Despite being in an Anthony Martial-themed wonderland right now, Manchester United supporters can’t help but still feel that the club are somewhat in transition following all those years under the great Sir Alex Ferguson.

Still considered an outside bet for the Premier League title this season, despite Louis van Gaal boldly and naturally claiming the Red Devils are contenders this term, United are still restructuring the team having spent some truly lavish fees in the last two summer transfer windows.

Under Ferguson, Old Trafford was a real fortress where only a few sides would ever prevail with three points, let alone one, but as we’ve seen under David Moyes and less frequently under van Gaal, United aren’t the same animal without the wily old Scot in charge.

That said, there is still a lot to be positive about for Red Devils fans with David De Gea staying while signing a new four-year deal, Anthony Martial starting his United career like a train and the club nicely positioned behind Manchester City in the Premier League table at the time of writing.

But instead of concentrating on there here and now concerning United in the Football Transfer Tavern today, we’re taking a little stroll into yesteryear while devising a list of the five most outrageous scandals to hit the Red Devils in the modern era.

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Click on the image below to reveal the 5 most outrageous scandals to hit Manchester United in the modern era.

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The Fergie & David Beckham football boot incident

Let alone at Manchester United, one of the biggest scandals in football occurred back in 2003 when the Red Devils had just been dumped out of the FA Cup by their biggest title rivals of the time Arsenal.

Losing to Arsene Wenger’s side was never something Sir Alex Ferguson enjoyed and in taking his anger too far post-game, proceeded in kicking a discarded football boot which then struck David Beckham in the face with the United player then being papped by the press sporting tape over his left eyebrow where a cut formed.

A media storm ensued and it was believed Beckham was singled out for criticism by Ferguson who at the time was becoming involved in relationship that was breaking down with the player.

Fergie allegedly believed that Beckham’s entrepreneurial lifestyle and to flirtation with Victoria Adams was distracting him from putting in his best performances on the field.

Eric Cantona’s Kung-Fu kick away at Crystal Palace

Arguably the biggest Manchester United scandal of all-time came way back in 1995 at Selhurst Park when the Red Devils were engaged in an away fixture with Crystal Palace.

Remarkably, after being sent off and dismissed by the referee, the flamboyant Eric Cantona didn’t leave quietly but instead proceeded to extravagantly launch a Kung-Fu style kick on an Eagles supporter for which the Frenchman later claimed he was responding to racial abuse from the stands.

Unsurprisingly, the book was thrown at Cantona with the player having to commit 120 hours to community service after an initial two-week prison sentence was withheld.

Roy Keane’s admission about the Alf-Inge Haaland tackle

Who can forget the, how shall we say, disgusting challenge Roy Keane left on Manchester City’s Norwegian midfielder Alf-Inge Haaland during the Manchester Derby back in 2001 at Old Trafford.

In the years that led up to that fixture, Keane and Haaland were already infamous adversaries with the pair having endured many scuffles during Haaland’s time at United’s other rivals Leeds United but in 2001, Keane took his anger towards Haaland too far.

Showing no remorse after the incident that broke Haaland’s leg and ended his career in the process, Keane admitted that: “I was trying to trip him up rather than kick him. I knew it probably meant a booking, but f**k it”.

Wayne Rooney’s couple of quit threats

Wayne Rooney isn’t enduring the best season of his Manchester United career right now with the England international experiencing a slow start to 2015/16 but at least he is focused on staying with the Red Devils long-term nowadays.

Rooney infamously could’ve left Old Trafford twice in his United career to date, firstly back in 2010 when he boldly alluded to the fact the Red Devils had a lack of ambition under Sir Alex Ferguson which obviously destabilised their reputation at the time.

Infamously then linked with a transfer to cross-town rivals and noisy neighbours Manchester City, Rooney later apologised to United fans that he was never considering a switch to the Citizens.

Then remarkably for a second time, Rooney and Ferguson clashed again when the now England record-breaker threw a tizzy for being played out of position by Fergie.

The situation was of course resolved when Ferguson made the sudden decision to retire and well, Rooney remains.

The Glazers’ takeover of Manchester United

A decade ago now, Manchester United were infamously purchased by the Glazer family of the United States when Malcolm Glazer bought the club for a whopping £790 million.

United have been crippled with a huge series of debts following the Glazers’ purchase of the club with the takeover funded by loans which were secured against the club’s assets and we’re all familiar now with the series of protests that United fans have demonstrated throughout the years since.

A section of United supporters of course defected to set up the FC United of Manchester club out of disillusionment with their beloved Red Devils while for the ones that remain, those who are staunch critics of the Glazer regime continue to clad themselves in yellow and green Norwich City colours.

These particular kits represent the founding colours of the 1878-established Newton Heath – the original name of Manchester United of course.