The new season began with a sense of uncertainty, further intensified by Ferguson’s decision to sell three beloved players: Paul Ince, Andrei Kanchelskis, and Mark Hughes. Instead, he opted to rely on inexperienced youngsters to restore the club’s winning tradition.
In hindsight, questioning the great man’s judgment proved to be unwise. However, the opening match defeat against Aston Villa, coupled with BBC pundit Alan Hansen’s assertion that you can’t win anything with kids, created an atmosphere of anxiety.
When we reflect on what would become our second Double, the narrative often highlights Cantona’s return as the spark that reignited the team. He picked up right where he left off, scoring numerous crucial goals, especially in tight 1-0 victories, culminating in that stunning volley at Wembley that secured our triumph over Liverpool in the cup final.
Yet, this overlooks the contributions of the players who, in Cantona’s absence, managed to string together five consecutive league victories following the defeat to Villa. They fought hard, and despite a goalless draw against Sheffield Wednesday, which left us in third place as October rolled around, their resilience was commendable.
