Benali wrote for the Daily Echo: "Manchester United has not always been easy for Saints but it is one that I think a lot of fans look forward to in the calendar.
"We beat United 2-1 in the second-last game at the Dell before moving to St Mary's back in 2001. That was a special time, finishing on a high like that.
"It's funny isn't it, I can remember the last game against Arsenal, but if you'd said to me who was in the second-last match I couldn't remember anything.
"As it happened, I came off the bench for Garry Monk towards the end of the match. The goals came from Wes Brown in his own net, Marian Pahars and Ryan Giggs.
"Games against United were and are, even now, very special. As a player back then it was always brilliant to be taking on the best in the country during that era.
"They were incredible teams they produced and the players that they had, the personalities, the characters and the quality they had - it was always brilliant."