Manchester United started the 2024/25 Premier League campaign looking for a massive improvement on last season’s return but so far, it hasn’t panned out that way.
Although their shock FA Cup win over Manchester City will live long in the memory, Man Utd’s league campaign left much to be desired. They slipped down to eighth in the table, eighth points outside the top four.
Erik ten Hag, who signed a new deal during the summer, was let go from his position, and Ruben Amorim has now taken charge. However, the former Sporting CP manager has had a challenging start, winning only 11 of his first 26 matches in all competitions. This includes an early elimination from the EFL Cup and crashing out of the FA Cup in the fifth round. Out of 17 Premier League games under Amorim, they have secured just five victories.
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Currently, the odds for Manchester United finishing in the top four this season are set at 750/1 by BetMGM. However, according to Opta, their chances of both that and winning the title are now officially 0%. Given that they remain in the Europa League, that may represent their best opportunity for a successful season. They are 6/1 to secure that continental glory.
The Red Devils were initially priced at 25/1 to win the league but BetMGM now won’t even entertain that market.
Latest Manchester United odds to win the 2024/25 Premier League
| Betting Market | Odds | Probability |
| Man Utd to win 24/25 Premier League | N/A | 0% |
| Man Utd to finish top four 24/25 Premier League | 750/1 with BetMGM | 1% |
| Man Utd to finish top six 24/25 Premier League | 500/1 with BetMGM | 1% |
Manchester United transfer window business
Manchester United transfers in
Manchester United enhanced their squad this summer by investing approximately £180 million in five new players. The standout acquisition was Leny Yoro, while the defensive lineup was further strengthened with the additions of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui. Manuel Ugarte was brought in midfield, and Joshua Zirkzee was signed to bolster their attacking options. Danish full-back Patrick Dorgu and teenage centre-back Ayden Heaven were the only players to join United in January, with the former immediately making Amorim’s starting lineup.
Manchester United transfers out
Concurrently, several players departed from Old Trafford, including Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial, who left upon the expiration of their contracts. Jadon Sancho was loaned to Chelsea with a future purchase obligation, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka transferred to West Ham. The most significant exit occurred late in the transfer window when Scott McTominay signed with Napoli. In January, five players left United on loan, including Marcus Rashford to Aston Villa, Antony to Real Betis, and Tyrell Malacia to PSV.
Who are Manchester United’s most important players?
Manchester United’s top Premier League Golden Boot contender: Bruno Fernandes
United fans will have hoped to see Rasmus Hojlund or Joshua Zirkzee here but between them, the strikers have scored just five Premier League goals. That’s two fewer than Bruno Fernandes has managed on his own and despite three of them being penalties, he remains a valuable source of output in the final third.
Three more of Fernandes’ goals have come from free-kicks, including a fine strike against Arsenal recently.
He might well go on to become United’s top Premier League goalscorer this season but the Golden Boot is, of course, out of the question.
Manchester United’s primary playmaker: Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes doesn’t just contribute goals; he was also Manchester United’s top assist provider with eight. Last season, he created an impressive 114 chances in the Premier League, which is at least 11 more than any other player in the league and 68 more than any teammate.
Out of those 114 chances, 39 came from set pieces, showcasing Fernandes’ exceptional delivery in those situations. It’s important to note that even without including set pieces, the 29-year-old would still have comfortably been Manchester United’s most creative player with 75 key passes in open play.
Fernandes consistently splits opposition defences, finishing the season with a remarkable expected assists (xA) total of 10.23—7.32 higher than any of his teammates. This figure indicates that his forwards may have let him down a bit in front of goal.
This season, Fernandes once again leads the way creatively with a team-high seven Premier League assists — one ahead of Amad Diallo, who is now out for the season — along with another five in cup competitions.
Manchester United’s card magnet & top tackler: Manuel Ugarte
Despite 11 players having played more minutes for Man Utd than Manuel Ugarte this season, the combative Uruguayan midfielder has received the most yellow cards, totalling eight. Additionally, only Diogo Dalot (36) and Noussair Mazraoui (32) have committed more fouls than Ugarte (31), who remains fourth for tackles (85).
Manchester United’s rising star: Kobbie Mainoo
If we’re truly honest, Mainoo’s star has already risen a very fair amount, especially given his exploits for England at Euro 2024 last summer. However, it’s important to remember this is a player who still has only 43 Premier League appearances to his name to date. In fact, with 60 senior Man Utd games registered so far, he’s only played 50 games fewer for his country than his club.
However, whether it’s his ice-cold composure on the ball, superb carrying skills or positional intelligence, Mainoo is already displaying all the hallmarks of a future world-class talent. And that’s not even mentioning his goal in Man Utd’s FA Cup final win over Man City. It feels like he’s one of the first names on the teamsheet.
It’s incredible to consider that Mainoo doesn’t turn 20 until April.
Manchester United’s set-piece specialists:
- Penalties: Bruno Fernandes
- Free-kicks: Bruno Fernandes
- Corners: Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United tactical analysis, formation & player ratings
Manchester United team stats from the 2023/24 Premier League season (avg per game):
- Corners: 5.9
- Shots on target: 5.1
- Shots conceded: 17.55
- Offsides: 2.39
Manchester United 2024/25 player ratings*
- GK: Andre Onana – 57% – At one time, he was regarded as the best goalkeeper in the Premier League according to the Squawka Score, and he was undoubtedly Manchester United’s standout player. However, there has been a noticeable decline in Onana’s performance. He is now averaging 0.12 errors that lead to goals per 90 and ranks in the 20th to 40th percentile compared to other goalkeepers in several key areas, including saves (2.6) and long passes completed (4.4).
- RWB: Noussair Mazraoui – 58% – Made a strong start to his career at Old Trafford, but given the turmoil surrounding the club, it wasn’t long before Mazraoui became affected by the chaos. He has been effective in certain aspects, winning an impressive 2.05 tackles per 90 minutes, which places him in the 80-95th percentile. However, he struggles in other areas; he has not recorded any intentional assists, created any big chances, or made any last-man tackles. Additionally, he is dribbled past 1.08 times per 90 minutes.
- CB: Matthijs de Ligt – 61% – Still growing into life at Man Utd but has shown flashes of quality despite playing in a struggling side.
- CB: Harry Maguire – 64% – Returning from a challenging period, he is now thriving under Amorim. The England international is averaging 2.37 interceptions retaining the ball per 90 minutes this season, the highest among all Premier League centre-backs.
- CB: Lisandro Martinez – 68% – Recently sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his knee, which will keep him out for the remainder of the season. Prior to this injury, Martinez demonstrated a considerable level of aggression and unwavering determination, averaging 0.15 last-man tackles per 90 minutes. This impressive statistic places him in the 95th percentile among all centre-backs in the Premier League.
- LWB: Diogo Dalot – 59% – Has demonstrated potential as an inverted full-back but has not fully adapted to his new wing-back position. Although Dalot has recorded an intentional assist (0.04 per 90) and created big chances (0.13 per 90), the Portugal international has also given away a penalty (0.04 per 90).
- CM: Kobbie Mainoo – 47% – It often seems like he has been isolated from those around him, resulting in an average of 0.07 errors leading to a goal per game. Additionally, his completed passes into the final third and entries into the final third place him disappointingly in the 20th percentile. He is trying his best, but at his age, he needs support.
- CM: Manuel Ugarte – 52% – Reunited with Amorim, and though it has taken some time for him to adapt to English football, his recent performances have been encouraging. Averaging 2.66 tackles won per 90 minutes, Ugarte can potentially become the midfield lynchpin for this Manchester United side.
- AM: Amad Diallo – 72% – By far, the standout performer for Man United under Amorim’s leadership has been Diallo. He has made 13 appearances under the Portuguese tactician in England’s top division, subsequently registering five goals and creating four more before succumbing to injury.
- AM: Bruno Fernandes – 61% – This season started off poorly for Fernandes, who was prone to getting booked by referees. However, he has since returned to his best form, although he still has a long way to go to match the metrics he achieved last season. Currently, he averages 0.45 big chances per 90 minutes, which places him in the 60th to 80th percentile.
- CF: Joshua Zirkzee – 57% – Zirkzee has been in and out of the Man Utd team since his summer arrival and in truth, he’s failed to live up to the billing, scoring just three Premier League goals so far. However, that’s one better than his centre-forward competitor, Rasmus Hojlund.
The arrival of Amorim marked a significant change in United’s tactical approach, moving away from the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation that fans have come to expect. Instead, the team has adopted a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 setup. In the early days, there have been some teething issues as the players adjust to their new roles. Currently, the defensive trio consists of Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, and Lisandro Martínez, with Leny Yoro hoping to replace either Maguire or De Ligt, as the young Frenchman is currently coming off the bench.
Andre Onana remains United’s number one goalkeeper, and Amorim’s intention for this new backline is to provide a solid foundation for the team, enhancing their defensive capabilities while supporting attacking plays. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui occupy the wing-back positions, flanking a central midfield pairing of Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte. Up front, Joshua Zirkzee leads the attack, with Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes providing support as inside-forwards.
Manchester United’s Premier League 2024/25 squad
| PLAYER NAME | POSITION | AGE |
| Andre Onana | Goalkeeper | 28 |
| Altay Bayindir | Goalkeeper | 26 |
| Tom Heaton | Goalkeeper | 38 |
| Leny Yoro | Defender | 19 |
| Lisandro Martínez | Defender | 27 |
| Matthijs de Ligt | Defender | 25 |
| Harry Maguire | Defender | 31 |
| Victor Lindelöf | Defender | 30 |
| Jonny Evans | Defender | 37 |
| Ayden Heaven | Defender | 18 |
| Patrick Dorgu | Defender | 20 |
| Luke Shaw | Defender | 29 |
| Diogo Dalot | Defender | 25 |
| Noussair Mazraoui | Defender | 27 |
| Manuel Ugarte | Midfielder | 23 |
| Casemiro | Midfielder | 32 |
| Toby Collyer | Midfielder | 21 |
| Kobbie Mainoo | Midfielder | 19 |
| Christian Eriksen | Midfielder | 33 |
| Bruno Fernandes | Midfielder | 30 |
| Mason Mount | Midfielder | 26 |
| Alejandro Garnacho | Forward | 20 |
| Amad Diallo | Forward | 22 |
| Rasmus Højlund | Forward | 22 |
| Joshua Zirkzee | Forward | 23 |
Manchester United FAQs
Where did Manchester United finish in the 2023/24 Premier League season?
Manchester United slumped to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League last season, which was hugely disappointing given they came third the season prior. The Red Devils only managed to qualify for Europe thanks to winning the FA Cup.
Who is the Manchester United manager?
Ruben Amorim is the current manager of Manchester United. He took over after Erik ten Hag was dismissed early into the 2024/25 season.
Who is the current Manchester United captain?
Bruno Fernandes is the current Manchester United captain, taking over from Harry Maguire in July 2023.
Will Manchester United play in Europe in 2024/25?
Manchester United qualified for the 2024/25 Europa League by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final. The Red Devils will enter directly into the league phase.
How do Squawka player ratings work?*
Squawka’s new player rating system is completely stats-based. Player scores are based on the numbers they put up across a range of on-ball events, from goals scored to tackles won.
Using extensive research and our expertise, we’ve tailored each score to the player’s position. For example, forwards’ scores are based on metrics such as shots on target, touches in the opposition box and big chances created. Meanwhile, centre-backs are rewarded for winning aerial duels, making blocks, successful long-range passes and so on.
More Premier League 2024/25 content:
- Manchester United Premier League 2024/25 fixtures
- 2024/25 Premier League fixture list
- Premier League net spend