When Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester United in 2013, he left behind a squad of Premier League winners. The Red Devils had just beaten rivals Manchester City to the league title, securing Ferguson’s 13th and final time lifting England’s greatest honour. But that trophy only papered over the cracks that would soon appear.
Keane said Man Utd star was "like Paul Scholes", now he's the new McTominay
As Scott McTominay shines away from Man Utd, one of his former teammates is now following in his footsteps – and it’s not Kobbie Mainoo.
ByRobbie Walls
Choosing his replacement, Ferguson turned towards Everton’s David Moyes. A Scottish manager who was beginning to make a name for himself elsewhere, Moyes likely reminded the legendary Man United boss of himself. On paper, the appointment made plenty of sense and 12 years ago, it was unlike the Red Devils to get things wrong.
Of course, as we now know, over a decade later, that decision sparked the beginning of United’s long downfall which has featured moments that go lower and lower in their history.
Games
51
Wins
26
Draws
10
Losses
15
From a manager that stayed at the club and achieved so much for 26 long years, United gave Moyes just 51 games to make his mark before pulling the plug on his tenure.
At the time, the blame was sent the manager’s way. The assumption was that it simply had to be him. After all, he was the only change at the club, but perhaps that’s where the problem truly lied. Since then, five permanent managers have tried and all five have failed to do what Moyes initially failed to do as United remain sleeping giants.
Before Moyes arrived, however, things could have been so different. Ferguson reportedly approached a manager who soon became a Premier League winner, only to be turned down.
Why Jurgen Klopp turned Ferguson and Man Utd down
As revealed by the former Liverpool manager himself, Ferguson approached Jurgen Klopp before Man Utd hired Moyes, only for the German to turn down the chance to move to Old Trafford as he was already planning for the 2013/14 season at Borussia Dortmund.
It was then just two years later that he was approached with a similar offer from Liverpool, who secured his arrival and went from sleeping giants into a club firmly back at the top of English football. Whilst United continued to struggle, the Reds and Klopp won the Premier League, Champions League and everything in between.
No one knows for sure whether Klopp would have done better than Moyes, Jose Mourinho and others, but evidence from his Liverpool spell gives us a fairly solid indication of how things could have been so different for the Red Devils.
