We are just a few days away from 2024 and it is a good time to look back on the previous 12 months and make a summary of how this year went for Manchester United. There is still one match to be played this year, as the Red Devils will face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday, in their ultimate game of 2023, but even without it, we can get a really good overview of everything and it is safe to say that one match will not drastically change the way we are looking at these past 12 months.
Premier League – Things Had To Be Better
Manchester United finished their first Premier League campaign under Erik Ten Hag in third place, with commendable 75 points, eight points ahead of the fifth-placed Liverpool who missed out on Champions League football. That was a big increase on the 58 points and sixth-placed finish the year before, but there were still indefensible losses, like the 0-7 debacle at Anfield. Then came the new season, where things got much worse. Those multiple runs of four consecutive wins in all competitions became unthinkable, with United losing eight of their first 19 games of the campaign. The Devils are still to beat a top-eight team away from home and they are currently the second-worst team in terms of goal scored.
Domestic Cup Competitions – It Looked Almost Perfect
It was almost perfect in the first part of the year, with United winning the League Cup after beating Newcastle at Wembley, ending their six-year drought without trophies. Then they reached the FA Cup final too, but there were overpowered by Manchester City, ultimately failing to stop them from becoming the first English team to win a treble since United did in 1999. But in the second half of the year, United got eliminated from the League Cup early on, as soon as they got a tougher draw – with Newcastle getting their revenge for the last season’s final. In 2024 we will see whether things will be better in the FA Cup.
European Football – A Disaster To Be Remembered
Things were good for Man United early on, as they eliminated Barcelona and Betis from the Europa League, before crashing out in the quarterfinals following a 3-0 loss to Sevilla. That elimination did not hurt as bad, as United were doing well in the remaining three competitions, but this season, that has not been the case. Because United ended their Champions League group stage in fourth place, even though they got themselves in an easier group with the likes of Galatasaray and Copenhagen. Conceding 15 goals in six games, a new English record since the start of this format 30 years ago was a real low for Erik Ten Hag and the Red Devils.
Summary
This was a tough year for Manchester United. While some positives were made in the first few months, as time was passing by, things were getting worse. Winning League Cup was great, reaching the FA Cup final also important, but it seems that everything United have done since has been to undermine all the progress previously made. A new 2024 will, as every new year, bring hope. But Man United fans will need to see with their eyes some drastic improvements.
Leave a Reply