ing ▁football ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁in ▁England . ▁Mc Man aman ▁was ▁also ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁so - called ▁" t alis man ic " ▁players ▁along ▁with ▁Eric ▁Cant ona ▁and ▁Gian fran co ▁Z ola ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁believed ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁char is ma ▁to ▁lift ▁supp or ters ▁from ▁their ▁seats ▁each ▁time ▁they ▁got ▁the ▁ball . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁through ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Mc Man aman ▁consist ently ▁won ▁several ▁' Man ▁of ▁the ▁Match ' ▁awards , ▁and ▁Premier ▁League ▁man agers ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁deploy ▁a ▁man - marker ▁specifically ▁to ▁follow ▁him ▁for ▁an ▁entire ▁game . ▁The ▁then ▁M idd les br ough ▁manager , ▁Bry an ▁Rob son , ▁was ▁quoted ▁as ▁saying ▁that ▁" every one ▁in ▁the ▁Prem iers hip ▁knows ▁that ▁if ▁you ▁stop ▁Mc Man aman , ▁you ▁stop ▁Liverpool ". ▁According ▁to ▁inter views ▁on ▁an ▁I TV ▁document ary ▁titled ▁The ▁Alex ▁Fer g us on ▁Story ▁( 1 9 9 8 ), ▁Peter ▁Sch me ich el ▁stated ▁that ▁Sir ▁Alex ▁Fer g us on ▁was ▁also ▁tact ically ▁fix ated ▁on ▁stopping ▁Mc Man aman ▁each ▁time ▁Manchester ▁United ▁played ▁Liverpool , ▁with ▁Sch me ich el ▁adding ▁Fer g us on ▁was ▁so ▁concerned ▁about ▁stopping ▁Mc Man aman ▁dict ating ▁the ▁play ; ▁it ▁became ▁" Gr ound h og ▁Team ▁T alk ":