United's 1-0 wins sealed by a captain's goal

The skipper battled relentlessly and ultimately made the difference in the dying moments at Craven Cottage, sealing an important away triumph.

It prompted jubilant celebrations in the away end and, rather unsurprisingly, it is not the first time he had grabbed the winner when wearing the captain's armband for the Reds.

Following another important goal from our no.8, take a look back at the previous 1-0 victories that were sealed by our skipper...

STEVE BRUCE v TOTTENHAM (A) - 27 August 1994
The Reds’ tilt at a third straight Premier League title  began in solid form, with four points from QPR’s visit to Old Trafford and a taxing trip to promoted  upstarts Nottingham Forest. The journey to face Spurs,  bolstered by free-scoring Jurgen Klinsmann, always looked likely to be a tight affair, and it was settled by a solitary intervention from Steve Bruce. The defender was three league games into his first season as club captain and, in true centre-back style, Bruce struck at a set piece, nodding into an untended goal as  goalkeeper Ian Walker floundered under Ryan Giggs’ deep corner. The skipper later conceded a penalty but  had his blushes spared when Peter Schmeichel saved Teddy Sheringham’s effort, prompting Bruce to joke: “I’ve made him the hero today.”

STEVE BRUCE v WIMBLEDON (A) - 7 March 1995
There was no debate at all over the leading protagonist later in 1994/95 when Bruce again netted the only goal of the Reds’ always-tricky trip to Wimbledon. When Dons defender Alan Kimble was red-carded in the late stages, Alex Ferguson sent his skipper forward as a makeshift extra attacker and, with five minutes remaining, the move paid off in spectacular – if aesthetically trying –  circumstances. Brian McClair’s long punt into the hosts’ penalty area went straight to goalkeeper Hans Segers but hardly bounced on a quagmire pitch, allowing the onrushing Bruce to prod the loose ball through the Dutchman’s legs before tapping into an empty net. “It must rank as the luckiest the Manchester United captain has ever scored,” posited the Independent’s Glenn Moore, though Bruce’s celebrations reflected only glee at taking his side to the top of the table.

ERIC CANTONA v COVENTRY CITY (H) - 8 April 1996
United’s 1995/96 Premier League run-in bore a recurring theme of Eric Cantona bagging winners, often as the game’s only goal, but only once did he net the solitary goal as captain. In a game infamously remembered as the day on which David Busst suffered an horrific leg fracture, it was the Frenchman – skipper with club captain Steve Bruce on the bench – who made the telling difference shortly after half-time. The Reds had been expected to stroll to victory, but instead struggled in the uneasy air after Busst’s early departure, until Ryan Giggs caused panic in the visiting defence, the ball bobbled free and Cantona (below), without a care in the world, calmly slotted home his finish. “I’m glad the chance fell to him,” grinned Alex Ferguson. “He panicked, didn’t he!”

ERIC CANTONA v LEEDS UNITED (H) - 28 December 1996
Midway through the following season, Cantona – by now installed as club captain after Bruce’s departure – had to feel around for his top form at times, but still thrived against Leeds home and away. After netting the Reds’ fourth in a 4-0 Elland Road stroll, the Frenchman haunted his old side once again at Old Trafford, escaping man-marker Lucas Radebe and releasing Ryan Giggs to win a penalty inside 10 minutes, then coolly converting his effort at the Stretford End for the game’s only goal. “United fans roared his name as though it was a battle cry to strike fear into their bitter rivals,” wrote the Daily Mirror’s David Barnes. “And, sure enough, Cantona was at the heart of a scrappy game’s most decisive piece of action.

GARY NEVILLE v LEICESTER CITY (H) - 13 April 2004
As United stuttered towards the close of the 2003/04 campaign, struggling to keep sight of champions-elect Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson’s evolving side were developing the knack of grinding out narrow victories. A 1-0 win over Leicester City at Old Trafford was hardly remarkable, but for the match-winning contribution from unlikely hero Gary Neville. Sporting the armband in the absence of Keane, the right-back broke the deadlock 11 minutes into the second period in crisp fashion. Cristiano Ronaldo’s cross-shot from the left was skewed away from goal by Leicester’s panicked ranks and, as Diego Forlan and David Bellion writhed in the melee, Neville took charge, sprinted into the mix and rattled the loose ball into the back of the net. Ferguson duly smiled: “He always scores one goal a year!”

ROY KEANE v LEEDS UNITED (A) - 18 October 2003
“Roy Keane just kept going and looked as fit as anybody,” lamented Leeds manager Peter Reid, having seen his side fall at the last against a United side dragged past the post by their skipper. Despite controlling matters at Elland Road for the majority of the game, the Reds entered the final 10 minutes with the game still goalless. That is, until Ruud van Nistelrooy pinched possession and fed Gary Neville, who arced a magnificent cross towards the back post. There, arriving in devastating fashion, was 32-year-old Keane, who dispatched an unstoppable downward header and sent the travelling pocket of United supporters wild with delight. As Mail on Sunday journalist Steve Curry put it: “The captain is re-energised, just when creaking hips and battered knees had seemed to be taking a heavy toll. This was the old swashbuckling Keane, leading by example.”

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY v WEST HAM UNITED (H) - 29 March 2006 
“He doubtless heard all the speculation linking him to moves away,” noted the Daily Telegraph’s Henry Winter. “Now here was Van Nistelrooy, wearing the captain’s armband and a smile as wide as the Pennines.” The Dutch goal machine had been sidelined for the first time in his Reds career as Sir Alex Ferguson paired Louis Saha in attack with Wayne Rooney, prompting rumours – later confirmed – of interest from Real Madrid. Before he departed to La Liga in the summer of 2006, however, van Nistelrooy served up an Old Trafford parting gift. With the Reds needing victory over the Hammers to maintain a top-four push, Gerard Pique and Ji-sung Park combined on the right, centring for United’s captain to shovel home a typically predatory close-range finish and tie up the three points. 

RYAN GIGGS v WEST HAM UNITED (A)- 8 February 2009
For all the versions of Ryan Giggs, the tactically-deployed veteran, as comfortable in central midfield as he was on the left wing, was perhaps the most devastatingly functional. In 2008/09, when he was named PFA Player of the Year, the 35-year-old secured a crucial win at Upton Park with a captain’s goal of the highest quality. With Edwin van der Sar leading a drum-tight defence to a 13th straight Premier League clean sheet, United only needed to worry about finding a way past Rob Green at the other end, and it was Giggs (below) who provided it. Picking the ball up on the left flank, the skipper wove infield, shimmied past two challenges and drilled a low, right-footed effort through a thicket of players to move title no.18 ever closer. “I score one right footer a year,” quipped the Welshman.

JUAN MATA v WATFORD (H) - 2 March 2016
Decimated by injuries, van Gaal turned to his younger players when Watford arrived at Old Trafford towards the end of the Dutchman’s managerial reign. At 28, Juan Mata was the oldest player in the Reds’ XI and was duly named skipper for the day; an opportunity he maximised in spectacular fashion. With just seven minutes remaining, Anthony Martial won a free-kick on the edge of the visitors’ area and the Spaniard stepped  up to take responsibility. Mata’s sublime effort curled into the top corner of Heurelho Gomes’s net and prompted flailing limbs en masse in the Stretford End, with United’s no.8 barely able to contain his glee post-match. “I’m very proud and very honoured  to wear it [the armband],” he beamed. “It was the perfect day for me: winning, scoring, three massive points and being captain. I’m too happy after that!”

BRUNO FERNANDES v SOUTHAMPTON (A) - 27 August 2022
With club captain Harry Maguire watching on from the bench, midfield talisman Bruno Fernandes led United out at St Mary’s determined to end a run of seven consecutive away defeats in the Premier League. After a low-key first period, Erik ten Hag’s side began the second half in finer fettle, with the non-stop Fernandes central to everything, and it was no surprise when the Portuguese broke the deadlock in the 55th minute. Though his finish – a brilliantly-taken sidefoot volley from Diogo Dalot’s airborne pull-back – was a thing of beauty, Fernandes (below) demonstrated his leadership by deferring all praise to the collective. “It was great play from everyone,” he insisted. “An amazing cross from Diogo, the run from Jadon made the space, so well done from everyone! If we all do our jobs then at the end we get the goals.”

BRUNO FERNANDES v ASTON VILLA (H) - 30 April 2023
“He’s so tough,” said Erik ten Hag, launching a glowing report of his skipper’s decisive performance against Unai Emery’s Villans. “He’s such a big leader – by example. He gives so much energy to the team besides his smartness. But also his determination, his passion and his resilience, so I think we as a team are so happy. We need such players if you want to win games.” The Dutchman’s stance had been validated over the previous 90 minutes, in which Villa’s 10-game unbeaten run was deservedly ended by Fernandes’s alert thinking. Marcus Rashford sprung the visitors’ offside trap and, though his low, angled shot was pushed out by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, United’s skipper was first to react, sprinting in to pip Alex Moreno to the ball and looping a deflected shot into the Scoreboard End netting. Desire personified.

BRUNO FERNANDES v BURNLEY (A) - 23 September 2023
After a patchy start to the current campaign had been extended by defeats to Brighton and Bayern Munich, the Reds’ trip to Turf Moor took on heightened importance. Despite the disappointment of seeing a goal chalked off by the VAR for the fourth successive Premier League game, United continued plugging away gamely. Having laid the platform for success by battling all over the field, Fernandes provided the game’s moment of outstanding quality with a devastating volley on the stroke of half-time. True to character, the recently installed club captain preferred to defer the spotlight, stressing: “It was a great pass from Jonny [Evans]. He has great qualities playing the ball in behind with both feet. We took the chance when it was there.” Like a true leader, Bruno was on-hand to ensure that opportunity was made to count.

BRUNO FERNANDES v Fulham (A) - 5 November 2023
United came into the match against the Cottagers in need of a victory, having been defeated in the league by Manchester City and eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Newcastle in consecutive home losses. Scott McTominay saw an early goal ruled out following a VAR review but Bruno, as usual, was his diligent self, getting about the pitch and relentlessly looking to create. As the match entered the latter stages, a 0-0 result looked to be on the cards before our skipper once again made the difference. Following good work from Facundo Pellistri on the right, a poor clearance fell to our no.8 and, after checking back past two defenders, he placed the ball beyond the scrambling Bernd Leno to seal a late victory for the Reds on the road.