The 2001–02 season was Manchester United's tenth season in the Premier League, their 100th season in league football, and their 27th consecutive season in the top division of English football.
In May 2001, at the conclusion of the previous season, Sir Alex Ferguson had announced his intention to retire from football at the end of this season, and the club began the process of trying to find a successor for the most successful manager in their history. Months later, however, he reversed his decision, citing his wife and three sons as the reason for the u-turn.
The second full season of the new millennium was a disappointing one for the Red Devils as they failed to win any silverware for the first time in four years. The club finished third place in the league, their lowest finish in the Premier League era at that time, and they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the fourth round. They were also knocked out of the League Cup after fielding what was effectively a reserve team against a strong Arsenal side in the third round. United's best success this season came in the UEFA Champions League, in which they reached the semi-finals before being knocked out by eventual runners-up Bayer Leverkusen on away goals. Ultimately, United's failure to win anything came down to a dismal run of form in November and early December when they suffered five defeats in seven league games, including three defeats in a row against Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham United. They also lost six home games in the Premier League, their worst home record since the 1977–78 season; Ferguson cited this as the main reason why they failed to win the league. They only lost three more league games all season, but that terrible form earlier in the campaign counted against United for the rest of the campaign and they finished 10 points behind champions Arsenal (who secured the title by defeating United 1–0 at Old Trafford in the penultimate game of the season) and three points behind runners-up Liverpool.
Assistant manager Steve McClaren left the club before the start of the season to become the manager of Middlesbrough. Youth team coach and former player Mike Phelan was promoted to first-team coach and took over some of the assistant manager's responsibilities, but McClaren was not replaced until the summer of 2002, when Carlos Queiroz was appointed the new assistant manager.
Winger Ryan Giggs was honoured with a testimonial match against Celtic, having now been at United for more than a decade.
£19 million striker Ruud van Nistelrooy did what was expected of him by scoring 36 goals in all competitions and collecting the PFA Player of the Year award, but £28.1 million national record signing Juan Sebastián Verón was a major disappointment in midfield, though it was in defence where United were at their weakest following the shock departure of Jaap Stam to Lazio just after the start of the season, and the surprise acquisition of 35-year-old Frenchman Laurent Blanc as his successor.
2001–02 was the final season at Old Trafford for veteran players Denis Irwin and Ronny Johnsen after 12 and six years at the club respectively. Also on the way out of the club were goalkeeper Raimond van der Gouw and striker Dwight Yorke. Striker Andy Cole left United after seven years when he sealed a transfer to Blackburn Rovers at the end of December.
Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance22 July 2001Malaysia All-StarsN6–0Van Nistelrooy (2) 7', 36', Beckham 29', Cole (2) 46', 78', Chadwick 71'68,00024 July 2001Team SingaporeA8–1Solskjær (2) 30', 45', P. Neville 40', Beckham 52', Yorke (2) 65', 71', Van Nistelrooy 73', Giggs 90'44,00029 July 2001ThailandA2–1Giggs 29', Yorke 78'65,0001 August 2001CelticH3–4Van Nistelrooy (2) 24', 84', Verón 64'66,9574 August 2001WrexhamA2–2Solskjær 31', Verón 58'7,6144 August 2001Hereford UnitedA6–0Butt 23', Fortune 45', 65', Yorke 69', Cole 78', 87'4,6258 August 2001BuryA3–0P. Neville 49', Yorke 62', Solskjær 69'9,92912 November 2001BarnsleyA0–1
On 4 August 2001, United played two friendly matches simultaneously, against Wrexham (Brian Flynn's and Kevin Reeves' testimonial) and Hereford United. The first-team squad was split in two, with Jimmy Ryan taking charge at Hereford.Man Utd star line-up turns on the style Hereford Times, 9 August 2001. Retrieved 21 July 2008.Bulls let in six but fans happy HU-FC.co.uk, 4 August 2001. Retrieved 21 July 2008.Double trouble for Reds' rivals Manchester Evening News, 6 August 2001. Retrieved 21 July 2008.
FA Charity Shield
DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance12 August 2001LiverpoolN1–2Van Nistelrooy 51'70,227
Premier League
DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition19 August 2001FulhamH3–2Beckham 36', Van Nistelrooy (2) 51', 53'67,5344th22 August 2001Blackburn RoversA2–2Giggs 20', Beckham 78'29,8363rd26 August 2001Aston VillaA1–1Alpay 90' (o.g.)42,6325th8 September 2001EvertonH4–1Verón 4', Cole 40', Fortune 46', Beckham 90'67,5342nd15 September 2001Newcastle UnitedA3–4Van Nistelrooy 29', Giggs 62', Verón 64'52,0564th22 September 2001Ipswich TownH4–0Johnsen 13', Solskjær (2) 20', 90', Cole 89'67,5513rd29 September 2001Tottenham HotspurA5–3Cole 46', Blanc 58', Van Nistelrooy 72', Verón 76', Beckham 87'36,0382nd13 October 2001SunderlandA3–1Varga 35' (o.g.), Giggs 59', Cole 66'48,3053rd20 October 2001Bolton WanderersH1–2Verón 25'67,5593rd27 October 2001Leeds UnitedH1–1Solskjær 89'67,5555th4 November 2001LiverpoolA1–3Beckham 50'44,3616th17 November 2001Leicester CityH2–0Van Nistelrooy 21', Yorke 50'67,6514th25 November 2001ArsenalA1–3Scholes 14'38,1746th1 December 2001ChelseaH0–367,5447th8 December 2001West Ham UnitedH0–167,5829th12 December 2001Derby CountyH5–0Solskjær (2) 6', 58', Keane 10', Van Nistelrooy 63', Scholes 89'67,5775th15 December 2001MiddlesbroughA1–0Van Nistelrooy 76'34,3585th22 December 2001SouthamptonH6–1Van Nistelrooy (3) 1', 34', 54', Solskjær 41', Keane 72', P. Neville 78'67,6384th26 December 2001EvertonA2–0Giggs 78', Van Nistelrooy 85'39,9485th30 December 2001FulhamA3–2Giggs (2) 5', 47', Van Nistelrooy 45'21,1595th2 January 2002Newcastle UnitedH3–1Van Nistelrooy 24', Scholes (2) 50', 62'67,6462nd13 January 2002SouthamptonA3–1Van Nistelrooy 9', Beckham 45', Solskjær 63'31,8581st19 January 2002Blackburn RoversH2–1Van Nistelrooy 45' (pen.), Keane 81'67,5521st22 January 2002LiverpoolH0–167,5991st29 January 2002Bolton WanderersA4–0Solskjær (3) 15', 39', 64', Van Nistelrooy 83'27,3501st2 February 2002SunderlandH4–1P. Neville 6', Beckham 25', Van Nistelrooy (2) 28', 44' (pen.)67,5871st10 February 2002Charlton AthleticA2–0Solskjær (2) 33', 74'26,4751st23 February 2002Aston VillaH1–0Van Nistelrooy 50'67,5921st3 March 2002Derby CountyA2–2Scholes 41', Verón 60'33,0411st6 March 2002Tottenham HotspurH4–0Beckham (2) 15', 64', Van Nistelrooy (2) 43' (pen.), 76'67,5991st16 March 2002West Ham UnitedA5–3Beckham (2) 17', 89' (pen.), Butt 22', Scholes 55', Solskjær 64'35,2811st23 March 2002MiddlesbroughH0–167,6831st30 March 2002Leeds UnitedA4–3Scholes 9', Solskjær (2) 37', 39', Giggs 54'40,0582nd6 April 2002Leicester CityA1–0Solskjær 61'21,4472nd20 April 2002ChelseaA3–0Scholes 15', Van Nistelrooy 41', Solskjær 86'41,7252nd27 April 2002Ipswich TownA1–0Van Nistelrooy 45' (pen.)28,4332nd8 May 2002ArsenalH0–167,5803rd11 May 2002Charlton AthleticH0–067,5713rd
FA Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance6 January 2002Round 3Aston VillaA3–2Solskjær 77', Van Nistelrooy (2) 80', 82'38,44426 January 2002Round 4MiddlesbroughA0–217,624
League Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance5 November 2001Round 3ArsenalA0–430,693
UEFA Champions League Group stage
DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendanceGroupposition18 September 2001LilleH1–0Beckham 90'64,8271st25 September 2001Deportivo La CoruñaA1–2Scholes 40'33,1082nd10 October 2001OlympiacosA2–0Beckham 66', Cole 82'73,5371st17 October 2001Deportivo La CoruñaH2–3Van Nistelrooy (2) 7', 40'65,5852nd23 October 2001OlympiacosH3–0Solskjær 80', Giggs 88', Van Nistelrooy 90'66,7692nd31 October 2001LilleA1–1Solskjær 6'37,4002nd
Second group stage
DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendanceGroupposition20 November 2001Bayern MunichA1–1Van Nistelrooy 74'59,0002nd5 December 2001BoavistaH3–0Van Nistelrooy (2) 31', 62', Blanc 55'66,2741st20 February 2002NantesA1–1Van Nistelrooy 90' (pen.)38,2851st26 February 2002NantesH5–1Beckham 18', Solskjær (2) 31', 78', Silvestre 38', Van Nistelrooy 64' (pen.)66,4921st13 March 2002Bayern MunichH0–066,8181st19 March 2002BoavistaA3–0Blanc 14', Solskjær 29', Beckham 51' (pen.)13,2231st
Knockout phase
DateRoundOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance2 April 2002Quarter-finalFirst legDeportivo La CoruñaA2–0Beckham 15', Van Nistelrooy 41'32,35110 April 2002Quarter-finalSecond legDeportivo La CoruñaH3–2Solskjær (2) 23', 56', Giggs 69'65,87524 April 2002Semi-finalFirst legBayer LeverkusenH2–2Živković 29' (o.g.), Van Nistelrooy 67' (pen.)66,53430 April 2002Semi-finalSecond legBayer LeverkusenA1–1Keane 28'22,500
Squad statistics No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Fabien Barthez3201000150104902DF Gary Neville31(3)020001401048(3)03DF Denis Irwin10(2)000008(2)01019(4)04MF Juan Sebastián Verón24(2)510001300038(2)55DF Ronny Johnsen9(1)100008(1)00017(2)16DF Laurent Blanc2912000152004636DF Jaap Stam1000000010207MF David Beckham23(5)1110001351038(5)168MF Nicky Butt20(5)120008(1)01031(6)19FW Andy Cole7(4)400001(3)1008(7)510FW Ruud van Nistelrooy29(3)230(2)20014101144(5)3611MF Ryan Giggs18(7)70(1)0001321032(8)912DF Phil Neville21(7)220103(4)00027(11)213GK Roy Carroll6(1)0101010009(1)014DF David May20000010003015MF Luke Chadwick5(3)01(1)01000007(4)016MF Roy Keane (c)283200011(1)11042(1)417GK Raimond van der Gouw0(1)0000(1)000000(2)018MF Paul Scholes30(5)820001311046(5)919FW Dwight Yorke4(6)10(1)0101(2)00(1)06(10)120FW Ole Gunnar Solskjær23(7)1721005(10)70030(17)2521FW Diego Forlán6(7)000001(4)0007(11)022DF Ronnie Wallwork0(1)0101000002(1)023DF Michael Clegg00000(1)000000(1)024DF Wes Brown15(2)000005(2)00020(4)025MF Quinton Fortune8(6)100003(2)00011(8)127DF Mikaël Silvestre31(4)0200010(3)11044(7)128MF Michael Stewart2(1)000100(1)0003(2)030DF John O'Shea4(5)000100(3)0005(8)032MF Bojan Djordjic00001000001034DF Lee Roche00001000001036FW Jimmy Davis00001000001037FW Danny Webber00001000001040FW Daniel Nardiello00000(1)000000(1)0––Own goals–2–0–0–1–0–3
Transfers United's first departures of the 2001–02 season were midfield duo Jonathan Greening and Mark Wilson, who both signed for Middlesbrough on 9 August. On 27 August, Jaap Stam was controversially sold to Lazio for a fee of £16.5 million, while on 8 November, Jesper Blomqvist signed for Everton.
Arriving in the summer transfer window were Northern Irish goalkeeper Roy Carroll, Dutch forward Ruud van Nistelrooy, Argentinian midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón and French defender Laurent Blanc. Out of these players, only van Nistelrooy made much of an impact, staying at United until 2006 and scoring 150 goals in 219 appearances for United.
Departing during the winter transfer window were forward Andy Cole, who left United after six years, and Michael Clegg, who signed for Oldham Athletic on a free transfer. Paul Rachubka left United on 20 May for Charlton Athletic. Goalkeeper Raimond van der Gouw signed for West Ham United on 28 June on a free transfer, while on 30 June, defenders Denis Irwin, Ronny Johnsen and Ronnie Wallwork were released.
Luke Steele joined United on 11 May for a fee of £500,000.
In Date Pos. Name From Fee 1 July 2001 GK Roy Carroll Wigan Athletic Undisclosed FW Ruud van Nistelrooy PSV Eindhoven £19m 12 July 2001 MF Juan Sebastián Verón Lazio £28.1m 30 August 2001 DF Laurent Blanc Inter Milan Free 22 January 2002 FW Diego Forlán Independiente £7.5m 11 May 2002 GK Luke Steele Peterborough United £500k
Out