The buildup to the next season can now begin at pace as Manchester United’s fixture list for the 2025/26 Premier League season has been announced.
The fixture is always subject to changes later in the season, but for Man Utd, the changes will be fewer than usual because they aren’t in any European competitions.
They start their season with a fiery home game against Arsenal, before facing three of the conventional “top-six” in their first five games.
Ruben Amorim will need to get United off to an encouraging start after the disaster in the 2024/25 season, and now he knows what planning needs to be done.
Here are five things we learned from Man Utd’s PL fixture list for 2025/26 season–
Mason Mount of Manchester United celebrates with Bruno Fernandes after scoring their first goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Semi Final Second Leg match between Manchester United and Athletic Club
Photo by Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images
1- Ruben Amorim’s trial by fire
Get the obvious one out of the way first, and it’s not something to celebrate for Man Utd.
While it can be argued that getting the tough fixtures out of the way leaves United with momentum later when the permutations of finishing will become clear, United’s case is unique.
Facing formidable opponents like Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal, and Liverpool within the first ten matchdays can ramp up the pressure on a team that will still be developing in its style.
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Amorim needed to start the season well to allay fears that 2024/25 was an anomaly, but the fixture list to begin with is as unforgiving as it comes.
2- From 0-100 in record time
United’s tough start to the season has already been discussed above, but even within that, there’s an interesting wrinkle.
Manchester United will travel to Manchester City for the derby on Matchday 4, which, coincidentally, is the game just after the first international break.
Amorim will be praying that his players return from international duty safely and soundly because they will have to go from 0-100 in record time against a daunting City outfit.
Rayan Cherki is waiting to “kill” Man Utd to avenge the Lyon nightmare, and Amorim will have 12-13 days to prepare for it.
3- First reunion on Matchday 6 (Hopefully!)
United’s strategy of going back to Sir Alex Ferguson’s template of transfers has led them to Matheus Cunha, while Bryan Mbeumo is in the works.
Cunha’s return to Wolves happens on Matchday 15, but if everything goes right for Man Utd, the first reunion will happen on Matchday 6.
That’s when United play Brentford, hopefully with Mbeumo having the devil’s trident on his jersey.
United have had a bid rejected for the Cameroon international, but the interest remains concrete despite Spurs coming into the picture.
If Mbeumo is not lining up against Brentford on that day, September 27, something will have gone very wrong.
4- Matchday 35 could be memorable
This season, United’s campaign finished in all but name by January, which means even the players looked like they were sleepwalking in the league half the time.
However, Amorim has already promised that 2025/26 will not be a repeat, which means United should have plenty to play for near the end of the season.
A tough start to the season means United will have a more accommodating finish to the season, but Matchday 35 is a wrench in the plans, or an opportunity.
United will host Liverpool that day in their final game against the conventional “top-six”, as they finish with games against Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, and Brighton.
The chance to land a pivotal blow on Liverpool, while hopefully raising their own prospects will be a salivating one.
5- December is the month of narratives
Every fixture has a narrative around it and that becomes even harder to ignore when one of the clubs is as intensely scrutinised as Man Utd.
However, even beyond that, December will serve up some spicy narratives, not least of which is a double reunion for a United man.
United will play Wolves twice in December, on Matchday 15 and 19, separated by just more than three weeks. That alone is a good one.
Apart from that obvious one, there’s a home game against Bournemouth on Matchday 16, where Amorim will want to avenge one of the most brutal losses of his tenure so far.
An away game at Aston Villa and a home game against a budding rival in Newcastle round up a tricky December which has no traditional marquee games but serves up exciting narratives in each fixture.