The 2003–04 season was Manchester United's 12th season in the Premier League, and their 29th consecutive season in the top division of English football.
United started the season by winning the 2003 FA Community Shield and then secured a record eleventh FA Cup with a 3–0 win over Millwall at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. However, the club surrendered the Premier League title to unbeaten champions Arsenal, with a second-half dip in league form coinciding with Rio Ferdinand starting an eight-month ban from football due to a missed drugs test and restricting United to a third-place finish.
New to the United side were Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo, Brazilian 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning midfielder Kléberson, American goalkeeper Tim Howard, Cameroonian midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba and French striker David Bellion.
United's UEFA Champions League and League Cup dreams ended in the last 16, with the European exit being particularly painful as a last minute goal by eventual champions Porto put them out of the competition and denied them an eighth successive Champions League quarter-final.
Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance22 July 2003CelticN4–0Van Nistelrooy 7', Giggs 27', Solskjær 39', Bellion 72'66,72227 July 2003Club AméricaN3–1Van Nistelrooy 48', Forlán (2) 49', 80'57,36531 July 2003JuventusN4–1Giggs 25', Scholes 57', Van Nistelrooy 60', Solskjær 79'79,0003 August 2003BarcelonaN3–1Forlán (2) 25', 37', Van Nistelrooy 85'68,3967 August 2003Sporting CPA1–3Hugo 88' (o.g.)55,00013 August 2003Stoke CityA1–3Forlán 68'21,436
FA Community Shield
DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance10 August 2003ArsenalN1–1(4–3p)Silvestre 15'59,293
FA Premier League
DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition16 August 2003Bolton WanderersH4–0Giggs (2) 35', 74', Scholes 77', Van Nistelrooy 87'67,6472nd23 August 2003Newcastle UnitedA2–1Van Nistelrooy 51', Scholes 59'52,1653rd27 August 2003Wolverhampton WanderersH1–0O'Shea 10'67,6482nd31 August 2003SouthamptonA0–132,0662nd13 September 2003Charlton AthleticA2–0Van Nistelrooy (2) 62', 82'26,0782nd21 September 2003ArsenalH0–067,6393rd27 September 2003Leicester CityA4–1Keane 15', Van Nistelrooy (3) 16', 45', 52'32,0443rd4 October 2003Birmingham CityH3–0Van Nistelrooy 36' (pen.), Scholes 57', Giggs 82'67,6332nd18 October 2003Leeds UnitedA1–0Keane 81'40,1532nd25 October 2003FulhamH1–3Forlán 45'67,7273rd1 November 2003PortsmouthH3–0Forlán 37', Ronaldo 80', Keane 82'67,6393rd9 November 2003LiverpoolA2–1Giggs (2) 58', 70'44,1593rd22 November 2003Blackburn RoversH2–1Van Nistelrooy 24', Kléberson 38'67,7483rd30 November 2003ChelseaA0–141,9323rd6 December 2003Aston VillaH4–0Van Nistelrooy (2) 16', 45', Forlán (2) 90', 90'67,6213rd13 December 2003Manchester CityH3–1Scholes (2) 7', 73', Van Nistelrooy 34'67,6452nd21 December 2003Tottenham HotspurA2–1O'Shea 15', Van Nistelrooy 26'35,9101st26 December 2003EvertonH3–2Butt 9', Kléberson 44', Bellion 68'67,6421st28 December 2003MiddlesbroughA1–0Fortune 14'34,7381st7 January 2004Bolton WanderersA2–1Scholes 24', Van Nistelrooy 39'27,6681st11 January 2004Newcastle UnitedH0–067,6221st17 January 2004Wolverhampton WanderersA0–129,3962nd31 January 2004SouthamptonH3–2Saha 18', Scholes 37', Van Nistelrooy 61'67,7582nd7 February 2004EvertonA4–3Saha (2) 9', 29', Van Nistelrooy (2) 24', 89'40,1902nd11 February 2004MiddlesbroughH2–3Van Nistelrooy 45', Giggs 63'67,3462nd21 February 2004Leeds UnitedH1–1Scholes 64'67,7442nd28 February 2004FulhamA1–1Saha 14'18,3063rd14 March 2004Manchester CityA1–4Scholes 35'47,2843rd20 March 2004Tottenham HotspurH3–0Giggs 30', Ronaldo 89', Bellion 90'67,6343rd28 March 2004ArsenalA1–1Saha 86'38,1843rd10 April 2004Birmingham CityA2–1Ronaldo 60', Saha 78'29,5483rd13 April 2004Leicester CityH1–0G. Neville 56'67,7493rd17 April 2004PortsmouthA0–120,1403rd20 April 2004Charlton AthleticH2–0Saha 28', G. Neville 65'67,4773rd24 April 2004LiverpoolH0–167,6473rd1 May 2004Blackburn RoversA0–129,6163rd8 May 2004ChelseaH1–1Van Nistelrooy 76'67,6093rd15 May 2004Aston VillaA2–0Ronaldo 4', Van Nistelrooy 10'42,5733rd
FA Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance4 January 2004Round 3Aston VillaA2–1Scholes (2) 64', 68'40,37125 January 2004Round 4Northampton TownA3–0Silvestre 34', Hargreaves 47' (o.g.), Forlán 68'7,35614 February 2004Round 5Manchester CityH4–2Scholes 34', Van Nistelrooy (2) 71', 80', Ronaldo 74'67,2286 March 2004Round 6FulhamH2–1Van Nistelrooy (2) 25', 62'67,6143 April 2004Semi-finalArsenalN1–0Scholes 32'39,93922 May 2004FinalMillwallN3–0Ronaldo 44', Van Nistelrooy (2) 65' (pen.), 81'71,350
League Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance28 October 2003Round 3Leeds UnitedA3–2 Bellion 78', Forlán 108', Djemba-Djemba 117'37,5463 December 2003Round 4West Bromwich AlbionA0–225,282
UEFA Champions League
Group stage
DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendanceGroupposition16 September 2003PanathinaikosH5–0Silvestre 13', Fortune 15', Solskjær 33', Butt 40', Djemba-Djemba 83'66,5201st1 October 2003VfB StuttgartA1–2Van Nistelrooy 67' (pen.)50,3482nd22 October 2003RangersA1–0P. Neville 5'48,7301st4 November 2003RangersH3–0Forlán 6', Van Nistelrooy (2) 43', 60'66,7071st26 November 2003PanathinaikosA1–0Forlán 85'6,8901st9 December 2003VfB StuttgartH2–0Van Nistelrooy 45', Giggs 58'67,1411st
Knockout phase
DateRoundOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance25 February 2004First knockout roundFirst legPortoA1–2Fortune 14'49,9779 March 2004First knockout roundSecond legPortoH1–1Scholes 32'67,029
Squad statistics No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Fabien Barthez0000000000002DF Gary Neville302401070004223DF Phil Neville29(2)02(1)010711040(3)15DF Rio Ferdinand200000060102706DF Wes Brown15(2)05(1)000200022(3)07MF Cristiano Ronaldo15(14)452103(2)00024(16)68MF Nicky Butt12(9)13(2)0204(1)11022(12)29FW Louis Saha9(3)700001(1)00010(4)710FW Ruud van Nistelrooy31(1)203(1)600741042(2)3011MF Ryan Giggs29(4)75000811043(4)812FW David Bellion4(10)21(1)0210(4)0007(15)313GK Roy Carroll602(1)020100011(1)014GK Tim Howard3204000701044015MF Kléberson10(2)210101(1)00013(3)216MF Roy Keane (c)25(3)34(1)000401034(4)317GK Ricardo00000000000018MF Paul Scholes24(4)96400511036(4)1419MF Eric Djemba-Djemba10(5)00(1)0111(3)10(1)012(10)220FW Ole Gunnar Solskjær7(6)01(2)0001(1)11010(9)121FW Diego Forlán10(14)421112(2)20(1)015(17)822DF John O'Shea32(1)260206(1)00(1)046(3)223MF Kieran Richardson000(1)02000002(1)024MF Darren Fletcher17(5)04(1)0203(3)00026(9)025MF Quinton Fortune18(5)130106(1)21029(6)326MF Danny Pugh000(1)01000001(1)027DF Mikaël Silvestre33(1)05100611145(1)332FW Eddie Johnson00000(1)000000(1)033MF Chris Eagles00000(2)000000(2)034DF Phil Bardsley000(1)01000001(1)036FW Daniel Nardiello00000(1)000000(1)039DF Paul Tierney000010000010
Transfers United's first departure of the 2003–04 season was David Beckham, who left Old Trafford after ten years with the Red Devils. On 7 July, forward Danny Webber joined Watford. A month after Webber's departure, Argentinian midfielder, Juan Sebastián Verón joined United's rivals Chelsea. Two days later, English forward Jimmy Davis died in a car crash.
Coming in during the summer transfer window were French forward David Bellion, Cameroonian midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba, American goalkeeper Tim Howard, Brazilian midfielder Kléberson, and Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.
Leaving in the winter transfer window was Alan Tate, who joined Swansea City. First-choice goalkeeper Fabien Barthez rejoined Marseille in April, while Danny Pugh joined Leeds United in late May, in exchange for Alan Smith.
Arriving in the winter transfer window was Louis Saha, who signed from Fulham on 23 January for a fee of £12.82 million. Alan Smith joined United on 26 May from Leeds United in exchange for Danny Pugh (see above). Gabriel Heinze joined United on 11 June from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee of £6.9 million.
In DatePos.NameFromFee1 July 2003FW David Bellion Sunderland£2m3 July 2003MF Eric Djemba-Djemba Nantes£3.5m15 July 2003GK Tim Howard MetroStars£2.3m12 August 2003MF Kléberson Atlético Paranaense£5.93m 12 August 2003MF Cristiano Ronaldo Sporting CP£12.24m 12 January 2004FW Dong Fangzhuo Dalian Shide£3.5m23 January 2004FW Louis Saha Fulham£12.82m26 May 2004FW Alan Smith Leeds United£7m11 June 2004DF Gabriel Heinze Paris Saint-Germain£6.9m
Out DatePos.NameToFee2 July 2003MF David Beckham Real Madrid£17.25m7 July 2003FW Danny Webber WatfordUndisclosed7 August 2003MF Juan Sebastián Verón Chelsea£15m9 August 2003FW Jimmy DavisDeceased6 February 2004DF Alan Tate Swansea CityUndisclosed27 April 2004GK Fabien Barthez Marseille£5m26 May 2004MF Danny Pugh Leeds UnitedFree
Loan out Date fromDate toPositionNameTo8 July 20039 August 2003FW Jimmy Davis Watford10 July 200330 June 2004MF Luke Chadwick Burnley19 July 200330 June 2004MF Bojan Djordjic Red Star Belgrade27 July 20031 January 2004FW Colin Heath Royal Antwerp27 July 20031 January 2004MF David Fox Royal Antwerp29 July 200330 June 2004MF Michael Stewart Nottingham Forest24 August 200330 June 2004GK Ricardo Racing Santander12 September 200312 October 2003FW Neil Wood Peterborough United19 September 200318 October 2003GK Ben Williams Altrincham24 October 200324 November 2003FW Daniel Nardiello Swansea City24 October 200329 December 2003DF Alan Tate Swansea City24 November 200325 December 2003FW Danny Byrne Hartlepool United2 January 200426 April 2004GK Fabien Barthez Marseille12 January 200416 December 2006FW Dong Fangzhuo Royal Antwerp27 January 200430 June 2004FW Daniel Nardiello Barnsley29 January 200430 April 2004FW Neil Wood Burnley29 January 200429 February 2004DF Paul Tierney Colchester United30 January 200423 May 2004DF Phil Bardsley Royal Antwerp30 January 200423 May 2004FW Eddie Johnson Royal Antwerp19 March 20049 May 2004GK Ben Williams Crewe Alexandra23 March 200430 June 2004DF Lee Lawrence Shrewsbury Town24 March 200430 June 2004FW Mads Timm Viking
Notes
References