# 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

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 29 July 2000 | York City | A | 2–0 | Keane (2) 52', 62' | 9,003 |
| 30 July 2000 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 8–1 | Butt 3', Solskjær (2) 12', 40', Sheringham 51', Clegg 58', Fortune (2) 61' (pen.), 68', Healy 79' | 8,000 |
| 4 August 2000 | Real Madrid | N | 1–0 | Solskjær 89' | 39,000 |
| 5 August 2000 | Bayern Munich | A | 1–3 | Fortune 85' | 43,000 |
| 9 August 2000 | Birkirkara | N | 5–1 | Beckham 18', Yorke 49', Solskjær (2) 53', 74', Scholes 70' | 7,614 |
| 16 August 2000 | Manchester City | H | 2–0 | Sheringham 36', Cole 85' | 45,158 |
| 15 May 2001 | Celtic | A | 2–0 | Silvestre 15', Djordjic 88' | 57,268 |

## FA Charity Shield

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 13 August 2000 | Chelsea | N | 0–2 | | 65,148 |

## Premier League

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | League position |
| 20 August 2000 | Newcastle United | H | 2–0 | Johnsen 20', Cole 69' | 67,477 | 5th |
| 22 August 2000 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–1 | Beckham 39' | 22,007 | 3rd |
| 26 August 2000 | West Ham United | A | 2–2 | Beckham 6', Cole 49' | 25,998 | 5th |
| 5 September 2000 | Bradford City | H | 6–0 | Cole 11', Fortune (2) 23', 60', Sheringham (2) 71', 81', Beckham 85' | 67,447 | 1st |
| 9 September 2000 | Sunderland | H | 3–0 | Scholes (2) 14', 82', Sheringham 76' | 67,503 | 1st |
| 16 September 2000 | Everton | A | 3–1 | Butt 26', Giggs 29', Solskjær 38' | 38,541 | 1st |
| 23 September 2000 | Chelsea | H | 3–3 | Scholes 14', Sheringham 37', Beckham 39' | 67,568 | 1st |
| 1 October 2000 | Arsenal | A | 0–1 | | 38,146 | 2nd |
| 14 October 2000 | Leicester City | A | 3–0 | Sheringham (2) 37', 54', Solskjær 90' | 22,132 | 1st |
| 21 October 2000 | Leeds United | H | 3–0 | Yorke 40', Beckham 50', Jones 82' (o.g.) | 67,523 | 1st |
| 28 October 2000 | Southampton | H | 5–0 | Cole (2) 9', 73', Sheringham (3) 45', 51', 55' | 67,581 | 1st |
| 4 November 2000 | Coventry City | A | 2–1 | Cole 27', Beckham 37' | 21,079 | 1st |
| 11 November 2000 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–1 | Butt 62', Sheringham 65' | 67,576 | 1st |
| 18 November 2000 | Manchester City | A | 1–0 | Beckham 2' | 34,429 | 1st |
| 25 November 2000 | Derby County | A | 3–0 | Sheringham 61', Butt 69', Yorke 76' | 32,910 | 1st |
| 2 December 2000 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–0 | Scholes 40', Solskjær 84' | 67,583 | 1st |
| 9 December 2000 | Charlton Athletic | A | 3–3 | Giggs 42', Solskjær 43', Keane 66' | 20,043 | 1st |
| 17 December 2000 | Liverpool | H | 0–1 | | 67,533 | 1st |
| 23 December 2000 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–0 | Solskjær (2) 20', 32' | 67,597 | 1st |
| 26 December 2000 | Aston Villa | A | 1–0 | Solskjær 85' | 40,889 | 1st |
| 30 December 2000 | Newcastle United | A | 1–1 | Beckham 25' (pen.) | 52,134 | 1st |
| 1 January 2001 | West Ham United | H | 3–1 | Solskjær 3', Pearce 33' (o.g.), Yorke 57' | 67,603 | 1st |
| 13 January 2001 | Bradford City | A | 3–0 | Sheringham 72', Giggs 75', Chadwick 87' | 20,551 | 1st |
| 20 January 2001 | Aston Villa | H | 2–0 | G. Neville 57', Sheringham 87' | 67,533 | 1st |
| 31 January 2001 | Sunderland | A | 1–0 | Cole 46' | 48,260 | 1st |
| 3 February 2001 | Everton | H | 1–0 | Watson 52' (o.g.) | 67,528 | 1st |
| 10 February 2001 | Chelsea | A | 1–1 | Cole 69' | 34,960 | 1st |
| 25 February 2001 | Arsenal | H | 6–1 | Yorke (3) 3', 18', 22', Keane 26', Solskjær 38', Sheringham 90' | 67,535 | 1st |
| 3 March 2001 | Leeds United | A | 1–1 | Chadwick 64' | 40,055 | 1st |
| 17 March 2001 | Leicester City | H | 2–0 | Yorke 88', Silvestre 90' | 67,516 | 1st |
| 31 March 2001 | Liverpool | A | 0–2 | | 44,806 | 1st |
| 10 April 2001 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–1 | Cole 45', Solskjær 82' | 67,505 | 1st |
| 14 April 2001 | Coventry City | H | 4–2 | Yorke (2) 13', 28', Giggs 81', Scholes 87' | 67,637 | 1st |
| 21 April 2001 | Manchester City | H | 1–1 | Sheringham 71' (pen.) | 67,535 | 1st |
| 28 April 2001 | Middlesbrough | A | 2–0 | P. Neville 4', Beckham 84' | 34,417 | 1st |
| 5 May 2001 | Derby County | H | 0–1 | | 67,526 | 1st |
| 13 May 2001 | Southampton | A | 1–2 | Giggs 71' | 15,526 | 1st |
| 19 May 2001 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–3 | Scholes 22' | 36,072 | 1st |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Manchester United (C) | 38 | 25 | 8 | 5 | 79 | 31 | +48 | 83 | Qualification for the Champions League first group stage |
| 2 | Arsenal | 38 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 63 | 38 | +25 | 70 | Qualification for the Champions League first group stage |
| 3 | Liverpool | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 71 | 39 | +32 | 69 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 4 | Leeds United | 38 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 64 | 43 | +21 | 68 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | Ipswich Town | 38 | 20 | 6 | 12 | 57 | 42 | +15 | 66 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
* 1 2 Since Liverpool won the League Cup and qualified for the Champions League, their UEFA Cup place went to fifth-placed Ipswich Town. Since both FA Cup finalists, Liverpool and Arsenal, qualified for the Champions League, the berth in the UEFA Cup went to sixth-placed Chelsea. Both Ipswich and Chelsea were the highest-ranked team not already qualified for a European competition.

## FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 7 January 2001 | Round 3 | Fulham | A | 2–1 | Solskjær 8', Sheringham 89' | 19,178 |
| 28 January 2001 | Round 4 | West Ham United | H | 0–1 | | 67,029 |

## League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 31 October 2000 | Round 3 | Watford | A | 3–0 | Solskjær (2) 12', 81', Yorke 54' | 18,871 |
| 28 November 2000 | Round 4 | Sunderland | A | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Yorke 31' | 47,543 |

## UEFA Champions League
### Group stage

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Group position |
| 13 September 2000 | Anderlecht | H | 5–1 | Cole (3) 15', 50', 72', Irwin 31' (pen.), Sheringham 42' | 62,749 | 1st |
| 19 September 2000 | Dynamo Kyiv | A | 0–0 | | 65,000 | 1st |
| 26 September 2000 | PSV Eindhoven | A | 1–3 | Scholes 2' (pen.) | 30,500 | 2nd |
| 18 October 2000 | PSV Eindhoven | H | 3–1 | Sheringham 8', Scholes 82', Yorke 87' | 66,313 | 1st |
| 24 October 2000 | Anderlecht | A | 1–2 | Irwin 36' (pen.) | 22,506 | 3rd |
| 8 November 2000 | Dynamo Kyiv | H | 1–0 | Sheringham 18' | 66,776 | 2nd |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Anderlecht | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 14 | −3 | 12 | Advance to second group stage |
| 2 | Manchester United | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 7 | +4 | 10 | Advance to second group stage |
| 3 | PSV Eindhoven | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | Transfer to UEFA Cup |
| 4 | Dynamo Kyiv | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 8 | −1 | 4 | |

### Second group stage

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Group position |
| 21 November 2000 | Panathinaikos | H | 3–1 | Sheringham 48', Scholes (2) 81', 90' | 65,024 | 1st |
| 6 December 2000 | Sturm Graz | A | 2–0 | Scholes 18', Giggs 89' | 16,500 | 1st |
| 14 February 2001 | Valencia | A | 0–0 | | 49,541 | 1st |
| 20 February 2001 | Valencia | H | 1–1 | Cole 12' | 66,715 | 1st |
| 7 March 2001 | Panathinaikos | A | 1–1 | Scholes 90' | 27,231 | 2nd |
| 13 March 2001 | Sturm Graz | H | 3–0 | Butt 5', Sheringham 20', Keane 86' | 66,404 | 2nd |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Valencia | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 12 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Manchester United | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 12 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Sturm Graz | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 13 | −9 | 6 | |
| 4 | Panathinaikos | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 | −6 | 2 | |

### Knockout phase

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 3 April 2001 | Quarter-final First leg | Bayern Munich | H | 0–1 | | 66,584 |
| 18 April 2001 | Quarter-final Second leg | Bayern Munich | A | 1–2 | Giggs 49' | 60,000 |

## Squad statistics

| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | Fabien Barthez | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Gary Neville | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 1 |
| 3 | DF | Denis Irwin | 20(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 29(1) | 2 |
| 4 | DF | David May | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Ronny Johnsen | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | Jaap Stam | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 22(1) | 0 |
| 7 | MF | David Beckham | 29(2) | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43(3) | 9 |
| 8 | MF | Nicky Butt | 24(4) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8(3) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 34(7) | 4 |
| 9 | FW | Andy Cole | 15(4) | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 0(1) | 0 | 26(5) | 13 |
| 10 | FW | Teddy Sheringham | 23(6) | 15 | 1(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8(3) | 5 | 1 | 0 | 33(10) | 21 |
| 11 | MF | Ryan Giggs | 24(7) | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9(2) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 36(9) | 7 |
| 12 | DF | Phil Neville | 24(5) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31(7) | 1 |
| 13 | GK | Mark Bosnich | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | GK | Andy Goram | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Jesper Blomqvist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Roy Keane (c) | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 3 |
| 17 | GK | Raimond van der Gouw | 5(5) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10(5) | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Paul Scholes | 28(4) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 40(4) | 12 |
| 19 | FW | Dwight Yorke | 15(7) | 9 | 1(1) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7(4) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 25(13) | 12 |
| 20 | FW | Ole Gunnar Solskjær | 19(12) | 10 | 1(1) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3(8) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26(21) | 13 |
| 21 | DF | Henning Berg | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
| 22 | DF | Ronnie Wallwork | 4(8) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6(10) | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Michael Clegg | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Wes Brown | 25(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36(5) | 0 |
| 25 | MF | Quinton Fortune | 6(1) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 8(3) | 2 |
| 27 | DF | Mikaël Silvestre | 25(5) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41(6) | 1 |
| 28 | MF | Michael Stewart | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(2) | 0 |
| 30 | DF | John O'Shea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | Bojan Djordjic | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |
| 33 | GK | Paul Rachubka | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 |
| 34 | MF | Jonathan Greening | 3(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6(5) | 0 |
| 35 | FW | David Healy | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 |
| 36 | MF | Luke Chadwick | 6(10) | 2 | 0(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9(13) | 2 |
| 37 | FW | Danny Webber | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 |

## 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

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| 5 July 2000 | DF | Danny Higginbotham | Derby County | £2m |
| 8 July 2000 | GK | Massimo Taibi | Reggina | £2.5m |
| 10 July 2000 | MF | Jordi Cruyff | Alavés | Free |
| 28 November 2000 | FW | Alex Notman | Norwich City | £250k |
| 15 December 2000 | DF | Henning Berg | Blackburn Rovers | £1.75m |
| 3 January 2001 | FW | David Healy | Preston North End | £1.5m |
| 18 January 2001 | GK | Mark Bosnich | Chelsea | Free |
| 26 May 2001 | FW | Teddy Sheringham | Tottenham Hotspur | Free |

### Loan in

| Date from | Date to | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| 22 March 2001 | 31 May 2001 | GK | Andy Goram | Motherwell | £100k |