How did David Beckham perform in the Premier League?

David Beckham is a Manchester United academy product, having signed as a trainee on July 8, 1991. He was part of the much-famed Class of 92 batch that includes the likes of Ryan Giggs, Garry Nevile, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes.

Notably, Beckham, Giggs, Butt and Gary Neville were part of Eric Harrison's FA Youth Cup-winning team in 1992. In fact, Beckham scored United's second goal in their first leg 3-1 win against Crystal Palace in the final. He had such an impact over both the legs that he made his first-team debut on September 23, 1992, as a substitute for Andrei Kanchelskis in a League Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion.

However, Beckham had to wait till April 2, 1995 to make his Premier League debut with Manchester United. It was a goalless draw against Leeds United at the Old Trafford where the midfielder played the entire 90 minutes.

In the following season, Beckham established himself as one of the integral members of the Manchester United squad as a right-sided midfielder. He put in a series of impressive performances for the Red Devils in the league and fired them to the silverware.

In December 1995, United were 10 points behind leaders Newcastle United but by March 1996, they toppled the Tynesiders from the top spot and remained number one till the end of the season. He played 33 matches in that season, scored seven times and provided five assists.

In the beginning of the 1996-97 season, Beckham was given the number 10 shirt. On the opening day of the Premier League, he scored an outrageous 57-yard goal against Wimbledon that saw the ball float over the keeper's head and into the net. With eight goals and seven assists, he helped United defend the league title and also won the PFA Young Player of the Year.

In the 1998-99 treble-winning season, United had to win the final match of the league against Tottenham. The London club took an early lead but Beckham equalised with a 12-yard curler that pierced the top-left corner of the goal. United went on to win the match 2-1 and Beckham was again in the thick of things.

The 2001-02 season was his most successful campaign in the Premier League. Although he made less than 30 appearances (28), due to a metatarsal injury in his left foot, he scored 11 goals and provided two assists. However, the next season was his last in England as he moved to real Madrid in the summer of 2003, after things went sour between him and manager Alex Ferguson.

Beckham made 265 league appearances for United and scored 61 goals and 74 assists. In nine seasons in England, he won the league six times.

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