As Ernst Middendorp steps up his team's preparations ahead of their clash with English Premier League giants Manchester United, on Tuesday, he does so with the knowledge that since 1992 Amakhosi has never been victorious over an English team.

Chiefs battles with English Premier League teams go back fourteen years to 1992 when South African sports was allowed back into the international fold from isolation.

Chiefs first sojourn into international soccer was against the 1990 FA Cup finalist Crystal Palace. There was much excitement around the game as it was to be the first tour to South Africa by a high profile foreign team.

Steve Coppell brought his full array of foreign stars to the country which included former England international John Salako; The Eagles played Chiefs at a near capacity FNB Stadium in a high tempo encounter.

Although Donald Ace Khuse and Isaac Kungoane along with Doctor Khumalo helped Chiefs dominate the game they still ended up on the losing side as Palace eventually won the game 3-2.

Chiefs came from a goal down to lead Palace 2-1 at a stage in the game, but Palace’s experience told as they rallied to win in injury time.

Chiefs next English opponents the following year were much higher profile opposition and they could not have been any tougher. In July 1993 Amakhosi drew with the 1992/1993 English Premier League Champions Manchester United.

In an exciting clash in front of 75 000 fans at the FNB Stadium Chiefs went behind to a Dion Dublin strike but managed to get back on level terms through a Timothy Lesenyane goals. After the game than United and England Captain Brian Robson described his opponents who had John Shoes Moshoeu, Lucas Radebe, Steve Komphela and Doctor Khumalo in their ranks as “a tough team with many classy players who could easily compete in the European Cup”(old name of UEFA Champions League).

Making one of his first appearances in that game back in 1993 for United at the FNB Stadium was an 18 year old by the name of David Beckham.

A few days after the draw with United next on the bill for Chiefs was another heavy weight English team in the shape of Arsenal, in a show piece friendly played in Durban the two teams put on an impressive display as Chiefs narrowly lost by a goal to nil.

Amakhosi were unfortunate not to have gotten a draw out of the game as Arsenal keeper David Seaman fouled a Chiefs attacker way out of his area as Amakhosi player was bearing down on goal and was a sure bet to score a goal.

After their double header clashes with United and Arsenal, Chiefs took on and drew with Liverpool a week later and had to wait until 2003 to face English opposition again, this came in the form of Tottenham Hotspurs.

Fresh from a three match tour of South Korea in the Peace King Cup Amakhosi played Spurs in front of a packed Newlands Stadium in what was a South Africa 2010 bid Match.

Chiefs were once more on the wrong end of the score sheet, although they dominated much of the game they lost by two goals to nil after going down early in the game Chiefs had to chase the game for much of the match.

Having had a number of near misses with English teams over the past decade, the chance does not come any better for Chiefs than when they take on Manchester United in the Vodacom Challenge on Tuesday evening at the Newlands Rugby Stadium in Cape Town.

With both teams at an early stage of their pre season preparations Ernst Middendorp will fancy his teams chances against what can be described as a youthful Manchester United team.

Kaizer Chiefs Results Vs English Teams Since 1992

1992

Kaizer Chiefs 2 Crystal Palace 3

1993

Kaizer Chiefs 1 Manchester United 1

Kaizer Chiefs 0 Arsenal 1

1994

Kaizer Chiefs 0 Liverpool 0

2003

Kaizer Chiefs 0 Tottenham Hotspurs 2