In-form Everton, Saturday's opponents at Old Trafford, have previously been the visitors on significant Manchester United memorial days.
In 1994, the Merseyside team and their fans were impeccable observers as a lone piper walked out on to the field following the death of legendary manager Sir Matt Busby. It was a spine-tingling occasion.
Everton arrive this weekend on the 63rd anniversary of the 1958 Munich Air disaster, when eight United players and three club officials were among the 23 who perished in the snow after their chartered aircraft crashed on take-off on an icy runway after stopping to refuel en route from Belgrade.
No fans will be present for Saturday’s game, but there will be a minute’s silence before kick-off with both captains laying wreaths in memory of those who died. Both teams will also wear black armbands. Manchester United women and the club’s academy sides will do likewise.
"It is only the fourth time we have played on the actual anniversary," Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told The National. "It's important we put on a fitting performance and honour them with a result.
“It’s such an important part of our history and the spirit of the club. We have spoken to the players who come into the club (about the disaster) and they will be part of this anniversary. “It is a big day and an emotional day. Hopefully we can put a team out which shows the Man United spirit. We have six or seven academy graduates and they’ll lead us on.”
Flags dedicated to the players who lost their lives in the disaster have been supplied by the fan group Big Lily and now hang from the Stretford End. A giant banner has been positioned in the stand’s lower tier behind the goal with the words ‘We’ll Never Die’ underneath an image of the Bubsy Babes’ final game in Belgrade against Red Star.
Visiting teams have always been respectful when they have played United around the anniversary of the disaster. In 2008, Manchester City and their fans impressed for the 50th anniversary when a lone piper led the teams out to the strains of “The Flowers of Manchester”, a folk song which mourns the dead Babes.
Quiet replaced the tribal animosity with both Manchester teams wearing simple shirts without sponsors’ logos. Sir Alex Ferguson and the City manager Sven Goran Eriksson laid wreaths on the centre spot and the silence which followed meant a day for remembering was a day worth remembering.
Over 1,500 United fans travelled to Munich on the 60th anniversary of the disaster three years ago and hundreds make the journey every year, with events being organised by the Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation. They’re now a registered charity whose mission is to “endeavour, through raising charitable donations and through supporting charitable works in Manchester, Munich and Belgrade, to keep the memory of the Busby Babes preserved and enhanced”.
Bayern Munich, who have a space in their club museum for the disaster, bring out their leading officials. Flights were booked and cancelled for this year’s trip in line with the current Covid restrictions. Planned events have been cancelled, though the group have arranged for wreaths to be laid at the site in the Manchesterplatz by the old Munich Riem airfield on behalf of all United fans. The memorial in Munich is located in a quiet residential area and visiting fans are always welcomed by locals.
In Manchester, there’s usually a remembrance ceremony underneath the Munich clock on the Old Trafford forecourt which becomes better attended each year. In the mid-90s, there were a handful of people on the forecourt. Nowadays, hundreds attend each year with senior club staff and managers present.
That too has had to be cancelled because of Covid restrictions but a memorial organised with the Munich58 group led by Reverend John Boyers will be held and broadcast. There will also be a minute’s silence at 15:04 GMT, the time of the fatal plane crash.
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MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYER RATINGS: David De Gea 7. Ten men Saints tried to lean on the Spaniard on a corner but that was the only threat. Rarely troubled until Adams put the ball past him, invoking his fury, but VAR meant the clean sheet remained. AFP -
Aaron Wan Bissaka 8. Put United ahead after 18 minutes with his second goal of the season after losing Ings. Got forward, made crosses which he’d been asked to do and did so with confidence. One of his best games of the season. AP -
Harry Maguire 7. No issues in the first half, but Adams’ disallowed shot went through his legs. Booked on a comfortable evening. Made more passes in the final third of the field than his own half. AP -
Victor Lindelof 7. Ball to Rashford led to the first in United’s biggest win since the 9-0 v Ipswich in ’95. Pushed right up. Won everything in the air. AFP -
Luke Shaw 9 Pushed up towards Rashford on the slick surface. Crossed for first goal to fellow full-back and involved in second. Crossed for fourth with Cavani and created chances throughout. Superb this season, a player on top of his game. PA -
Scott McTominay 8. Hammered by a red card tackle from Jankewitz after 79 seconds. Recovered and helped United dominate the ball. Struck the sixth after 71 minutes, low across the floor from outside the area. His best game since Leeds. AP -
Fred 8. He keeps shooting but not scoring. Buzzed about all night with forward thinking intent. Neat ball set up Martial, who shot wide. His partnership with McTominay is trusted by his manager. Getty Images -
Mason Greenwood 8. In for January’s player of the month, Paul Pogba, after impressing in training and got 90 minutes. Always tries to get a shot off, refreshing in a side whose forwards hadn’t been scoring enough. Good cross to Bruno to head down for late goal. Reuters -
Bruno Fernandes 9. Five games without a goal or assist before. Moved well among United’s unrelenting attacks. Continually found space near the Saints’ goal. Intelligent ball for Martial’s first goal. Then sent goalkeeper the wrong way in an 87th minute penalty for his 17th goal of the season. More shots that any other player. PA -
Marcus Rashford 8. Fifteenth goal of the season after his scoring rate had slowed. Crossed towards Fred before Bednarek turned the ball into his own goal for United’s third. Reuters -
Edinson Cavani 9. Beautiful touches and powerfully headed the fourth against the team he scored twice against in November. Could’ve been awarded a penalty just before half time. Unfortunate to go off at half time, but his job was done. It was a change Solskjaer could afford to make and a rested Cavani will be a more effective Cavani. EPA -
SUBS: Anthony Martial 9. On for Cavani. Needs goals and got on early as United were four ahead. Got the goal he needed after a fine run, chested ball and finished into the top of the net. Nearly scored a second. Exactly what he needed. Fouled by Bednarek for 85th minute penalty and then got United’s 8th in the 89th minute. Again, he chested the ball down before shooting. PA -
Donny Van de Beek 6. On for Shaw. Needs minutes and got a whole half as Solskjaer could rest his full back. Booked. -
Daniel James 6. On for Rashford after an hour. Got the ninth in time added on as Southampton conceded nine for the second time in two seasons. Took goal well. PA -
SOUTHAMPTON PLAYER RATINGS: Alex McCarthy, 5 - A tough night between the sticks for the Englishman, who was exposed on several occasions for United’s goals and could do nothing about some excellent finishing. Getty Images -
Kayne Ramsay, 5 - A tricky assignment for the 20-year-old, who was given a close examination by Rashford, before Greenwood’s clever run caught the full-back out on the way to United’s second. PA -
Jan Bednarek, 4 - The Pole steered the ball into his own net in the 34th minute following a wicked Rashford cross and should have been stronger when trying to deal with Martial on the way to United’s fifth, before receiving a very harsh red card for bringing down Martial for a penalty late on. EPA -
Jack Stephens, 5 - A brilliant header under pressure prevented danger manifesting into a chance in the 33rd minute. Got under Shaw’s cross shortly after, though, allowing Cavani to head home for 4-0. Booked in first-half stoppage time for dissent. EPA -
Ryan Bertrand, 5 - The full-back gave up plenty of space to Wan-Bissaka on the overlap whilst attempting to deal with the movement of Greenwood, and the 31-year-old could perhaps have done more to cut out the cross that led to the opener. EPA -
Alex Jankewitz, 1 - On his full senior debut the Swiss youngster received a straight red card inside the opening 90 seconds for an awful tackle on McTominay. Over the ball, studs up and nasty. No complaints. PA -
James Ward-Prowse, 6 - Had a sight of goal in the 17th minute when he sliced a shot from distance harmlessly wide. He got even closer in the 28th minute with a vicious free kick that De Gea turned behind for a corner. AFP -
Stuart Armstrong, 6 - The early red card meant the Scot was unable to get his foot on the ball and make things happen, with swarms of United shirts crowding around him before he had time to look up and pick a pass. Booked for dissent in the closing stages. PA -
Moussa Djenepo, 5 - Didn’t do enough to prevent Luke Shaw from cashing in on oceans of space on the United left, with the home full-back causing all kinds of problems with balls into the box. Replaced by Allan Tchaptchet in the 78th minute. AFP -
Che Adams, 6 - Occupied the lone striker role as Ings moved into midfield and the former Birmingham City man was feeding off scraps for most of the night. Dreadfully unlucky to have a goal chalked off for offside early in the second half, before miscuing what should’ve been a simple finish in the final 20 minutes. Getty Images -
Danny Ings, 5 - Forced to take on more defensive duties following Jankewitz’s red card and the frontman failed to adequately track the run of Wan-Bissaka for the opener. Replaced by Nathan Redmond for the final 20 minutes. AP -
SUBS: Nathan Redmond (Ings, 70’), 6 – A great reverse ball presented Che Adams with a golden chance that the forward wasted. AP -
Allan Tchaptchet (Djenepo, 78’), N/R – The 19-year-old was introduced for the final 12 minutes as Southampton moved to a back three but was unable to stem the United ride. AFP
United are second in the table and Tuesday’s 9-0 win against a Southampton side reduced to ten men for most of the game was easily Solskjaer’s biggest in his 99 games as a Premier League manager. However, the Norwegian pointed out that Everton have won their last four away games. All seven Premier League games since United’s win against the Saints have resulted in away wins. Results have been skewed with no crowds and United’s own form at Old Trafford is far from indomitable. At least Solskjaer should have Edinson Cavani after recovering from an ankle injury. Eric Bailly is a doubt but the rest are all available.
United have beaten Everton away twice already this season in league and cup and played well in both, but Everton’s away record is only bettered by United and Leicester.
Sometimes in the past United’s players have been subdued by the emotion of a full Old Trafford United in sorrow – but perhaps although the occasion will still be a solemn one, they’ll put on the performance it deserves.
