United face a challenging set of games to open the 2025/'26 season
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim
(Image: Getty Images)
The Premier League fixtures list for the 2025/26 season have been released, showing a tough opening set of games for Manchester United - and some Manchester Evening News fans in our comments section who say that Ruben Amorim needs a fast start to make up for a terrible year think that he will find it difficult to do so.
United will hope to have completed much of their summer business in time for the opening game against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, August 17. Fulham away and Burnley at home will be next, followed by the first Manchester Derby of the season, and a visit from Chelsea.
The run of games will be vital for Ruben Amorim, who will have a point to prove after a miserable season, and have the full pre-season and transfer opportunities that he was missing when he replaced Erik ten Hag.
United moved quickly to secure their first signing, Matheus Cunha from Wolves, but now face competition from Tottenham Hotspur for Brentford ace Bryan Mbeumo, and a new striker will likely be needed too.
The opening fixtures give some fans a grim feeling. Reader AndrewKoizumi says: "I have no confidence in Manchester United. The schedule (first five games) does not favour United. It is going to be another melancholic season."
Commenter TimeToShine writes: "Don't get me wrong, I want Amorim to do well at the club. But with these starting fixtures it's got to be worth a punt on him being sacked by Christmas!"
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Garth123 says: "With those fixtures it's going to be a tough start. With the Arsenal opener, I can already see the 'Amorim out'-ers and pundits warming their seats in readiness, and ready to shout 'Off with his head'."
Stephenjh writes: "The reality is that United have to play everyone twice. If we get 6 points from the first five games, the season can kick on from there. I would like to say it can't be worse than last season, but it is Man United. Nothing is simple with us!"
Ghostdad says: "In the past United have not been up for their first matches, welcoming Arsenal to OT should rid the team of that idea. Let us find out if the players' mentality has changed for the better, after all there are no easy games in the Premier League."
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Tankjr adds: "It will be interesting to see how Ineos deals with us potentially being out of the title race in the first six games with the current system and the fixture list.
"Anything more than 3 losses in the first 6-8 games - which would just be carrying over form from last season - should be considered totally unacceptable, and at the absolute minimum see a hierarchy enforcement of a system change and a reintegration of any of Garnacho or Rashford that remain available by then, or a replacement manager. I'm still shocked he's still in his job based purely on results and the failure of the system he's tied himself to."
Have your say! How many points do you think United can get out of those first five games? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.