Building on the previous season's League and FA Cup double, United went into the 1996-97 with their eyes firmly set on defending those two trophies while also making a serious challenge for the one prize which had so far eluded Alex Ferguson - the European Cup.
The team's blend of youth and experience was again a formidable one, with the likes of Beckham, Scholes, Butt and the Neville brothers further establishing themselves as key players at Old Trafford. Although United failed to make it four FA Cup final appearances in a row, they did successfully retain the League Championship, making it four titles in five years.
United's European adventure was to a memorable one as they reached the last four for the first time in 29 years. Along the way Old Trafford witnessed a number of unforgettable European nights, not least the sensational 4:0 demolition of FC Porto in the quarter-finals. However, the semi-finals were to end in heart break against Borussia Dortmund but the experience picked up in this campaign was to prove invaluable in coming years for United's maturing team.
There have been many great European nights since, but the 4:0 win against Porto at Old Trafford in the semi-finals of the Champions' League signalled Manchester United's arrival on the European stage as a major force. This is RedCafe.net's tribute to that great performance...