' goals in the final against Bayern Munich, but all along the way, he created key goals, and scored a few, as well.

That incredible season, in which he was unfortunate to miss out on the Ballon d'Or to Rivaldo, came following a summer in which he had been demonised by the nation for his red card at the 1998 World Cup against Argentina. A kick out at Diego Simeone remains arguably his all-time low moment on the pitch, but one for which he made amends in the form of years of superb service to his country thereafter, including a six-year spell as captain.

The treble didn't prove to be a peak for Beckham, who continued to perform and had a couple more outstanding seasons with the Red Devils until an injury lay-off, followed by his being replaced in the starting XI by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. This led to tensions between himself and Sir Alex re-emerging, culminating with the infamous 'flying boot', kicked by Ferguson that struck Beckham above the eye and left a cut requiring stitches. It was, of course, a freak accident - but it signalled the beginning of the end of Beckham's time at his boyhood club.

Despite United being eager to sell to Barcelona, and new president Joan Laporta having to instead opt for a certain Ronaldinho (who was a United target, and they instead had to opt for Cristiano Ronaldo), Beckham wound up at Madrid. He followed Figo, Zidane and Ronaldo as yet another Galactico, though deemed superlative by many, did perform well at the Bernabeu.

He was maligned, particularly in his homeland, for 'selling out' and his performances as an individual were overlooked due to the steady demise of what had been a great team at Madrid. An unbelievable end-of-season collapse in 2003-04 denied Los Galacticos what one and all believed to be a certain Liga title, if not the Champions League to match. It was all downhill from there. Almost.

On the international stage, Beckham resigned as captain with tears in his eyes after the 2006 World Cup elimination at the hands of Portugal. This led to Steve McClaren, who succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson as coach, to controversially axe Beckham from the squad altogether.

Back in Madrid, when Fabio Capello arrived at the Bernabeu to end the three-year silverware drought, he did so sparing no egos and Beckham, controversially, was dropped. With his contract running down and his country having rejected him he made the decision to sign for LA Galaxy, resulting in Don Fabio publicly announcing that he would not pick him for the remainder of the season.

It was a grudge held by one of the best managers in the business out of bitterness that, instead of fighting to get his place back in the team, Beckham instead chose to head into what many called 'semi-retirement'. Fergie had resented Victoria Beckham and her influence on David's professional life, and now it was Capello's turn.

This time, however, Beckham won the battle. He convinced the stubborn Italian to change his mind as things got desperate in the Spanish capital, and lo and behold, Beckham produced some of the form of his life to star in Madrid's incredible comeback Liga triumph.

He left a hero, but his time in America was hampered by injury and an incredibly poor team that was nowhere near competing for silverware. That being said, desperate times under McClaren called for desperate measures from McClaren. Just like Capello, he called on Beckham to save his ailing side, but he wasn't so fortunate. As usual, Beckham racked up crucial assists, but it was too little, too late as England humiliatingly failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

Beckham, as a player, was reborn. Capello, fresh from the sack at Madrid (yes, despite winning the title - that's another long story) was appointed England boss. A guarantor of success, one of Don Fabio's first orders of business, once Beckham reached an appropriate level of fitness, was to bring him into his squad. Golden Balls has since broken the all-time caps record for an outfield England player, with one eye on Peter Shilton's record of 125, which he is 16 appearances from breaking.

He has continued to be the endless supply line of goals we have known him to be, and motivated by his desire to carry on playing, he controversially turned his back on the Galaxy in his quest to sign for AC Milan. The Rossoneri loaned him, at 35 years of age, and he starred in their quite scintillating end to the 2008-09 season.

Able to thrive at the slower pace of Serie A, Beckham is now angling to make this move permanent. He has returned to Galaxy for the summer but will be back at San Siro, and back in England colours, and knowing his career as it has gone so far, will confound all his critics before he finishes.

So much more can and should be said about David Beckham. For all his celebrity, and the painstaking analysis of his every wrongdoing, Beckham has been able to persistently maintain his professionalism, consistency, success and unique, world class ability for over a decade. He really has managed to have it all, and that doesn't happen by accident.

HONOURS

Manchester United

Premier League: 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2002–03
FA Cup: 1996, 1999
UEFA Champions League: 1998–99
Intercontinental Cup: 1999
Community Shield: 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997
FA Youth Cup: 1992

Real Madrid

La Liga: 2006–07
Supercopa de Espana: 2003

Individual

PFA Young Player of the Year: 1996-97
Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year: 1996-97
1998 FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament
UEFA Club Player of the Year: 1999
BBC Sports Personality of the Year: 2001
FIFA 100
ESPY Award - Best Male Soccer Player: 2004
ESPY Award - Best MLS Player: 2008
English Football Hall of Fame: 2008

Rio Ferdinand

Thirty-year-old Rio Ferdinand's back problems mean that the superstar stopper is now entering the twilight of his career. Looking back upon a colourful run to date, though, it's easy to forget just how much of an impact he's had. After all, you can't go from humble beginnings to near unrivalled success without an array of staggering highs, character-building lows and everything in between.

Ferdinand grew up in the 1980s on the Friary estate in Peckham, a tough area of London infamous for its violent crime. A true product of the playgrounds, he initially used football as a distraction from his surroundings, and eventually a means of escape. Always a capable athlete, he was actually presented with a very different path, accepted to the Central School of Ballet in London, before realising his potential as a footballer. Soon he was training with the likes of Charlton Athletic, Chelsea, Millwall and Queens Park Rangers, before eventually opting for the West Ham United youth set-up after Frank Lampard Sr. took an interest in him.

Within four years, the now 6-foot-2 centre-back made his first team debut against Sheffield Wednesday, at the tail-end of the 1995-96 season. At the end of the 97-98 campaign, he was a 19-year-old Hammer of the Year, having also become England's youngest ever defender that season – a record since broken by Micah Richards.

Ambitious Leeds United made him the world's most expensive defender in 2000, and he was captain within a year of his arrival at Elland Road. His first season in Yorkshire involved a Champions League semi-final appearance, at which point Valencia ousted them.

2002 saw Ferdinand given another crack at a World Cup with the Three Lions; he'd blown his first one sensationally, having been sent home by Glenn Hoddle in 1998 over a drink driving incident. In Japan and South Korea, however, he proved himself to be ready for another step up, and Leeds, who'd dug themselves into massive debts, were obliged to sell him to Manchester United for another world record defensive sum, which eventually amounted to nearly £33 million.

Despite some initial jitters, Rio's continental style of play allowed him to start for United, initially alongside Jaap Stam, as the Red Devils romped to the 02-03 Premier League title. However, he'd have to wait a while before writing his name into the history books at the Theatre of Dreams, becoming a massive part of a golden era for the club.

He was involved in more unsavoury business in 2003, when he was banned for eight months for missing drugs testing, from January 2004 onwards, thus missing the remainder of the season and Euro 2004. He claimed that he'd merely forgotten to attend his appointment, but the FA and FIFA weren't impressed and actually lobbied unsuccessfully to ban him for a year.

He returned to the fold in time for Germany 2006, but England were underwhelming and exited at the quarter-final stage. It's something of a pity that England's decade has been barren, both in terms of plaudits and, of course, trophies.

That he's managed to progress in the way he has, despite this self-initiated set-back is impressive, regardless of the truth behind the controversy. He has scored some crucial goals as Sir Alex Ferguson's troops endeavoured to becoming the driving force in English football. He'd have to wait until the end of the 2006-07 campaign, though, to get his hands on the Premier league crown again, also winning the League Cup that season.

Next term, everything went right for United: they came of age to win their historic Premier League and Champions League double – Ferdinand named skipper as Chelsea were ousted in Moscow – and he signed a new five-year deal worth a reported £130,000-per-week. In March, he also captained England as new boss Fabio Capello sought to rotate the armband, performing well in the role, despite suffering friendly defeat at the hands of France. He was then named vice-captain behind regular defensive partner John Terry.

Off the pitch, Ferdinand has a lot of life about him. A music producer and entrepreneur – he edits an online magazine – he also performs charity work on behalf of the Live The Dream foundation.

With 72 caps to his name thus far, there's every chance that Ferdinand can become another England centurion before he hangs up his boots. At club level, he enjoys veteran status as United chase more domestic and continental success. The rearguard has been particularly sound during the 2008-09 campaign, and Ferdinand has played his part, having formed one of the most formidable tandems in the game with Nemanja Vidic.

His application and ability have never been in doubt, and he'll hope to rocket up the list of all-time greats over the next few years by leading United to more silverware, and helping England to achieve something truly worthwhile in South Africa next year.

HONOURS

Premier League: 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08
Football League Cup: 2006, 2009
FA Community Shield: 2003, 2007, 2008
UEFA Champions League: 2007–08
FIFA Club World Cup: 2008

Individual
PFA Premier League Team of the Year: 2001–02 (Leeds), 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08 (Manchester United)
FIFPro World XI: 2007–08

Paul Scholes

To say Paul Scholes is not your average footballer would be something of an understatement.

After all, this is a man who struggles with asthma, is short, incredibly shy, has no real pace, can’t tackle, shuns the spotlight and is a dedicated family man.

However, he is also one of the most gifted footballers ever to play the game and, although he refuses most interview requests, that is largely because he does all his talking on the pitch.

Blessed with a creative football brain, an eye for goal, quick feet and a sublime range of passing, Scholes has won almost everything the game has to offer in a glittering career that has ensured that he will always be treasured by players and fans alike at Manchester United.

Often described as 'a player’s player', Scholes is admired by many of the greats of the game and even Sir Bobby Charlton has been moved to describe him as his favourite ever United player - high praise indeed.Always a reluctant superstar, the midfielder has been with United since he was 14 and, alongside the likes of Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Nicky Butt, graduated swiftly through the ranks and into the first team.

The ‘Ginger Prince’ never had any trouble making his presence felt in the senior side, scoring twice on his debut against Port Vale in the League Cup in 1994-95, and also netting on his first league appearance against Ipswich Town.

Success was inevitably quick to follow and Scholes picked up his first silverware in 1996, claiming a Premier League and FA Cup double.

Winning was to prove a familiar feeling for the midfield maestro, who has since added another eight Premier League titles, two FA Cups and two Champions League wins to his collection.

Not that he would ever be the type to boast about his achievements. Indeed, in a rare interview Scholes confessed that he doesn’t keep his medals on view and instead has them locked away somewhere safe. Notoriously private as he is, the Red Devil has also revealed that, despite winning a Champions League medal in 1999, it is the one prize he doesn’t feel he deserves as he famously missed the last-gasp win over Bayern Munich through suspension.

Yet the midfielder managed to make amends for that disappointment in 2008 and did so in style in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, with a goal that provided a real highlight of his career. Having picked up a goalless draw in the first leg at the Camp Nou, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side brought the Catalans back to Old Trafford, where they were defeated courtesy of a stunning strike by Scholes. That goal sent United back to the final, in which they overcame Chelsea on penalties and Scholes finally received the Champions League winners medal that he felt he had truly earned.

Whilst his club career has featured unrivalled success, he has fared slightly worse on the international scene and it is perhaps fair to say he never really fulfilled his potential in an England shirt. Yet he began his career for the Three Lions brightly enough, scoring in World Cup 1998 before hitting a hat-trick against Poland in a Euro 2000 qualifier. However, he then went on to suffer the ignominy of becoming the first England player to be sent-off at Wembley, followed by a goal drought that lasted three years. Despite finally ending that poor run with a strike against Croatia in Euro 2004, it wasn’t long before Scholes hung up his international boots, aged only 29. The quiet man cited family reasons and the hope of prolonging his club career as his prime motivation and, although many have subsequently tried to convince him to change his mind, none have yet succeeded. Yet England’s loss is undoubtedly United’s gain and Scholes continues to play an integral part at Old Trafford, more than 15 years after making his debut. He has now racked up over 600 appearances for United, scoring 142 times (and counting). Despite competition from the likes of Michael Carrick, Anderson and Darren Fletcher, Scholes remains a vital member of the squad and, although his time at the club is undoubtedly coming to an end, there is life in the old man yet.

HONOURS

Premier League: (1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09) FA Cup: (1996, 1999, 2004)
Champions League: (1999, 2008)
League Cup: (2006, 2009)
Club World Cup: (2009)

Wayne Rooney

Some say he's the most talented player in the all the land; others say he's inconsistent, petulant and ugly. And the truth is that these two statements are both quite near the mark where Wayne Rooney is concerned.

The Scouse striker first broke onto the scene with his boyhood club, Everton, as a somewhat pudgy-looking teenager in 2002. In October that year, he marked himself as one to watch by netting against Arsenal to become the Premier League's youngest-ever scorer. He became England's youngest-ever player five months later, and by the end of the season he had established himself as arguably Britain's top sporting prospect.

A year further on, his exquisite skills, passion, work-ethic and eye for the majestic had made him one of the most recognisable talents in world football.

The summer of 2004 was a watershed for Rooney. Not only did he star for the Three Lions at the European Championship in Portugal, earning a place in the team of the tournament by scoring four goals to help Sven-Goran Eriksson's side to the quarter-finals (where they fell to the hosts on penalties); but his domestic situation also took quite a significant - and pricey - turn.

By the end of August, after rejecting a new contract offer from the Toffees and becoming the subject of a lengthy bidding war, the Croxteth native signed for Manchester United in a deal worth over £25 million. Thus, he claimed another record, becoming the most expensive teenage transfer in the world.

As you can see, many a milestone was reached by the time Rooney arrived at Old Trafford. Since then, the mantelpiece - or mantelpieces, perhaps - of his £4.25 million Prestbury mansion has - or have - been adorned with trinket upon trinket.

In his first season with the Red Devils, he claimed both the PFA and FIFPro Young Player of the Year awards. The season after, he defended his PFA crown, booked a spot in the Team of the Year and claimed the Sir Matt Busby trophy as the United fans' player of the season. He also won his first trophy, the League Cup.

The team titles have kept on coming. 'Roo' has won two consecutive Premier Leagues (and is presently chasing a third), with a Community Shield and a Club World Cup thrown in, capped off by the highlight of his career to date: the 2008 UEFA Champions League crown, won on penalties against Chelsea in Moscow.

And yet, despite all the trophies and fame and fortune, a debate has sprung up in the past year or so as to just how good Rooney has been since leaving Goodison Park. Some feel that he has failed to deliver anything like the quality expected of a player who was supposed to be the best in the world by now - a title instead being battled out between his one of his club-mates and a certain little Argentine from Barcelona.

The stats make interesting reading. Since joining United, the 23-year-old has scored 97 goals in 230 games - excellent in anyone's terms. Nevertheless, people point to his middling season-by-season totals in the league and his knack for lengthy goalless streaks, and they timidly suggest that perhaps he is an underachiever.

In some ways, the appointment of Fabio Capello as England boss has reminded everyone just how good Rooney is. For the Italian tactician has essentially set about building his system around the young forward, with he and Steven Gerrard building a superb understanding as they interchange between the central and wide positions, doubling England's creative threat in the process.

The point is, Rooney remains England's great white hope. He has been exceptional in the Three Lions' perfect start to 2010 World Cup qualifying. And with 20 goals notched up to date at club level, he is - and will continue to be - an indispensable component of the Man United machine, no matter where on the pitch he plays.

HONOURS

Football League Cup (2005-06)
Premier League (2006-07, 2007-08)
FA Community Shield (2007)
UEFA Champions League (2007-08)
FIFA Club World Cup (2008)

BBC Sports Young Personality of the Year (2002)
UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament (2004)
FIFPro World Young Player of the Year (2004–05)
PFA Young Player of the Year (2004–05, 2005–06)
PFA Team of the Year (2005–06)
Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year (2005–06)
Premier League Player of the Month (February 2005, December 2005, March 2006, November 2007)
FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball (2008)

Key Factor to United Loss

Key Factor #1 : Trembling Midfield

This is the major factor that lead to United's loss in Rome. Can you believe, Michael Carrick playing the game that night with broken toe? His partner, Anderson is still not very experienced in big match. United might fell the absence of suspended Darren Fletcher in midfield in that game.

Midfield dominance is the key factor to United success in England and Europe from early 90s until now. Back then, United's infamous captain, Irish international's Roy Keane successfully play his role as playmaker with the companies like David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Dubbed as 'The Bulldozer' because of his pace and creativity to move the ball from defending to attacking. His successor, Oven Hargreaves, signed from Bayern Munich, play at almost the same style with Keane and play an important role in United success last season where they win both Premier League and Champions League.

Playing just 5 games this season, Hargreaves, which is also England's midfielder is sidelined thanks to his knee injury for the whole season. He is expected to return in action next season. But the question is, will he be the same Hargreaves even though he didn't play for a season?

Meanwhile, Anderson, the Brazilian international is yet to find the net for United after 3 season. He is known for his efford and energy running through midfield, smooth passing, and harsh tackles. His midfield team, Darren Fletcher, the Scottish international's captain is on his best form this season. Suspended for final because of the red card in previous game, Fletcher is the midfielder in his own class. Posses the same playing style with Michael Carrick, they can dominate the midfield in each of United game.