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CLASSIC MOTD

It may be 20 years old today but Alan Hansen probably still regrets saying this

The Match of the Day pundit claimed Man United wouldn’t ‘win anything with kids’.

Soccer - FA Carling Premiership - Aston Villa v Manchester United - Villa Park Paul Scholes shoots at goal. EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

ON 19 AUGUST 1995, Aston Villa handed a youthful Manchester United side an opening day 3-1 defeat in the Premier League.

Having sold Paul Ince, Andrei Kanchelskis and Mark Hughes, Alex Ferguson named youngsters Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes in his starting line-up, while David Beckham was a half-time substitute.

But United, wearing their infamous grey kit, were second best on the day and Villa scored through Ian Taylor, Mark Draper and Dwight Yorke, before Beckham smashed home a consolation.

On Match of the Day that evening, Alan Hansen stated:

The trick is always buy when you’re strong, so he needs to buy players. You can’t win anything with kids.

“You look at that line-up of Manchester United today and Aston Villa at 2.15pm when they looked at the teamsheet, it’s just going to give them a lift. And it will happen everytime he plays the kids.

“The trick to winning the championship is having strength and depth. They just haven’t got it.”

Nine months later, those same kids had helped the club wrap up a Premier League and FA Cup double.

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