By the time an epic reign ended, records had been broken, fans under 30 struggled to remember life under another manager and some of the players he inherited were nearer 60 than 50.
He had given the best years of his managerial life to an institution, leaving them with trophies in the cabinet and money in the bank. He felt he had left them in a position to prosper.
For Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, read Arsene Wenger at Arsenal? The parallels are imperfect. Ferguson retired with United in first, Wenger was sacked with Arsenal sixth. And yet the subsequent travails of superpowers show those bitter enemies turned unlikely friends cast a long shadow.
Post Ferguson, United wanted a dynasty and got a disaster. After Wenger, Arsenal looked for someone else who promised Uefa Champions League football on a budget. Unai Emery has already lasted longer than David Moyes did at Old Trafford, but perhaps, like Louis van Gaal, he may not survive a second season.
Fallen giants look for part of a legend’s legacy in a quest to regain past glories. In Moyes, United saw an obdurate Scot who had brought continuity and consistency, in Van Gaal, an advocate of youth whose attacking philosophy brought a Champions League in the 1990s, in Jose Mourinho a serial winner, in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a man who had lived through Ferguson’s greatest days and loved United. None, thus far, has been the complete package.
The Wenger Emery has emulated has been the late-period version, of adventurous attacking but disastrous defending, of efforts at home undermined by a wretched record on the road.
The post-Wenger Arsenal have offered more of the right kind of entertainment than United since Ferguson – the Gunners’ tally of 73 league goals last year was more their rivals’ total in any of the last six seasons – but fragility takes different forms.
Some of Arsenal’s conquerors last season – Southampton, Everton, West Ham United, Crystal Palace, Wolves, Leicester City – are reminiscent of the lesser lights who discovered they could beat Moyes’ United: West Bromwich Albion, Everton, Newcastle United, Swansea City, Sunderland and Stoke City. In contrast, victories over the elite were rarities.
There are similarities in their situations in a second season into a new world. Neither managerial emperor left the inheritance he imagined. Each bequeathed too many ageing players.
____________________________
Steve Luckings' Premier League predictions
-
Sheffield United v Liverpool, Saturday, 3.30pm: Chris Wilder said Sheffield United may have to consider playing 'a back 10' to stifle Liverpool's attacking threat. The fab three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane were given the night off on Wednesday as the youngsters took over in the Carabao Cup. With that troika well rested, Wilder might need to consider playing a back 11. PREDICTION: Sheffield United 1, Liverpool 3. Reuters -
Aston Villa v Burnley, Saturday, 6pm: Burnley's Chris Wood may not be prolific but he showed his finishing prowess with two well-taken goals in the 2-0 win against Norwich last time out. Burnley's record after six games reads two wins, two draws and two defeats, suggesting inconsistency, but their six points so far is two better than Aston Villa's, who are winless from their last three matches. PREDICTION: Aston Villa 0, Burnley 1. Reuters -
Bournemouth v West Ham United, Saturday, 6pm: West Ham suffered an embarrassing 4-0 defeat to League One Oxford United in midweek. Despite that setback, the Hammers boast impressive league form and are unbeaten since their opening day defeat to Manchester City. Bournemouth, buoyed by recent wins against Everton and Southampton, will look for a third successive win to leapfrog West Ham into fifth place. PREDICTION: Bournemouth 2, West Ham 2. Reuters -
Chelsea v Brighton, Saturday, 6pm: Chelsea had six youth players on the pitch and four more on the bench by the end of Wednesday's 7-1 romp over Grimsby, marking a change in philosophy at a club that has traditionally farmed its youngsters out on loan. Callum Hudson-Odoi, 18, marked his return from injury with the final goal and will hope manager Frank Lampard will show the same faith in him he has shown in fellow English youngsters Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham. PREDICTION: Chelsea 4, Brighton 0. AFP -
Crystal Palace v Norwich City, Saturday, 6pm: Brilliant against champions Manchester City, miserable against Burnley - which Norwich side will show up at Selhurst Park is anyone's guess but last season's Championship winners are capable of causing upsets. Palace are yet to truly catch fire so far this season but in Wilfried Zaha have a proven match-winner. PREDICTION: Crystal Palace 1, Norwich City 0. Reuters -
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton, Saturday, 6pm: Spurs' miserable start to the season was compounded when they were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by a team ranked 71 places below them on Wednesday. Mauricio Pochettino cited a squad with 'different agendas' and lacking unity for recent poor performances. The sense is that Spurs have been lucky to take a point off Manchester City and Arsenal this season. If they hope to match last season's efforts of a top-four finish, they need to get their act together soon. PREDICTION: Tottenham 2, Southampton 1. Reuters -
Wolves v Watford, Saturday, 6pm: On the plus side for Watford, things can only improve after last week's 8-0 humiliation at Manchester City. Goalkeeper Ben Foster said he feared the score could end up in double digits, and some of Watford's defending was truly dire at the Etihad. They travel to a Wolves who are not much better off though. Wolves and Watford have a combined zero wins in 10 Premier League games, although second-bottom Wolves' position in the table seems more of a false one than basement dwellers Watford. Don't expect fireworks at Molineux. PREDICTION: Wolves 0, Watford 0. Reuters -
Everton v Manchester City, Saturday, 8.30pm: City have scored 11 goals this week but travel to Goodison Park five points off the pace of leaders Liverpool. Raheem Sterling was rested for the Watford match and came off the bench for a cameo in the win at Preston North End. With Kevin de Bruyne also firing, Everton could be in for a tough evening. PREDICTION: Everton 1, Manchester City 2. AFP -
Leicester City v Newcastle United, Sunday, 7.30pm: Surrendering 72 per cent possession at home to a team like Brighton did not go down well with Newcastle fans. Perversely, that could play into their favour against a Leicester side who are better without the ball than with it. PREDICTION: Leicester City 2, Newcastle 0. Reuters -
Manchester United v Arsenal, Monday, 11pm: United needed penalties to see off League One Rochdale in the Carabao Cup in midweek, and the growing sense of frustration among the Old Trafford faithful with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer grows louder with each game. Arsenal have goals galore in their side through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette but are so brittle at the back that you can't rule out concessions. PREDICTION: Manchester United 1, Arsenal 1. AFP
____________________________
Defences required revamping: a year after Ferguson retired, the experienced trio of Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra left Old Trafford. Now Emery is having to reconfigure Arsenal without Nacho Monreal, Laurent Koscielny and Petr Cech. Each lost a talismanic Welshman from midfield, even if Ryan Giggs and Aaron Ramsey left the playing staff for different reasons.
Successors could be forgiven for lamenting some of the ageing maestros’ final recruits. Emery has offloaded Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Lucas Perez and surely wishes Shkodran Mustafi was gone. Moyes found little use for Wilfried Zaha, Nick Powell, Alexander Buttner or even Shinji Kagawa.
In each case, perhaps, the structure of the club was not strong enough to survive the loss of an all-encompassing figure. Arsenal tried to reduce Wenger’s influence but two of the powerbrokers, chief executive Ivan Gazidis and head of recruitment Sven Mislintat, have already gone. United have had a different issue, with executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward remaining but not adding enough expertise to the boardroom.
And United represent the warning for Arsenal, spending £900 million (Dh4.06 billion) on players in six years, assembling the largest wage bill in England and not expecting a title challenge until 2021-22.
An era has the feel of an extended error. At least, Ferguson and Wenger may reflect, they have not been overshadowed by replacements. The nostalgic will already hark back to their finest hours but the clubs they propelled into a duopoly are now twinned in Europa League action, playing in a Monday night slot which would have been impossible were either in the Champions League and with players who would not have got close to their best sides.
