The 2002–03 season was Manchester United's 11th season in the Premier League, and their 28th consecutive season in the top division of English football. This season saw the club regain the Premier League title, just one year after coming third, their lowest finish in the history of the Premier League. United also reached the final of the League Cup, losing 2–0 to Liverpool, and were knocked out of the FA Cup in the fifth round by eventual winners Arsenal, who had held an eight-point lead at the top of the league table in March. United also reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, losing 6–5 on aggregate to title holders Real Madrid.

The club broke the English transfer record for the third time in just over a year as they paid £29.1 million for Leeds United defender Rio Ferdinand. At the end of the season, United midfielder David Beckham moved to Real Madrid in a £25 million deal, having spent 12 years at United (eight of them as a first-team regular). Meanwhile, 37-year-old centre-back Laurent Blanc announced his retirement from playing, and fellow defender David May was given a free transfer after nine years at the club, the last five of which had seen his first team opportunities limited to a handful of appearances.

Season review After ending the previous season by surrendering the title to Arsenal at home and finishing third behind rejuvenated Liverpool, Alex Ferguson reiterated his desire to dominate English football by signing a three-year contract in the late winter of 2002. By the end of the season, Ferguson got his wish and bagged Manchester United their fifteenth domestic league title, thanks largely to the form of striker Ruud van Nistelrooy who scored an impressive 25 goals during the run-in. The manager also assembled a new defence which included new signing Rio Ferdinand, whose deal broke the transfer record in English football and indeed, the world record for a defender.

The Red Devils started their quest to regain the Premier League title at home to newly promoted West Bromwich Albion and claimed all three points thanks to super-sub Ole Gunnar Solskjær's late goal. Results didn't flow as Ferguson hoped and as early autumn approached, Manchester United had made their worst start since the inauguration of the Premier League, lying in 10th place. Things didn't get better as losses to Bolton Wanderers and Leeds United were eclipsed by a derby day defeat to Manchester City in November which allowed a four-point gap to open between themselves and leaders Liverpool. Following an emphatic 5–3 win against Newcastle United, the team embarked on a run of wins that included rivals Liverpool, struggling West Ham and champions Arsenal to help their Premier League challenge gather ominous momentum. Although they slumped to defeat on Boxing Day at Middlesbrough, the team were in third place, five points short of table-toppers Arsenal at the turn of the year.

The defeat to Middlesbrough turned out to be their last league defeat of the season, as a series of late home wins against Sunderland and Chelsea in January helped pile the pressure somewhat on runaway leaders Arsenal, who were struggling with a minor goalkeeping crisis. After United drew at Bolton in the late evening kick-off on 22 February, Arsenal had the chance to open a five-point gap at the Premier League summit if they won at Maine Road. A five-star performance ensured this through a rampant display of attacking football that virtually put one hand on the trophy. However the difference in the title race was later whittled down to two after Blackburn completed a sensational double over the reigning champions at home while United recorded a victory over Aston Villa thanks to a David Beckham goal.

April began with a 4–0 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford, which helped them reclaim top spot albeit temporarily. However, Kolo Touré's late own goal gifted Aston Villa a point when Arsenal perhaps should have taken all three. By the end of the week, just goal difference separated the top two, favouring the Gunners. A 6–2 rout at Newcastle preceded the game of the season: against Arsenal at Highbury. A 2–2 draw did not prove to be decisive, but it was advantage Manchester United, who maintained a three-point lead, although the Gunners had a game in hand and a slightly superior goal difference. Despite more European disappointment – this time at the hands of Real Madrid through an impressive performance by Ronaldo – a comeback by Bolton Wanderers dented Arsenal's hopes of retaining the double and installed Manchester United as sole favourites to win the league. They cruised to a 4–1 home win against Charlton Athletic and clinched their eighth title in eleven seasons after Arsenal lost at home to Leeds a day later.

Manchester United wrapped up their successful league campaign with a 2–1 victory at Everton, David Beckham scored United's leveller in what was his last appearance for the club.

Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance20 July 2002ShelbourneA5–0Van Nistelrooy (3) 17', 20', 63', Forlán 22', Yorke 60'10,00027 July 2002ChesterfieldA5–0Blanc 19', Van Nistelrooy 54', Forlán 80', Keane 83', Richardson 86'6,58327 July 2002BournemouthA3–2Verón 33', Muirhead 61', Stewart 66'8,10430 July 2002VålerengaA2–1Solskjær 26' (pen.), Keane 84'25,5722 August 2002AjaxA1–2Scholes 78'48,0004 August 2002ParmaN3–0Giggs 23', Verón 50', Solskjær 55'48,0006 August 2002Aarhus XIA5–0Van Nistelrooy (2) 44', 80', Solskjær 71', Giggs 81', Forlán 87'20,50010 August 2002Boca JuniorsH2–0Van Nistelrooy (2) 23', 40'56,724

Premier League

Manchester United started their attempts to regain the Premier League title with a home match against newly promoted West Bromwich Albion. Although the fans were confident of taking maximum points they had to wait until the 78th minute for Ole Gunnar Solskjær, the late-goal specialist, to give them the lead with his 100th goal for the club. They could not add to their one-goal advantage, despite West Brom having to play with ten men with Derek McInnes being sent off for two bookings, the second for a foul on Nicky Butt in the 64th minute, but held on to begin the season with victory.

DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition17 August 2002West Bromwich AlbionH1–0Solskjær 78'67,6457th23 August 2002ChelseaA2–2Beckham 26', Giggs 66'41,5417th31 August 2002SunderlandA1–1Giggs 7'47,5868th3 September 2002MiddlesbroughH1–0Van Nistelrooy 28' (pen.)67,4644th11 September 2002Bolton WanderersH0–167,6237th14 September 2002Leeds UnitedA0–139,62210th21 September 2002Tottenham HotspurH1–0Van Nistelrooy 62' (pen.)67,6118th28 September 2002Charlton AthleticA3–1Scholes 54', Giggs 82', Van Nistelrooy 90'26,6304th7 October 2002EvertonH3–0Scholes (2) 86', 90', Van Nistelrooy 90' (pen.)67,6294th19 October 2002FulhamA1–1Solskjær 62'18,1034th26 October 2002Aston VillaH1–1Forlán 77'67,6194th2 November 2002SouthamptonH2–1P. Neville 15', Forlán 85'67,6913rd9 November 2002Manchester CityA1–3Solskjær 7'34,6495th17 November 2002West Ham UnitedA1–1Van Nistelrooy 38'35,0495th23 November 2002Newcastle UnitedH5–3Scholes 25', Van Nistelrooy (3) 38', 45', 53', Solskjær 55'67,6255th1 December 2002LiverpoolA2–1Forlán (2) 63', 66'44,2504th7 December 2002ArsenalH2–0Verón 20', Scholes 72'67,6503rd14 December 2002West Ham UnitedH3–0Solskjær 15', Verón 17', Schemmel 61' (o.g.)67,5552nd22 December 2002Blackburn RoversA0–130,4753rd26 December 2002MiddlesbroughA1–3Giggs 60'34,6733rd28 December 2002Birmingham CityH2–0Forlán 37', Beckham 73'67,6403rd1 January 2003SunderlandH2–1Beckham 81', Scholes 90'67,6092nd11 January 2003West Bromwich AlbionA3–1Van Nistelrooy 8', Scholes 22', Solskjær 55'27,1292nd18 January 2003ChelseaH2–1Scholes 39', Forlán 90'67,6062nd1 February 2003SouthamptonA2–0Van Nistelrooy 15', Giggs 22'32,0852nd4 February 2003Birmingham CityA1–0Van Nistelrooy 56'29,4752nd9 February 2003Manchester CityH1–1Van Nistelrooy 18'67,6462nd22 February 2003Bolton WanderersA1–1Solskjær 90'27,4092nd5 March 2003Leeds UnitedH2–1Radebe 20' (o.g.), Silvestre 79'67,1352nd15 March 2003Aston VillaA1–0Beckham 12'42,6022nd22 March 2003FulhamH3–0Van Nistelrooy (3) 44', 68', 90'67,7062nd5 April 2003LiverpoolH4–0Van Nistelrooy (2) 5' (pen.), 65' (pen.), Giggs 78', Solskjær 90'67,6392nd12 April 2003Newcastle UnitedA6–2Solskjær 32', Scholes (3) 34', 38', 52', Giggs 44', Van Nistelrooy 58' (pen.)52,1641st16 April 2003ArsenalA2–2Van Nistelrooy 24', Giggs 63'38,1641st19 April 2003Blackburn RoversH3–1Van Nistelrooy 20', Scholes (2) 42', 61'67,6261st27 April 2003Tottenham HotspurA2–0Scholes 69', Van Nistelrooy 90'36,0731st3 May 2003Charlton AthleticH4–1Beckham 11', Van Nistelrooy (3) 32', 37', 52'67,7211st11 May 2003EvertonA2–1Beckham 45', Van Nistelrooy 79' (pen.)40,1681st

FA Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance4 January 2003Round 3PortsmouthH4–1Van Nistelrooy (2) 5' (pen.), 82' (pen.), Beckham 16', Scholes 89'67,22226 January 2003Round 4West Ham UnitedH6–0Giggs (2) 8', 29', Van Nistelrooy (2) 49', 58', P. Neville 50', Solskjær 69'67,18115 February 2003Round 5ArsenalH0–267,209

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance5 November 2002Round 3Leicester CityH2–0Beckham 80' (pen.), Richardson 90'47,8483 December 2002Round 4BurnleyA2–0Forlán 35', Solskjær 65'22,03417 December 2002Round 5ChelseaH1–0Forlán 80'57,9857 January 2003Semi-finalFirst legBlackburn RoversH1–1Scholes 58'62,74022 January 2003Semi-finalSecond legBlackburn RoversA3–1Scholes (2) 30', 42', Van Nistelrooy 77' (pen.)29,0482 March 2003FinalLiverpoolN0–274,500

UEFA Champions League

Third qualifying round

DateRoundOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance14 August 2002Third qualifying roundFirst legZalaegerszegA0–140,00027 August 2002Third qualifying roundSecond legZalaegerszegH5–0Van Nistelrooy (2) 6', 76' (pen.), Beckham 15', Scholes 21', Solskjær 84'66,814

Group stage

DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendanceGroupposition18 September 2002Maccabi HaifaH5–2Giggs 10', Solskjær 35', Verón 46', Van Nistelrooy 54', Forlán 89' (pen.)63,4392nd24 September 2002Bayer LeverkusenA2–1Van Nistelrooy (2) 31', 44'22,5001st1 October 2002OlympiacosH4–0Giggs 19', Verón 26', Anatolakis 66' (o.g.), Solskjær 77'66,9021st23 October 2002OlympiacosA3–2Blanc 21', Verón 59', Scholes 84'13,2201st29 October 2002Maccabi HaifaA0–322,0001st13 November 2002Bayer LeverkusenH2–0Verón 42', Van Nistelrooy 69'66,1851st

Second group stage

DateOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendanceGroupposition26 November 2002BaselA3–1Van Nistelrooy (2) 62', 63', Solskjær 68'29,5011st11 December 2002Deportivo La CoruñaH2–0Van Nistelrooy (2) 7', 55'67,0141st19 February 2003JuventusH2–1Brown 4', Van Nistelrooy 85'66,7031st25 February 2003JuventusA3–0Giggs (2) 15', 41', Van Nistelrooy 63'59,1111st12 March 2003BaselH1–1G. Neville 53'66,8701st18 March 2003Deportivo La CoruñaA0–225,0001st

Knockout phase

DateRoundOpponentsH/AResultF–AScorersAttendance8 April 2003Quarter-finalFirst legReal MadridA1–3Van Nistelrooy 52'75,00023 April 2003Quarter-finalSecond legReal MadridH4–3Van Nistelrooy 43', Helguera 52' (o.g.), Beckham (2) 71', 85'66,708

Squad statistics