03/08/2017 22:23, Report by Adam Marshall

Manchester United's only previous victory in the UEFA Super Cup was also memorable for a sparkling individual performance from an opponent.

Dejan Savicevic, who would go on to star for AC Milan, glided over the mudbath of a pitch and produced one of the finest showings from an away player at Old Trafford, even if his side were still defeated thanks to Brian McClair's winner.

Steve Bruce had earlier missed a penalty but the Reds were still decidedly fortunate to edge the game in 1991. Savicevic ran the show and showed why he finished joint-second in that year's Ballon d'Or award. He did lift the Super Cup three years later, after starring in Milan's Champions League final triumph over Barcelona. Admittedly, he was robbed by Neil Webb in the build-up to the only goal but there was real relief when the Yugoslavia international was withdrawn with eight minutes remaining.

One man who grew up in awe of the 'Montenegrin Magician' was ex-United skipper Nemanja Vidic. "There were many players I loved to watch," the Serbian told ManUtd.com. "When I was young, every game I'd pretend I was somebody else, a different player depending on who I had seen play well. I'd watch the match and then go outside and play and say, 'I am Faustino Asprilla' or 'I am Dejan Savicevic'. I really loved the generation of Red Star Belgrade players who won the European Cup in 1991… Prosinecki, Pancev, Belodedic, Jugovic. These are the players who won the trophies for the team I supported as a kid. Maybe that team were my idols, all of them. 

"Did you know Manchester United played against Red Star Belgrade? It was in the European Super Cup in 1991. Red Star played very, very well. I was only 10 years old so I don't remember it but I saw replays when I was growing up. Now I have the DVD because one of the Red Star players asked me for the game, so I asked MUTV for the tape. I've watched it a few times now and I'm very impressed."

One of the players tasked with keeping Red Star in check that night was Clayton Blackmore, who operated in midfield and was left in no doubts as to Savicevic's quality.

"Dejan Savicevic was possibly the best player I ever played against," he enthused. "He was fantastic and went to AC Milan. A year or two later, they'd built their team around him and ended up winning the Champions League. He must've had the best left foot I've ever seen and pure pace as well. He was a bit like Lionel Messi, but I wouldn't say he was quite as good, even if he was a fantastic player."

Sir Alex Ferguson agreed the playmaker was "absolutely sensational" and it was no surprise that some English newspapers forwarded him as a possible replacement for Eric Cantona in 1997, when he was in his early thirties. As with so much transfer speculation, no move ever materialised but Savicevic still left an indelible impression on Old Trafford and earned huge respect.