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FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
Sport
Ryan Dabbs

‘People say the 1990 FA Cup put Sir Alex Ferguson on the road to success, but beating Barcelona gave us the confidence to take on the best and go for league titles’: Manchester United legend pinpoints turning point under Scottish manager's tenure

Alex Ferguson Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester United FC Barcelona Lee Sharpe FA Cup Mark Hughes
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - MAY 15: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson holds aloft the trophy as captain Bryan Robson looks on after 1991 UEFA European Cup Winners Cup Final victory against Barcelona on May 15th, 1991 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Allsport/Getty Images/Hulton Archive).

Manchester United hero Lee Sharpe believes that the 1991 Cup Winners' Cup win over Barcelona proved more important to Sir Alex Ferguson's dynasty at Old Trafford than the 1990 FA Cup triumph, which is often credited with saving his job.

By the 1989/90 season, things were starting to turn sour for Ferguson at Manchester United. After finishing 11th, 2nd and then 11th again in the league, the Scotsman then managed a difficult first seven games of the season in which his side picked up just seven points. They also lost 5-1 to rivals Manchester City, but the worst was yet to come.

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