Man Utd on brink of worst Premier League campaign of their history

Since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure, life at Old Trafford has been like riding a roller coaster. Ups and downs, mild successes and major failures for what the history of England's second most titled club demands. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer managed to get Manchester United barely back on track before going down and Erik ten Hag's era promised the greatest, but his figures are starting to bring him closer to David Moyes than to the Red Devils legends.

The 2023 EFL Cup and third place a year ago were a good starting point that has gone awry month by month in this 2023-24 campaign. It is true that at a club of United's media impact everything is magnified and that while victories are worth one, defeats are worth two for those around them. However, this season's results speak for themselves and Manchester United are in danger of having the worst Premier League in their history.

That could be the case for a number of reasons. They host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday and a win could leave the title all but wrapped up for neighbours Manchester City, but the Red Devils need to take five of their remaining 12 points to avoid their worst record since the English top flight became the Premier League, which stands at 58 credits in the 2021-22 campaign. Then, after Solskjaer's sacking, Michael Carrick and Ralf Rangnick barely managed the transition to the current project and finished the year with 16 wins, 10 draws and 12 defeats.

That same campaign they also set their worst goals conceded tally at 57. Manchester United have conceded 55 so far, so with two more in the next three games they would be guilty of a new offence. At least they can no longer do worse than the 49 goals they scored in 2015-16 because they have 52. Then, their top Premier League scorer was Anthony Martial with 11 goals, followed by Rooney (eight) and Mata (six), with Memphis Depay scoring just two. In this one, their leading scorers are Bruno Fernandes (10), Hojlund (8), McTominay, Rashford and Garnacho (7).

In comparison to that fateful 21-22, what the Mancunian side have already surpassed is their year with the most defeats with 13 and it is also in their hands not to drop below seventh place, their worst position in the Premier League and which dates back to the 2013-14 season, their first after Sir Alex Ferguson. It is curious that this did not match their worst points tally because the demand was greater then, but they are in eighth place going into matchday 37, three points adrift Chelsea (7th) and three behind Newcastle (6th with 57), so the battle is wide open.

At the Theatre of Dreams, they have been on a torrid run since the end of February. On the 24th of that month, Manchester United suffered their first Premier League defeat of 2024 against Fulham (1-2). Since then, they have won just two of their last ten league games, with four draws and four defeats. In other words, 10 out of the last 30 possible points, which was culminated with a 4-0 thrashing by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Ten Hag himself and players such as Casemiro, Onana and Anthony have been among those who have been singled out for criticism.

 

May 12, 2024