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Man United 2024-25 season review: Star player, best moment, standout result from a horror campaign for the Red Devils

Man United 2024-25 season review: A memorable campaign for all the wrong reasons
© Iconsport
Sports Mole provides an in-depth review of Manchester United's 2024-25 campaign, including the team's star player, best moment and standout result.

Manchester United have had their worst-ever campaign in the Premier League, finishing down in 15th spot in the table, while there will be no European football on offer at Old Trafford next season.

The Red Devils had the chance to save their campaign in the Europa League final, but they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, missing out on a spot in next season's Champions League in the process.

Next term will be the first season since 2014-15 that Man United are absent from European competition, and head coach Ruben Amorim, who gave a bold speech following Sunday's 2-0 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League, has an incredibly tough job on his hands when it comes to navigating the Red Devils through a very difficult period.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at Man United's memorable 2024-25 campaign, which proved to be their worst domestically for 51 years, showing the extent of the issues at Old Trafford.


SEASON OVERVIEW

Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho on May 22, 2025© Iconsport

Final league position: 15th

EFL Cup: Quarter-Finals

FA Cup: Fifth Round

Europa League: Runners-up

Top scorer: Bruno Fernandes (19)

Most assists: Bruno Fernandes (20)

Erik ten Hag kept his job as Man United head coach over the summer, largely due to the team's FA Cup success last term, but the Dutchman would only last until the end of October, being sacked to make way for Amorim.

There was a huge sense of optimism when Amorim finally entered the building, and Marcus Rashford's early goal against Ipswich Town in the new manager's first game in charge was a memorable moment in the season, but not too many would have predicted what followed.

Man United have broken so many unwanted records throughout a disastrous Premier League campaign, which has left them down in 15th spot in the table, boasting a record of 11 wins, nine draws and 18 defeats from 38 matches.

The Red Devils lost six of their final nine league games of the season, while they only managed to score 44 times in England's top flight, conceding 54, and they have recorded their lowest-ever points tally in the Premier League.

The Europa League was supposed to be the saving grace for Man United, with so much emphasis being placed on the competition in the latter stages of the campaign.

However, the 20-time English champions underperformed in the final of the competition against Tottenham, suffering a 1-0 defeat to their fellow Premier League strugglers, and the club are now staring at a very difficult summer transfer window, with a lot of big decisions needing to be made if there are to be steps forward.

That said, at least the club's fans had a 2-0 win over Villa to cheer on the final matchday of the 2024-25 Premier League campaign.


PREMIER LEAGUE STATS

Wins: 11 (=9th)
Draws: 9 (=16th)
Losses: 18 (=5th)
Goals scored: 44 (11th)
Goals conceded: 54 (=9th)
Yellow cards: 84 (7th)
Red cards: 3 (=4th)
Passes: 18,913 (4th)
Shots: 527 (7th)
Big chances missed: 59 (=11th)
Saves: 98 (17th)
Tackles: 816 (1st)
Own goals: 2 (=3rd)
Hit woodwork: 14 (=8th)
Clearances: 727 (16th)


HOW DID IT COMPARE TO LAST SEASON?

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag on October 6, 2024© Imago

Man United finished eighth in the Premier League last season, but they managed to qualify for the Europa League courtesy of their famous FA Cup triumph over Manchester City, with the result helping to keep Ten Hag in a job.

The Red Devils picked up 60 points from their 38 league games last season, recording 18 wins, seven more than they managed during the 2024-25 campaign, showing the extent of their problems.

Man United were eliminated in the fourth round of the EFL Cup last season, while they failed to make it through the group stage of the Champions League, so there have been some improvements in Europe and domestically this term.

That said, the league tells the story of how a team has performed, and to go from eighth, which at the time was considered to be a disaster, down to 15th, demonstrates how damaging the 2024-25 campaign has been for the club.


PLAYER OF THE SEASON: BRUNO FERNANDES

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes on May 22, 2025© Iconsport

Fernandes has faced criticism for what was an underwhelming performance in the Europa League final, but the simple fact of the matter is that the Portugal international needed help from his teammates, and it did not arrive.

There is currently huge speculation when it comes to the 30-year-old's future, and he has offered to leave the 20-time English champions this summer if the club are keen to sell him.

Fernandes ended the 2024-25 campaign with 19 goals and 20 assists in 57 appearances in all competitions, including seven goals and five assists in 14 Europa League outings, while he managed eight goals and 11 assists in 36 Premier League matches.

There has not been a Man United player close to the captain this season in terms of overall performance level, but the supporting cast have not turned up, and his future is certainly something to watch closely during the summer transfer window.


STANDOUT RESULT: TOTTENHAM 1-0 MAN UNITED

Tottenham Hotspur celebrate winning the Europa League final on May 21, 2025© Imago

Man United's standout result this season is for all of the wrong reasons, with the Red Devils going down 1-0 to Tottenham in the final of the Europa League at Athletic Bilbao's San Mames stadium on May 21.

It was a must-win match for Amorim, but a scrappy goal from Brennan Johnson in the latter stages of the first period ultimately proved to be the difference between two struggling sides.

Man United were very much on the front foot in the second period, with the Red Devils forcing the issue, but their lack of quality in the final third of the field was once again on full display in Spain.

Success would have seen the club qualify for next season's Champions League and left them in a much stronger position heading into this summer's transfer window, but the supporters of the English giants were once again let down by their side.

Even more frustratingly, Man United would go on to produce one of their best performances of the season four days later against Aston Villa in the Premier League.

> Click here for a full list of Man United's results from the 2024-25 season


BEST MOMENT

Harry Maguire of Manchester United after his side's Europa League match against Lyon, on April 17, 2025© Imago

Man United's loss in the Europa League final was even more disappointing when taking into account the effort that the team made to reach the final, with that run to Bilbao including a stunning quarter-final success over Lyon.

Amorim's side were 4-2 behind on the night and 6-4 behind on aggregate heading into the final six minutes of added time in the second leg at Old Trafford, but they managed to score three times to run out 7-6 winners in the tie.

Fernandes netted from the penalty spot in the 114th minute before Kobbie Mainoo made it 6-6, and Harry Maguire then stepped forward to win it with a header in the 121st minute at Old Trafford.

It was a moment of pure jubilation in a season which has had so many lows, but it ultimately proved to be for nothing, with the Red Devils unable to produce a performance when they needed it most.


TOP PRIORITY FOR SUMMER

Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Matheus Cunha on May 20, 2025© Imago

Man United are still expected to have a healthy transfer budget for this summer, and improving their attack is the priority, with a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha believed to be advanced.

Ipswich Town's Liam Delap, Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo and Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze are also admired by the Red Devils, and it is understood that three new attackers will move to Old Trafford this summer.

Andre Onana's performances have not improved, so a new number one goalkeeper is also required, but a central midfielder and a centre-back could also be added if the funds are there.

Man United must also focus on departures, with Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony all for sale following loan spells, while Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund are both being heavily linked with exits.

Garnacho was left out against Aston Villa and has allegedly been told that he can leave, while the exits of Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Christian Eriksen on free transfers have also been confirmed.

Kobbie Mainoo, who has struggled for minutes under Amorim, may also move on during this summer's transfer window, which will go down as one of the most important in the club's history.


FINAL VERDICT

Well, it has been a disaster.

Man United were tipped as top-four challengers at the start of the season, and that still looked to be a possibility when Amorim took charge, but the Red Devils proceeded to slide down the table at an alarming rate.

So much focus was placed on the Europa League that it had to be won, but when that was not the case, a desperately poor campaign for the 20-time English champions became an utterly disastrous one.

Amorim is not in danger of losing his job, but Ten Hag heard that before, and if the Portuguese is unable to oversee a huge improvement in the opening weeks of next season, then he could become the latest Man United head coach to be sacked.

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Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim on April 30, 2025
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