Manchester United’s failure in the Premier League has become a common sight for the fans, with the last season being their worst after 1992. Ten Hag’s team finished 8th in the Premier League standings below Newcastle United. Their only achievement in the 2023-2024 season was the FA Cup title, which they won, beating their mighty rivals, Manchester City. Moreover, had they not beaten them in the FA Cup finals, they would have lost any chance of a European Qualification, and, with that, Ten Hags’ job as manager.
With all the pressure and expectations mounting on the back of the Dutch Coach, will he be able to turn the luck for the Red Devils? What it seems till now is that there may be some light for Manchester United in this season. With the stakeholders, INEOS, willing to fund a good amount to steer prospects into the team, Ten Hag may be able to prepare a strong team this time just before the season starts. Let us take a look at the current state of the Manchester United team and what its future holds.
Manchester City Team Preview
The major reason behind Manchester United’s disappointing performance last season was its inconsistency and injuries. To be fair, the Red Devils had more than a few issues throughout the 2023-2024 season, but all of them took root from the reason mentioned above. Rashford losing his form, Luk Shaw missing out almost the entire season because of his injuries and lack of physicality in the midfield were among some of the major problems Ten Hag had to face.
So, what good could the new season bring for Ten Hag? Well, he has already started working on that with all the stakeholders aboard with him. Firstly, he will need some new energetic faces to replace the ones that left last season, like Raphael Varane. And from what it seems like, he will be making several signings within the first parts of the season. The Dutch man has already made two great signings- both young and with great potential. One is Leny Yoro, a 19-year-old prospect from French club Lille, who is a center back, a position that has suffered Ten Hag throughout the season. The other one is Joshua Zirkzee, a forward from Bologna, who might become a game-changer for the Red Devils this season. He had a great season with his previous club, and this could be the solution to ManUnited’s issue of scoring goals.
With the new young faces in the team, the old ones will have to match their energy and show more physicality, which they lacked severely in their last season. However, there were some who were consistent for the club, like Alejandro Garnacho and Diogo Dalot. They will be the silver lining for Ten Hag going to the new season. Garnacho will undoubtedly be the key figure in the coming season as he will be replacing Rashford for the starting 11. With Joshua Zirkzee joining, they may end up becoming a deadly duo. Talking about forwards, Ten Hag will be asking a lot more from Rasmus Hojlund in contrast to what he had to give in the last season. He flourished in the last parts of the season but failed to score in pretty much the whole period.
Bruno Fernandes is the only player who has been the most dependable for Manchester United. He has been their sole playmaker, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to call him the main goal scorer also. He was the joint top goalscorer in the last season alongside Rasmus Hojlund. Talking about midfielders, Manchester United’s homegrown prospect Kobbie Mainoo is a brilliant player and should be one of the players to look for in the 2023-2024 Premier League season.
After the midfield, the one place Man United suffered the most was their defense. This was mostly bad luck because two of their key defenders, Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez, were pretty much out during the whole season due to injury. With them recovering and possibly joining the squad with Leny Yoro, Man Utd could end up bolstering a compact defense lineup.
Manchester City’s Key Players
Rasmus Hojlund: The Clinical Finisher
Even though he failed to meet the expectations fans had of him when he arrived at Old Trafford, he still showed great potential in the last season. With his dominant presence on the pitch and clinical finishing ability, he should be able to shine for Manchester United. Also, now that the Red Devils are getting a new midfield, he should be receiving more balls forward, meaning more threats for the opponent.
Bruno Fernandes: The Creative Playmaker
Bruno Fernandes has become a veteran for the Man Utd side and their sole playmaker on the field. His creative forward passes and lofted-over balls shape the team’s attacks. Adding to that, his scoring capabilities make him a complete player and someone who can steer the outcome of a match anytime. With young and energetic midfielders joining him, he might end up unleashing a new form of his this season.
Alejandro Garnacho: The Tactical Winger
Alejandro Garnacho has already shown what he is capable of in the left wing, and he is only starting. The young Argentine sensation has become a gem for the Red Devils, especially when it comes to cutting through opponents’ defenses and opening up spaces for Hojlund. He also has seven goals to his name in the Premier League last season, and with the forward line gaining more versatility, he will become the trump card for Ten Hag.
Kobbie Mainoo: The Rising Star
Kobbie Mainoo is a promising young talent who has showcased his versatile playability in the last season. He has a great range and excellent ball control, not to mention his ability to change his roles in the midfield. With the team becoming more balanced, he should be able to flourish and deliver more to the midfield.
Manchester United Predicted Lineup: 2024/25
Ten Hag’s Manchester United is looking to start their new season with a more composed and balanced team. With fresh signings joining, here’s a potential starting lineup for the 2024/25 season:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Predicted XI: Andre Onana, Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes, Joshua Zirkzee, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund
Manchester United PL Winning Odds
Premier League winning odds: 22/1 (bet365)
Manchester United’s Uncertainties
We all know very well what could come to the fate of Manchester United if things do not work according to plan. Too often, We have seen the Red Devils bottling up a great start during the mid-season or vice versa. This happens because United is more prone to player injuries, which was the sole reason they finished 8th. For instance, they had to finish their whole campaign without their key defenders. Fans will be fearing this the most in the upcoming season, too. Ten Hag will be looking to avoid this at any cost, which is why he is trying to assemble a more young team.
Coming to reshaping the team, there needs to be no saying that Man Utd’s luck runs badly regarding new signings. There are uncountable examples of flop signings and instances where players took several seasons to completely reach their potential. The same thing happened in the last campaign; the likes of Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund took more than sufficient time to settle into the squad. Also, with the likes of Raphael Varnae and Anthony Martial, leaving new signings has become imperative. So Ten Hag will be extra careful moving forward about who to pick.
Talking about Signings, it’s still not clear if the Man Utd management will be able to move forward with the Matthijs de Ligt deal. This could become a very crucial signing, given Man Utd’s defensive problem. Then there is the deal with PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte, which is still hanging on a cliffhanger.
Manchester United Team Preview
Manchester United is still in the development and reshaping phase. It is too early to say how the future of the Red Devils will play out in the 2024/25 Premier League season. But the path seems promising for the team. If Ten Hag ends up picking the right replacements for the squad, then this may well be the season the fans have been looking forward to.
It goes without saying that the odds are against them, given City’s dominating performance and Liverpool’s resurfacing to the top level, not to mention Arsenal’s recent might also. But if Ten Hag can finally implement what he did during his days at Ajax, then this should not be an impossible task. And if not the title, even staying in the fight seems very much possible for them.
One thing is certain: the 2024/25 Premier League season promises to be a thrilling spectacle, with the major teams assembling balanced squads. Will the red devils be able to break their deadlock, or will the dark times keep following them? Only time will decide.