John Salako exclusive on why Man Utd have lost fear factor post-Ferguson – ‘no one is intimidated’
John Salako insists the days of Crystal Palace being intimidated by Manchester United ended with the Eagles’ Premier League double last season.
A fixture known for Eric Cantona’s kung-fu kick and United’s years of dominance, was turned on its head with Palace winning 1-0 at Old Trafford before hammering the Red Devils 4-0 at Selhurst Park.
“Man United have absolutely been a thorn in my side,” says the former England star. “I lost finals and semi-finals to them. The one time I was man of the match Cantona went into the crowd and it didn’t get a mention!
“So to see Palace beat them 4-0, I absolutely loved ever second of that day. To be able to inflict some pain back on them.”
United are in South London on Saturday night, looking to build on a week in which they beat Southampton and Barnsley, scoring 10 goals without conceding.
Erik ten Hag’s side arrive as favourites against opponents yet to win in the League and none too convincing in their narrow midweek Carabao Cup defeat of Championship side QPR.
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Yet Salako remembers the Sir Alex Ferguson teams he played against and says: “No-one is intimidated by United any more. That’s long gone.
“Throughout the time I played them they were incredible. You were always intimidated. Sir Alex built an aura, an invincibility.
“They were the hardest working team, very aggressive and had the best players who knew how to win.
“We used to pull up in the bus at the Theatre of Dreams thinking ‘we’ll take a 3-0’ [defeat]. And when they came south you knew they meant business.
“They were fit, they were strong and always focused. Keano [Roy Keane] wouldn’t stand for anything less. Before him, Bryan Robson and Mark Hughes.
“All leaders, proper warriors. Players hand-picked by Sir Alex for character and ability, desire and workrate. That’s just not the case any more.”
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Salako thinks back to the 1990 FA Cup final, to Ian Wright coming off the bench to score twice in what the goal king turned pundit described as the “greatest moment of my life, easily”, only for Hughes to force a replay – which United won – late in extra-time.
“Sliding doors moment,” he says. “We beat United and Sir Alex gets sacked. Instead, Lee Martin’s goal wins the replay and Fergie becomes the greatest Premier League manager of all time – and the bane of the rest of my career!”
Five years later Salako was denied a return to Wembley by a late Gary Pallister equaliser in semi-final extra-time before United, again, won the replay.
The following season, having moved to Coventry, he was again haunted by the United fixture. This time because team mate David Busst broke his leg so horrifically it ended his playing career and required 22 operations.
“Jeez, what is it with me and Man United?” He says.
On the flip side Salako did score two as Palace won in the league in 1991 and enjoy that man of the match performance on Selhurst’s night of infamy four years later.
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But the first of those annoyed two of his team mates and the second was totally eclipsed.
“Okay, so 1991, funny story actually,” he starts. “I need two goals to get my goal bonus, so I am shooting from everywhere. Wrighty and Brighty [Mark Bright] are going absolutely mad. ‘What is he doing, this is not about you, it’s about us!’
“I get my two goals. [Manager] Stevie Coppell comes to me in the summer when we get back for pre-season and says, ‘we’re going to change your goal bonus, it’s now going to be goals AND assists’ – just to appease Wrighty and Brighty.
“The Cantona game remains the single most extraordinary moment of my career, without doubt,” he adds. “I don’t think there’ll ever be one to compare.
“He was the biggest star in the League, one of the biggest in the sport, playing for the biggest club in the world – and he kung-fu kicks a Palace fan!
“Even now, 29 years on, I look back at it and think, ‘my God, what an incredible moment’. Just crazy. The most surreal thing ever.”
Salako, 55, recalls how Richard Shaw was given the job of man-marking the mercurial Frenchman and trying to nullify him. How the Palace man was doing such a decent job a frustrated Cantona kicked out and was sent-off.
He remembers all that clearly. As with Ferguson and a few others in the ground that evening, what happened in the immediate aftermath is a bit of a blur.
“To be honest, we were just getting ready to start the game again and heard this commotion on the sideline,” he continues. “I looked over and caught the end of Cantona sort of half falling onto the railing and going down.”
Responding to racial insults from Palace ‘fan’ Matthew Simmons, Cantona leapt at him then threw a flurry of punches.
“You’re thinking, ‘oh my god, what’s this all about?’” says Salako. “It was totally surreal.
“We finished the game and sat down and our manager Alan Smith said, ‘No-one say anything, let this take its course and we move on’. Next thing we know the seagulls are following the trawler!”
Salako refers to Cantona’s cryptic statement at a press conference made after being handed a two-week jail sentence, overturned on appeal, in which he stated: “When the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you.”
It remains to be seen whether Palace will face the iconic No7 shirt worn by Cantona this weekend. Mason Mount, it’s current occupant, has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury but returned to training the day after United’s 7-0 cup win over Barnsley.
Whoever pitches up, Salako has high hopes of Palace making it three on the bounce for the first time in the history of the fixture.
“Oliver Glasner is doing an absolutely magnificent job,” he says. “Michael Olise and Joachim Anderson have left since the 4-0 in May but I was delighted with the transfer window, hanging on to [Ebere] Eze and [Marc] Guehi and bringing in [Eddie] Nketiah, [Chadi] Riad, [Ismaila] Sarr and [Maxence] Lacroix.”
Nketiah scored his first goal since joining from Arsenal in Tuesday’s 2-1 win at Loftus Road and Salako believes he can become an “absolute superstar at Palace.
“We need that pace, that aggression, that eye for goal. There’s a little bit of Ian Wright maybe there. If he can really make an impact here the sky’s the limit for him.”