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Nostalgia

20 years ago today: Steve Bruce’s 96th-minute winner against Sheffield Wednesday

A famous day at Old Trafford saw the United captain score twice during a decisive game in the club’s first title-winning season for 26 years.

APRIL 10, 1993 – Manchester United, battling it out with Aston Villa at the top of the table, welcome Sheffield Wednesday to an Old Trafford packed with 40,102 fans.

In what is the debut season of the new Premier League after the rebranding of English football, Alex Ferguson, with memories of losing out to Leeds the previous season still fresh in his mind, is aiming to secure his first league title as United boss having won an FA Cup, a League Cup and a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup since arriving in November 1986.

However, it is the Owls who go in front when Paul Ince brings down Chris Waddle on 64 minutes.

Minutes earlier, referee Mike Peck has been forced off the pitch with an Achilles injury meaning his replacement John Hilditch makes the call and points to the spot.

Cool as you like, former Ireland international John Sheridan steps up to fire past Peter Schmeichel from 12 yards.

Ince brings Waddle down. Credit: YouTube screengrab

United captain Steve Bruce had always been a threat coming up for set-pieces during his career but at the time hasn’t scored for six months. That day, however, his goal drought was to come to an end in spectacular fashion.

Despite having the likes of Eric Cantona and Ryan Giggs on the pitch, it’s the influential centre-half who powers home their first from a Denis Irwin corner with five minutes remaining after Mark Hughes sees his strike pushed behind by Chris Woods in the Wednesday goal.

Fortunately for the Red Devils, a massive seven minutes of injury-time is then added on to compensate for the treatment referee Peck had received before coming off.

United throw the kitchen sink at it and, after the ball is twice half-cleared by the Owls rearguard, Gary Pallister’s cross finds its way to his defensive partner and Bruce heads the winner into the bottom corner with the clock showing 96 minutes.

The goal sparked what is now iconic touchline scenes of an elated Ferguson and an even more animated Brian Kidd, his knee-sliding assistant at the time.

Ferguson and Kidd go crazy.

Bruce after scoring. Credit: John Giles/PA Archive/Press Association Images

What happened next?

Buoyed by that confidence-boosting victory, United go on to win their final five games of the season – finishing ten points ahead of Villa and ending the 26 year-wait for league success. That effectively sparks the beginning of the club’s dominance in English football which is still going strong two decades on.

Watch highlights of the game here:

YouTube credit: TheBoffrington

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