2000–01 Manchester United F.C. season


The 2000–01 season was Manchester United's ninth season in the Premier League, and their 26th consecutive season in the top division of English football. United won the Premier League for the third successive season and the seventh time since its inauguration in 1993. They were less successful in cup competitions, going out in the fourth round of the FA Cup, the fourth round of the League Cup and the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
New goalkeeper Fabien Barthez was an instant success, and previous first-choice goalkeeper Mark Bosnich failed to feature in the first team in 2000–01, opting to join Chelsea on a free transfer in January, despite equally limited first-team opportunities at Stamford Bridge. Veteran striker Teddy Sheringham had an excellent season, topping the club's goalscoring charts and gaining both the PFA and FWA Player of the Year awards. However, the arrival of Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy from PSV Eindhoven at the end of the season prompted Sheringham to return to Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer. Also leaving the club was Henning Berg, who was loaned to his old club Blackburn Rovers just after the start of the season, and moved on a permanent contract in December, joining former United players John Curtis and Mark Hughes in Blackburn's successful campaign that saw them promoted back to the Premier League after a two-year exile.

Pre-season and friendlies

FA Charity Shield

DateOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
13 August 2000ChelseaN65,148

Premier League

DateOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceLeague
position
20 August 2000Newcastle UnitedHJohnsen 20', Cole 69'67,4775th
22 August 2000Ipswich TownABeckham 39'22,0073rd
26 August 2000West Ham UnitedABeckham 6', Cole 49'25,9985th
5 September 2000Bradford CityHCole 11', Fortune 23', 60', Sheringham 71', 81', Beckham 85'67,4471st
9 September 2000SunderlandHScholes 14', 82', Sheringham 76'67,5031st
16 September 2000EvertonAButt 26', Giggs 29', Solskjær 38'38,5411st
23 September 2000ChelseaHScholes 14', Sheringham 37', Beckham 39'67,5681st
1 October 2000ArsenalA38,1462nd
14 October 2000Leicester CityASheringham 37', 54', Solskjær 90'22,1321st
21 October 2000Leeds UnitedHYorke 40', Beckham 50', Jones 82' 67,5231st
28 October 2000SouthamptonHCole 9', 73', Sheringham 45', 51', 55'67,5811st
4 November 2000Coventry CityACole 27', Beckham 37'21,0791st
11 November 2000MiddlesbroughHButt 62', Sheringham 65'67,5761st
18 November 2000Manchester CityABeckham 2'34,4291st
25 November 2000Derby CountyASheringham 61', Butt 69', Yorke 76'32,9101st
2 December 2000Tottenham HotspurHScholes 40', Solskjær 84'67,5831st
9 December 2000Charlton AthleticAGiggs 42', Solskjær 43', Keane 66'20,0431st
17 December 2000LiverpoolH67,5331st
23 December 2000Ipswich TownHSolskjær 20', 32'67,5971st
26 December 2000Aston VillaASolskjær 85'40,8891st
30 December 2000Newcastle UnitedABeckham 25' 52,1341st
1 January 2001West Ham UnitedHSolskjær 3', Pearce 33', Yorke 57'67,6031st
13 January 2001Bradford CityASheringham 72', Giggs 75', Chadwick 87'20,5511st
20 January 2001Aston VillaHG. Neville 57', Sheringham 87'67,5331st
31 January 2001SunderlandACole 46'48,2601st
3 February 2001EvertonHWatson 52' 67,5281st
10 February 2001ChelseaACole 69'34,9601st
25 February 2001ArsenalHYorke 3', 18', 22', Keane 26', Solskjær 38', Sheringham 90'67,5351st
3 March 2001Leeds UnitedAChadwick 64'40,0551st
17 March 2001Leicester CityHYorke 88', Silvestre 90'67,5161st
31 March 2001LiverpoolA44,8061st
10 April 2001Charlton AthleticHCole 45', Solskjær 82'67,5051st
14 April 2001Coventry CityHYorke 13', 28', Giggs 81', Scholes 87'67,6371st
21 April 2001Manchester CityHSheringham 71' 67,5351st
28 April 2001MiddlesbroughAP. Neville 4', Beckham 84'34,4171st
5 May 2001Derby CountyH67,5261st
13 May 2001SouthamptonAGiggs 71'15,5261st
19 May 2001Tottenham HotspurAScholes 22'36,0721st

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
7 January 2001Round 3FulhamASolskjær 8', Sheringham 89'19,178
28 January 2001Round 4West Ham UnitedH67,029

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
31 October 2000Round 3WatfordASolskjær 12', 81', Yorke 54'18,871
28 November 2000Round 4SunderlandA
Yorke 31'47,543

UEFA Champions League

Group stage

DateOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceGroup
position
13 September 2000AnderlechtHCole 15', 50', 72', Irwin 31', Sheringham 42'62,7491st
19 September 2000Dynamo KyivA65,0001st
26 September 2000PSV EindhovenAScholes 2' 30,5002nd
18 October 2000PSV EindhovenHSheringham 8', Scholes 82', Yorke 87'66,3131st
24 October 2000AnderlechtAIrwin 36' 22,5063rd
8 November 2000Dynamo KyivHSheringham 18'66,7762nd

Second group stage

DateOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceGroup
position
21 November 2000PanathinaikosHSheringham 48', Scholes 81', 90'65,0241st
6 December 2000Sturm GrazAScholes 18', Giggs 89'16,5001st
14 February 2001ValenciaA49,5411st
20 February 2001ValenciaHCole 12'66,7151st
7 March 2001PanathinaikosAScholes 90'27,2312nd
13 March 2001Sturm GrazHButt 5', Sheringham 20', Keane 86'66,4042nd

Knockout phase

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
3 April 2001Quarter-final
First leg		Bayern MunichH66,584
18 April 2001Quarter-final
Second leg		Bayern MunichAGiggs 49'60,000

Squad statistics

Transfers

On the way out of United, during the summer were defender Danny Higginbotham, goalkeeper Massimo Taibi, midfielder Jordi Cruyff, and forward Alex Notman. Higginbotham left United for Derby County, after three years to fulfil his desire to play more first team football, Taibi signed for Reggina, after he had been on loan at the club during the second half of the 1999–2000 season, Cruyff signed for Alavés, after his United contract had expired, and Notman, who had never played a Premier League match for United, signed for Norwich City, where he would remain for three years.
No players arrived at United throughout the whole 2000–01 season.
Leaving United during the winter were Norwegian defender Henning Berg, who signed for Blackburn Rovers for a fee of £1.75 million, Northern Irish forward David Healy, who signed for Preston North End for a fee of £1.5 million, and Australian goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, who signed for Chelsea on a free transfer, after United had signed Fabien Barthez in the 2000 close season. Forward Teddy Sheringham left United to rejoin Tottenham Hotspur on 26 May.

Out

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