The club claimed that they did not want to devalue the FA Cup by fielding a weaker side. The move benefited United as they received a two-week break and won the 1999–2000 league title by an 18-point margin, although they did not progress past the group stage of the Club World Championship.
Why did they miss that competition? 
The club claimed that they did not want to devalue the FA Cup by fielding a weaker side.