Season 2005/06
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season


The Season in brief

United's defeat at the Riverside at the end of October ended their title aspirations, so competitive had the Premier League become. The defeat was only United's second but it left them thirteen points behind defending Champions Chelsea.

Needing only a point from their visit to Old Trafford at the end of April to retain the title, Chelsea won 3-0! In the twenty five games between these two defeats United had won nineteen and drawn four which would have been Championship winning form in any other season. They held off a late challenge from Liverpool to finish second, some eight points behind Chelsea.

In a largely disappointing season United failed to qualify from the Champions League group stage for the first time since 1994/95 and were beaten in the FA Cup fifth round at Anfield, a game remembered more for Alan Smith's horrific injury in the last minute than the quality of the football.

A week later, Wigan were beaten 4-0 in the League Cup Final, with Louis Saha preferred at centre forward to the increasingly moody van Nistelrooy. After an alleged training bust up with Ronaldo and walking out off Old Trafford before the final game of the season, van Nistelrooy was deemed surplus to requirement and off-loaded to Real Madrid.

Nike introduced a new all blue change kit for 2005/06, making the third kit largely redundant although it was worn in one Champions League match. The home kit remained unchanged from the previous season. Premier League sleeve patches were worn on shirts for all domestic games.