League Record
| Division | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals for | Goals against | Points | Finish | English top-flight champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prem | 38 | 27 | 6 | 5 | 80 | 22 | 87 | 1st | Manchester United |
Cups And Honours
| FA Cup | League Cup | Community Shield | Europe / world | Archive honours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R6 | R3 | Winners | Champions League - Winners | English league title; Community Shield (winners); Champions League - Winners |
People and Context
Top scorer: Cristiano Ronaldo (42 goals in all competitions). [3]
Season in focus
The double of Premier League and Champions League made this one of the defining campaigns of Sir Alex Ferguson’s later side. Cristiano Ronaldo scored 42 times, including the opening goal in the European final against Chelsea, and United secured the league title on the final day with a 2–0 win at Wigan. The Moscow final finished 1–1 after extra time and was settled by penalties, with Edwin van der Sar saving Nicolas Anelka’s kick. The result gave United a third European Cup and turned an already strong league season into a landmark in the club’s modern history. [1] [3] [4]
UEFA’s 2007–08 Champions League archive preserves the Moscow final record. [1] [3] [4]
The defensive side of the double
United conceded 22 times in 38 league matches, an average of 0.58 per game. Combined with 80 goals scored, that produced a +58 goal difference. Ronaldo’s 42-goal total includes cup and European matches, so it cannot be used directly to calculate his share of the league attack.
The 1998–99 side also scored 80 league goals over 38 games, but conceded 37. With scoring totals equal, the 15-goal difference in goals conceded explains the entire gap between the two teams’ league goal differences. Their European finals were separate contests, decided by different events.