Highlights
- Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United face Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-finals in the hopes of saving their season.
- Last time the sides met, Sir Alex Ferguson opted for a heavily rotated starting line-up, one that lost 2-0 on the day thanks to a brace from Michael Mifsud.
- The likes of Dong Fangzhuo, Chris Eagles and Phil Bardsley all started for the Red Devils that day.
The difference between Erik ten Hag coming under immense pressure with the summer looming and the Dutchman earning a third season at the Old Trafford helm could depend on Manchester United’s success in this term’s rendition of the FA Cup.
Last season, it took the mightily impressive treble-winning Manchester City to ruin the Red Devils’ dreams of adding another trophy to their collection, but Ten Hag and his men will hope that their travelling fans can rally behind them for their upcoming semi-final.
Up next is Coventry City, a side in the Championship who will also be vying for another Wembley visit. The two English clubs were regular opponents throughout the1990s but the most memorable clash dates back to September 2007. Underdogs Coventry travelled to Old Trafford in the League Cup third round tie and left as 2-0 victors thanks to a brace from Michael Mifsud.
But who was donning the Manchester United strip that day? Below is the full starting line-up from their 2-0 loss to The Sky Blues – and it’s far from the star-studded expectations that won the Premier League and Champions League that season.
Goalkeeper and Defence
Tomasz Kuszczak; Danny Simpson, Jonny Evans, Gerard Pique, Phil Bardsley
Starting off between the sticks is Polish goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak, who spent six years at the club. In those seasons, he won just 61 appearances, typically playing second fiddle to the likes of Edwin van der Sar. After five permanent years at Old Trafford (2007-2012), the shot stopper joined Brighton & Hove Albion but finished his career – in 2019 – with Birmingham City.
Carrington graduate Danny Simpson got the nod on the right-hand side of the defence but his failure to capture a run of games for the senior side saw him depart in 2010. Inarguably, his best years came at Leicester City as he helped guide the Foxes to their famous Premier League triumph in 2016. On the left was Phil Bardsley, but he was replaced by Wes Brown at the interval.
Jonny Evans, who has since re-joined the Old Trafford outfit temporarily, was the seasoned head alongside the inexperienced Gerard Pique, a player who doubtlessly enjoyed his best years with Barcelona. The latter struggled to stake his claim on the first team squad, while the former, who could be awarded with a new Manchester United contract soon, became a three-time Premier League winner during his glory days.
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Midfield
Chris Eagles, Anderson, John O’Shea, Lee Martin
Nowadays, the Red Devils have creator-in-chief Bruno Fernandes and five-time Champions League winner Casemiro dictating – or at least trying to – the tempo in midfield. Last time out against Coventry, however, the club’s engine room midfield four was not as exciting.
Chris Eagles, known as a troublemaker inside Old Trafford circles, didn’t last long at the club. He played a mere 17 times for the before moving to Burnley in 2008. Hemel Hempstead-born Eagles became something of a journeyman post-Manchester United and played for an array of teams across England and Scotland.
John O’Shea, a defender by trade, was tasked with running the middle of the park alongside Anderson. The Irishman, included in Manchester United’s greatest academy XI, was an Old Trafford fan favourite during his years in M16 but left in 2011 to join Sunderland before calling it quits on his career while at Reading.
Joining him in the centre was Anderson, a player widely regarded as a wonderkid who failed to impress under Sir Alex Ferguson. The 2008 Golden Boy winner scored just nine goals in 181 appearances for the club and hung up his boots at the age of 32 while earning his corn in Turkey.
Finishing the midfield line of four was the lesser-known star Lee Martin. Just like Bardsley, Martin was subbed at half-time in favour of Fraizer Campbell. Now at Ramsgate, the 37-year-old’s career dwindled into obscurity after playing just three times in a Red Devils strip.
Attack
Luis Nani, Dong Fangzhuo
Over the years, the Manchester-based outfit have boasted some of the Premier League’s finest talent, but Ferguson opted for a less impressive front two against Coventry 17 years ago.
A name that will forever live with Manchester United fans is Dong Fangzhuo. His signing was as curious as cases get, and it was clear as day that the now 39-year-old, who played just three times for the club, was not cut out for the trials and tribulations of playing for a club of such a stature. The striker played all across the world after leaving the Red Devils and retired in 2016 as a one-time Premier League and Champions League winner.
Despite being a winger for the best part of his career, Luis Nani started alongside the Chinese striker in a two-man unit up top. The Portuguese was a regular in the club’s first team proceedings for years and struck all manner of partnerships with forwards across his 230-game stay. He’s one of a handful of players that is still playing today, earning his corn in Turkey for Adana Demirspor.
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