The 1998-1999 season was a historic one for Manchester United Football Club, as they achieved a rare feat in English football - the treble. The treble consists of winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League in the same season, a feat that had never been achieved before in England.

The 1998-1999 season was the first full season for manager Sir Alex Ferguson after the departure of long-serving manager Ron Atkinson. Under Ferguson, Manchester United had already established themselves as one of the top teams in England, having won the Premier League in 1993, 1994 and 1996, and the FA Cup in 1994. 

However, the treble-winning season was the pinnacle of Ferguson’s reign at Old Trafford, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest managers in football history. The Premier League campaign was a closely contested battle, with Manchester United eventually edging out Arsenal by a single point to claim their fourth league title in five years. 

The key to their success was a remarkable run of form in the second half of the season, in which they won 14 of their last 16 league games to secure the title. Star striker Andy Cole, who had joined from Newcastle United the previous season, was instrumental in their title win, scoring 18 goals in the league.

The FA Cup journey started with a tough third-round tie against Liverpool, which they won 2-1, before progressing through the rounds to reach the final against Newcastle United. In a closely contested final, goals from Teddy Sheringham and Paul Scholes secured a 2-0 win and the FA Cup for Manchester United.

However, the real highlight of the season was Manchester United’s journey in the UEFA Champions League. Manchester United were drawn in a very tough group with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Brondby, but they emerged as group winners, setting up a knockout stage tie against Inter Milan.