The tale of Manchester United’s recent No.7s
As Dutch winger Memphis Depay leaves for Lyon, we take a look at the last four players who wore the club’s treasured No. 7. For a club that has had illustrious players like George Best, Eric Cantona, Bryan Robson, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo don the iconic No. 7 jersey, it is rather ironic that three of the last four players to put on the coveted jersey have found themselves out of the club.
So has United’s No. 7 shirt become a curse? And will the Red Devils ever find a player to do justice to the legacy of the shirt, and play the United way?
Here we take a look at the last four players who wore the No.7 and how they fared:
#1 Michael Owen
For most Premier League fans, United signing the former England and Liverpool striker in 2009 came out of the blue. Owen was immediately handed the jersey left vacant by Cristiano Ronaldo. Owen is most famously remembered for scoring the stoppage time winner against derby rivals Man City, as United won 4-3.
The English striker also grabbed the decisive opening goal on his Champions League debut against CSKA Moscow. But injuries, like they did throughout his career, plagued him here as well, as Owen was largely an unused substitute and got regular action only against the weaker sides in the League Cup.
The following season started brightly for the former Kop favourite as he featured regularly for the Red Devils during pre-season and scored a brace against Scunthorpe United in the League Cup along with the crucial equaliser against Bolton.
Owen was now being used as an impact substitute from the bench and was a crucial member of the squad until a groin injury meant that he was again side lined. He ended up scoring against Blackpool in a 4-1 win on the final day of the season and picked up his first Premier League winners medal.
By now the presence of compatriot Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov and the emergence of Danny Welbeck and Mexican forward Javier Hernandez meant that Owen’s first team chances were limited. United decided to let him go at the end of the season after his three-year deal expired.
It is fair to say that the former Liverpool striker never fully established himself as a regular in the side owing to injuries, inconsistency and the presence of other established and emerging strikers.