The 2005–06 season was Manchester United's 14th season in the Premier League, and their 31st consecutive season in the top division of English football.

After having finished in third place in both of the previous two seasons, the Red Devils improved slightly to finish the 2005–06 season in second place, despite finishing 8 points off the lead.

However, despite the improvement in their league form, United's European form took a massive blow, with the club failing to reach the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1993–94. The club fared better in the FA Cup, reaching the Fifth Round, but their real success came in the League Cup, in which they beat Wigan Athletic 4–0 in the final. United became the first club in Premier League history to score 1000 goals, the milestone was reached on 29 October in the 4–1 defeat to Middlesbrough at the Riverside, with Cristiano Ronaldo getting the goal.

The 2005–06 season also saw the departure of club captain Roy Keane, who had been at Old Trafford since 1993. Keane played his last game for the club on 18 September 2005 in a goalless draw with Liverpool, but was forced to withdraw from the match only a couple of minutes before full-time. It was later revealed that Keane had picked up a foot injury and he eventually left the club for his boyhood team Celtic on 18 November 2005. Keane was subsequently replaced as captain by his deputy, Gary Neville. On 25 November 2005, just seven days after Keane left the club, United fans were plunged into mourning by the death of legendary former player George Best, who died at the age of 59.

Manchester United began their pre-season in July 2005 with a 5–1 thrashing away to Clyde. The only goal of the first half was scored by United's Kléberson. In the second half, United fielded a completely different side. Paul Scholes opened the scoring in the second half, before Ruud van Nistelrooy added on United's third with a penalty. Neil McGregor pulled a goal back for Clyde when he struck home Steven Masterton's corner, but Liam Miller restored the three-goal margin after taking a short pass from Van Nistelrooy, and Van Nistelrooy finished the scoring in the 85th minute.

...
Wikipedia