Alan Hansen survived the humiliation of Sir Alex Ferguson and was ultimately proved right

Over 22 years on ‘Match of the Day’, Alan Hansen delivered plenty of opinions, but one stands out above the rest and is still quoted to this day. “You can’t win anything with kids.”

Hansen began working on the Premier League highlights show in 1992 when the new English top division was formed and Manchester United won their first two league titles in 1992-93 and 93-94. They were dethroned by Blackburn Rovers the following year and Hansen was convinced they had not done enough in the summer transfer window to claim the title in 1995–96.

A golden generation was forming back then, although we wouldn’t know it until years later. United’s legendary head coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, trusted the youth and Gary Neville (20), Paul Scholes (20), Ryan Giggs (21), Phil Neville (18), Nicky Butt (20) and David Beckham (20). they became key members of the team.

United’s young side were thumped 3-1 by Aston Villa earlier in the season and Hansen knocked them out of the title race with his infamous quote. “I think they’re in trouble,” Hansen said. “You can’t win anything with kids.

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“You look at that line-up, Manchester United today – Aston Villa, at a quarter past two, when they get the team sheet it will help them and it will happen every time (Ferguson) plays with the kids. He has to buy players, it’s as simple as that.”

United responded perfectly by winning the title that season, and as a Liverpool legend, the fans never let Hansen live by that quote. But apart from the one instance where Ferguson and United proved Hansen wrong, his claim proved to be true.

Since that season, when United played six players aged 23 or under for 10 or more games, no Premier League champions in subsequent years have come close to matching that number. The most stands at four U23 players who have been capped 10 times or more by Arsenal (97-98) and United (08-09).

Experience remains the key factor in winning any league title and that young United team in 95-96 was the second youngest team on average (25) to win the Premier League. The only team to field a younger team and be crowned champions was Chelsea (24.3) in 2005, but most of their squad were 23 and 24 years old.

In the last decade, every Premier League champion has had a squad whose average age was over 26. Youth and experience are both necessary factors to consider for all teams, but that United squad appears to be an anomaly to the rule.

That United team was, of course, highly unique, and Neville, Giggs, Butt and Scholes became world-class players and legends at Old Trafford. Beckham became a global icon and earned a move to Real Madrid.

Chelsea had the youngest average age in the Premier League last season (23.1) after spending heavily on youth under new owner Todd Boehly. They have saved their season in recent months but inexperience has seen them drop more points and if it wasn’t for Cole Palmer and his goalscoring contributions, they would have been in the relegation zone at some point.