Opposition fans: What's it like to play against post-Fergie Manchester United?

Fortitude

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I've a few mates who are not United supporters, and the overwhelming response is that the operative word is 'revenge' for basically being battered by United for so many years prior.

I have a feeling, if you're a Chelsea supporter, the answer hasn't really changed, as you've been a thorn in our side since the 90's. Perhaps West Ham, too?

Liverpool? Has anything changed for you? Have you managed to stick the boot in, or is United any different a proposition for you? We've not done badly vs. you post-Fergie, and we have Juanfield as well as being the only side to dent you thus far this term - is there any sense you can finally get one over on us, or is it still as you were?

City? I should imagine you've had a decent fill? You were an emerging force in the final seasons of Fergie's career and then went from strength to strength whilst we've floundered, but has there been any sense that you've 'done us' in the years since?

It's often said on here that United are the biggest game of the season for numerous (some think all) clubs in the league - as opposition fans, do you actually buy into that, or are those hopeful words from a bygone era?

Do United still have the aura of being "United" for you, or has that mystique faded with our woes?

Same question applies for anyone outside of the PL, by the way.
 

Dancfc

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At Old Trafford you've become harder for us to play weirdly.

In Fergie's last 10 years we won at Old Trafford I think four times (maybe even five) but since he's been gone we haven't won at your place once.
 

DAK222

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I've a few mates who are not United supporters, and the overwhelming response is that the operative word is 'revenge' for basically being battered by United for so many years prior.

I have a feeling, if you're a Chelsea supporter, the answer hasn't really changed, as you've been a thorn in our side since the 90's. Perhaps West Ham, too?

Liverpool? Has anything changed for you? Have you managed to stick the boot in, or is United any different a proposition for you? We've not done badly vs. you post-Fergie, and we have Juanfield as well as being the only side to dent you thus far this term - is there any sense you can finally get one over on us, or is it still as you were?

City? I should imagine you've had a decent fill? You were an emerging force in the final seasons of Fergie's career and then went from strength to strength whilst we've floundered, but has there been any sense that you've 'done us' in the years since?

It's often said on here that United are the biggest game of the season for numerous (some think all) clubs in the league - as opposition fans, do you actually buy into that, or are those hopeful words from a bygone era?

Do United still have the aura of being "United" for you, or has that mystique faded with our woes?

Same question applies for anyone outside of the PL, by the way.


It's completely changed for me personally. All my life, SAF was the Utd manager and beating Utd was always about beating him. As tough as the game would be, I would look forward to it because win or lose, it would be a great watch at the very least. But now, the games between us are just so terrible that even when we do win it's more a relief at getting the fixture out of the way than any kind of jubilation.
 

KirkDuyt

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We played you lot in 2016. Even though some of the Fergie shiny had come off, it was still awesome to see United playing in De Kuip.

The fact we actually beat you in a non-friendly speaks volumes though. Though I suppose the EL is not much more than a glorified friendly tournament for a side like United.
 

M Bison

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We played you lot in 2016. Even though some of the Fergie shiny had come off, it was still awesome to see United playing in De Kuip.

The fact we actually beat you in a non-friendly speaks volumes though. Though I suppose the EL is not much more than a glorified friendly tournament for a side like United.
Not any more!
 

Powderfinger

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Its gone from resignment to an expected loss, with the gulf in class between the two sides a demonstration of how much Arsenal had fallen off, to a feeling of not being surprised by any result because both sides were pretty shit.
 

B20

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I mostly find it annoying. We're much better than you, yet we play timidly every time we face you.

These are the years where we should be trying to rake in a record score to have something to warm ourselves with when the cold years set in.

Also the games themselves are rarely all that. They have little importance outside of traditional rivalry. Game raising cnuts.

I really enjoyed knocking you out of the Europa league though. Still remember that one fondly.
 

U-N-I-T-E-D

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I mostly find it annoying. We're much better than you, yet we play timidly every time we face you.

These are the years where we should be trying to rake in a record score to have something to warm ourselves with when the cold years set in.

Also the games themselves are rarely all that. They have little importance outside of traditional rivalry. Game raising cnuts.

I really enjoyed knocking you out of the Europa league though. Still remember that one fondly.
This is how I used to feel about playing Liverpool. You always seemed really up for it and often we weren’t.

Now our cold years have firmly set in.
 

Klopper76

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We still wet ourselves at Old Trafford. Nothing’s changed on that front.

The gap between the two clubs hasn’t been huge post Ferguson if you take the last 18 months out of it, so the games have still been hard to predict. I’ll be gutted if we don’t put a few in against you at Anfield next week though.

I’ll admit that I did enjoy seeing United struggle during the 13/14 season but I’m more numb to it now. I think I enjoy seeing Arsenal struggle more now because of Arsenal Fan TV. Your fan base is more level headed.
 
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balaks

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It's a match that I know will always be difficult but I am now disappointed not to get a result in rather than what it used to be when I expected us to get beaten.
 

Blades1889

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We’ve played you twice since Fergie retired. 4 years ago yesterday, lost 1-0 in the FA cup which we were obviously expecting to lose anyway but gave away a pen in the 90th min. Then earlier this season we had that crazy 3-3 draw. I would say the fear factor has worn off but you still have some quality players. It feels as though you are a mentally weak side at times, no fight and no commitment. I still see it as a big occasion of course, I just don’t expect us to get battered.
 

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Still as excited playing you lot as before and it's just as difficult as it's always been. The feeling after beating you or losing is the same for me.
 

Wolkowsky

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Annoying. You seem to be shite against almost everyone apart from us.
It's funny for me as a United fan because I have the same feeling about any other (almost every!) team that playing versus us!
 

Megadrive Man

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The fear factor has well and truly gone.

I knew Moyes would adopt his Everton tactics and Liverpool would beat a Moyes United, Under LVG and Mourinho it was different, but you've gone back to Moyes levels now.

I am actually looking forward to the match at Anfield next week.
 

FootballHQ

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Bare in mind I support a team who lost 4-1 and 3-0 to a Man. United managed by David Moyes.....

Easier though I'd say as much for that period when you'd be 1 or 2 up with twenty minutes left and SAF would start throwing on at least two forwards and pushing the FBs up etc....

In a blink of an eye you'd be back at 2-2 or even 3-2 up.

You've had the odd good comeback every few months but that was happening every other week in Fergie's day. You stop doing it and the points tally starts to reduce.
 

padr81

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Im probably more tense going into the derby now tbh, especially at the Etihad. We had nothing to lose for a long time, expected to lose and take it on the chin. Losing to you now feels far worse. I have a "I hope we don't lose to these guys" thing going on. The angriest I've been at City since probably Stuart Pearce era is the derby at the Etihad a couple of weeks ago. I don't dislike United but I want to see us trash ye while yer down because you will eventually get it right and come back plus we might not have Pep for too much longer.
 

berbatrick

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Not opposition, but objectively, in terms of big game record, and excluding Moyes, I'm not sure there's been such a big drop from late SAF to today. LvG did a good job famously against bigger teams, Ole seems to be following that somewhat. Jose had a mixed record with one fantastic win (3-2 at City). I think under both Ole and LvG, we have only deteriorated against Arsenal.

The bigger difference would be among all the other clubs. Upper midtable, stragglers, relegation candidates have all had not just wins but dominant performances against LvG, Ole, and Jose sides.
 

FootballHQ

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At Old Trafford you've become harder for us to play weirdly.

In Fergie's last 10 years we won at Old Trafford I think four times (maybe even five) but since he's been gone we haven't won at your place once.
I had a look at this as I too remember Chelsea regularly going to OT and winning the 90s and early 00s but actually the decline in wins started long before Fergie retired.

From 2005 up to now Chelsea have won twice in 15 seasons at OT.

It's similar for the others. Arsenal have won once at OT in same timeframe, Liverpool twice and Spurs once aswell.

Man. City are the only one out of that to have significantly improved their record at Old Trafford since the retirement.

All those teams however have found it easier to beat Man. United on their home ground in the past 7 years however. Up to recently Man. United have a very good record at the Emirates but think you've now lost there in four out of the last five seasons.
 

redman5

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Still as excited playing you lot as before and it's just as difficult as it's always been. The feeling after beating you or losing is the same for me.
I'd echo that sentiment. Even in the 70's & 80's when we were top dogs, games against United were always special. That's still the case regardless of how the teams are performing or their respective league position.
 

MsNuno

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Maybe your choice of words has let you down but I very much doubt from a Wolves perspective playing United is just another game. Like playing Southampton or West Ham.
I probably didn’t word it well of course it is still a big game like every top six game but not one we would fear playing in any more than any other game.
 

Kajus

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The fear factor has well and truly gone.

I knew Moyes would adopt his Everton tactics and Liverpool would beat a Moyes United, Under LVG and Mourinho it was different, but you've gone back to Moyes levels now.

I am actually looking forward to the match at Anfield next week.
How much of that is down to McTominay being out though? Without him, we literally have no midfield. Otherwise, I’d be looking forward to the game as well, as these days we are, as some other posters pointed out, game raising cnuts. Without him though, we’ll play someone like Matic in midfield and it will not be pretty at all.
 

Jibberjabber

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The same nervous excitement as before, maybe with a little more confidence.

In SAF days:
Nervous because you were so good and it's never nice to face your mates after getting beat by Utd.
Excitement because you never know in these derby games

Recently:
Nervous because the grief I'd get if you won would be unbearable :D
Excitement because we're doing quite well at the moment and we as fans can go into the game a bit more confident
 

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

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At Old Trafford you've become harder for us to play weirdly.

In Fergie's last 10 years we won at Old Trafford I think four times (maybe even five) but since he's been gone we haven't won at your place once.
We went over 10 years without a win at Stamford Bridge with Fergie and world class squads, yet Ole has won there twice in a year with a shit squad. Football is weird haha.
 

FrankDrebin

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Seemed like during the early 00's Liverpool won the majority of the games due to a Danny Murphy penalty.
 

spiriticon

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I would guess it's a completely unpredictable experience at the moment for opposition fans of the 'big' teams. You never know which version of United will turn up.

For the 'smaller' teams, just park the bus, batten down the hatches and hit those long balls up the pitch to the big striker/pacy winger and there's a 60% chance you'd get away with at least a draw if not the win. Easy.
 

SilentWitness

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I used to be scared when we were playing under Moyes and you were under SAF that we would have a decent game but ultimately lose. Since then I feel like we have been quite even going into those games and more often than not I feel quite confident. The only fear I have going into those games now is that we're Everton so always have a chance of messing things up. I fear individual players of yours now rather than the whole team and our fullbacks have been dreadful at dealing with pace this season so I'm not looking forward to that.
 

the_box

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In the 20 years I've followed football it's not like you've ever been an easy game.

Moyes and LvG downgraded it to "extremely tough". It was like mid table tactics with world class (or thereabout) players. Weird and likely to still win but seemed to be at odds with the style you'd expect.

Mourinho was back into "feck this" territory, but not in the same way SAF was. With Fergie though it was like a 90 minute non-stop attack that seemed to last for 7 hours. With Jose the game would start with the kickoff, I blink once and somehow it's the 83rd minute and we're 0-2 down and nobody even remembers how it all happened.

Ole, despite our fluke win earlier in the year, could be in that range too but back in the Fergie mold - not a surprise given his history, obviously.
 

saintquin

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Never even felt hopeful when playing United. Only hoped we didn't lose heavily.
At the moment I think we can get a result any time we play you.