50 PL opponents: Cardiff to Coventry
CARDIFF CITY
Cardiff have only had two stints in the Premier League era, both lasting for one season and ending in relegation. The first of these was in 2013/2014, and the second came five years later in 2018/19. Having played them just four times, our win ratio currently stands at just 50 per cent, having drawn the first meeting away and lost the last one on our home turf when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s double gave the Bluebirds a shock 2-0 victory. Our two triumphs in between include an emphatic 5-1 success in south Wales, in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first game as caretaker manager.
United 2 Cardiff City 0
28 January 2014: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer received a hero's welcome as he brought his Bluebirds side to OT...
Five years before he became our boss, club legend Solskjaer was welcomed back to Old Trafford in the opposition dugout. Earlier in January 2014, the Treble winner had been appointed Cardiff manager and he received a warm reception from the home faithful at the stadium where he enjoyed many fruitful years as a striker. The Reds went on to win 2-0 with goals from Robin van Persie and Ashley Young, but Ole’s return is no doubt what many fans will remember most.
Premier League record
Matches played: 4
United wins: 2
Draws: 1
Cardiff wins: 1
United goals: 9
Cardiff goals: 5
Top scorer: Jessie Lingard (2)
After getting promoted in 1998, Charlton Athletic enjoyed an almost decade-long stay in the Premier League before being relegated at the end of the 2007 campaign. In that time, the Reds did not lose a single encounter with them - winning 14 and drawing 2.
Classic match: Charlton 3 United 3 (2000/01)
The highest-scoring game between the clubs took place at The Valley, when the Reds were chasing a third consecutive league title. For once, we were on the receiving end of an impressive comeback, after Shaun Bartlett’s early opener was overturned by half-time thanks to a quick-fire double from Ryan Giggs and Solskjaer. Roy Keane’s goal after the hour mark seemed to seal the win, but Bartlett added his second of the game before an 85th-minute equaliser courtesy of John Robinson earned the Addicks a surprise point.
Premier League record
Matches played: 16
United wins: 14
Draws: 2
Charlton wins: 0
United goals: 41
Charlton goals: 8
Top scorer: Ruud van Nistelrooy (8)
Charlton Athletic 3 United 3
9 December 2000: The Premier League points were shared after a six-goal thriller at the Valley.
CHELSEA
Like United, Chelsea have been a mainstay in the Premier League since its inception back in 1992. Somewhat of a rarity, this is a fixture in which there have been more draws than wins or losses for the Reds with the tally coming in at a staggering 26, while victories and defeats currently stand at 18 apiece. After a run of five consecutive 0-0 or 1-1 scorelines between October 2020 and October 2022, our 4-1 home triumph over the Blues last month was a welcome change.
Classic match: Chelsea 3-3 United (2011/12)
This dramatic draw featured one of the Reds' greatest Premier League comebacks. Stamford Bridge is never an easy place to play, and our task was made all the more difficult when we went 3-0 down by the 50th minute. Jonny Evans's own goal and strikes from David Luiz and Juan Mata, then still a Chelsea star, had seemingly put the hosts in control. But the Reds were awarded two penalties 10 minutes apart and both were buried by Wayne Rooney. With 15 minutes to go, Javier Hernandez was on target to head home an equaliser to the elation of our away end.
Premier League record
Matches played: 62
United wins: 18
Draws: 26
Chelsea wins: 18
United goals: 79
Chelsea: 75
Top scorer: Paul Scholes (6)
Chelsea 3 United 3
5 February 2012: United staged a stunning comeback from 3-0 down to earn a well-deserved point at Stamford Bridge...
COVENTRY
United have a near-flawless Premier League record against Coventry, winning 16 of our 18 games against them and drawing one. Our only loss came in the 1997/1998 season when they stunned us at Highfield Road, thanks to Darren Huckerby’s 88th-minute winner. They were eventually relegated from the Premier League in 2001 and were pipped to a dream return by Luton in the Championship play-off final last month.
Classic match: Coventry 2-3 United (1994/1995)
Our archive pick for these opponents is another enthralling encounter at Highfield Road, although this time United were on the winning end of things. An enthralling 90 minutes of end-to-end football began with Paul Scholes opening the scoring, before the Reds were immediately pegged back by Peter Ndlovu. Andy Cole restored our lead in the second half, only for Steven Pressley to level things seven minutes later. Cole was on the scoresheet once again, this time with an unanswered third to ensure all three points for the away team.
Coventry City 2 United 3
1 May 1995: The Reds held off a spirited Coventry challenge to clinch a vital Premier League win.
Premier League record
Matches played: 18
United wins: 16
Draws: 1
Coventry wins: 1
United goals: 41
Coventry goals: 12
Top scorer: Paul Scholes (5)