Manchester United have drawn Arsenal as their first opponents of the new Premier League season, and their start could place Ruben Amorim under pressure.

After the team's disastrous 2024-25 campaign in which they finished 15th in the top flight and lost the Europa League final, boss Amorim faced scrutiny from fans and pundits for his time in charge.

The Portuguese head coach was brought in as a replacement for Erik ten Hag in November 2024, and he managed to win just seven of his 27 Premier League games in the dugout.

Amorim repeatedly insisted that it was better for the squad to acclimatise to playing in his 3-4-3 system, even though the players struggled with his demands at times.

While some of the pressure on his position as boss has subsided following the end of 2024-25, Opta analysis shows that United have been given the toughest first five games of any club in the new Premier League season.

The Red Devils' opening fixture against Arsenal at home in August is followed by matches against Fulham and Burnley, before they face Manchester City and Chelsea.

United's start to the season analysed

It should be noted that United performed well against Arsenal in 2024-25, as while they lost 2-0 at the Emirates in December 2024, they managed to eliminate the Gunners from the FA Cup in January and hold them to a 1-1 stalemate in the league last March.

They have also triumphed in seven of their past 10 matches against Fulham, while Burnley have lost six of their 10 most recent meetings with the Red Devils.

Though the prospect of facing Manchester City may be daunting, Amorim did guide his side to a 2-1 victory against their rivals in December, and he held Pep Guardiola's team to a goalless stalemate in April.

As for Chelsea, United are winless in three matches against the Blues, suffering two defeats including when they lost 1-0 in May.

Pressure on Amorim

Amorim will be tasked with taking the club back to the Champions League, but his mission will undoubtedly be fraught with challenges.

The likes of Newcastle United and Chelsea are looking to regularly finish in the top five, and it would be surprising if Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester City fell away next season.

Should the Red Devils start the 2025-26 season in poor fashion, the club could find themselves trailing by several points in the race for the Champions League, and anything other than a strong opening will likely see Amorim face significantly more pressure.

Written by
Lewis Nolan