Superstition or Science? The story behind Manchester United's grey kit fiasco at Southampton

Manchester United host Southampton on Sunday and no matter the result, there is unlikely to be as controversial a moment than what we saw at The Dell in 1996.

United endured a miserable first half on the South Coast as goals from Ken Monkou, Neil Shipperley and Matt Le Tissier gave the hosts a 3-0 lead at the interval. The Reds' dejected players were expecting the hairdryer treatment from Sir Alex Ferguson but his anger was aimed at the grey kits that his team wore that day.

Ferguson instructed that United's players must change into their third kit, a blue and white strip. While the performance improved in the second 45, a Ryan Giggs consolation was all that United could muster as they fell to defeat.

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In the time that has followed, a big question has dominated the decision to make the switch at half time. Why did Ferguson make that decision? MEN Sport attempts to figure it out once and for all.

The argument to suggest that Ferguson was powered by superstitions may have some weight to it. United had already lost at Arsenal and Liverpool in the grey kit and it appeared to be an unlucky strip for the Reds.

However, in his post-match interview the legendary United manager was adamant that superstitions had nothing to do with his change. "The players don't like the grey strip," Ferguson explained "The players couldn't pick each other out. They said it was difficult to see their team-mates at distance when they lifted their heads.

"It was nothing to do with superstition. This club went 26 years without winning the league and we didn't think about changing the red shirts. It's nothing to do with that at all."

While Ferguson was unhappy with the suggestion