The new Premier League season kicks off this weekend with a full schedule of fixtures running from Friday to Monday. Manchester United begin with a home clash with title-chasing Arsenal at Old Trafford as manager Ruben Amorim looks to improve on last season's dismal 15th-place finish.
Prospects
Amid the pre-season optimism that courses through most football fans right now, Manchester United fans are no different.
Three big name, big money, first team forward signings have lifted the mood which was on the floor after May’s abject Uefa Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
United couldn’t score that night as they’d struggled to score in the Premier League all season. That’s why the forward line needed improving and hopefully Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko will do just that. United are still trying to sign more reinforcements – specifically Brighton’s box-to-box midfielder Carlos Baleba.
Given Brighton’s likely demands, that will be a difficult deal to conclude, but any midfield deficiencies could be exposed in Sunday’s Old Trafford opener against Arsenal.
The opening fixtures have not been kind, with games against Manchester City and Chelsea looming in the first five league fixtures. An away game to Fulham and a home match against promoted Burnley should at least given an indicator of where United are at following a positive pre-season.
Whatever, United must improve significantly on last season’s 15th place. Qualifying for European football via a high enough league position is a realistic target and the mood among players is more positive than it has been for years.
And players are no longer in control at the (refurbished and much improved) Carrington training ground, with Amorim acting decisively to exclude the players he doesn’t want in his plans.
After a year of major changes, with hundreds of staff leaving, United are looking forward to less turbulent times. But they need to win games – pure and simple. There will no side attractions (or distractions) of European football, so it’s all about the Premier League in the months ahead. Crucial months, especially for coach Amorim.
First five fixtures
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
Burnley (H)
Man City (A)
Chelsea (H)
Last five finishes
24/25: 15th
23/24: 8th
22/23: 3rd
21/22: 6th
20/21: 2nd
The manager
Ruben Amorim: A superb communicator who the fans really want – and indeed do – believe in, despite him presiding over most of United’s worst season for 50 years.
“Ruben Amorim,” sing United’s hardcore fans week after week. “He’ll bring the glory days again. We’ll back him from the Stretford End; he’ll turn the Reds around.”
It’s to the tune of Bonnie Tyler’s It’s a heartache (it certainly was last season) and it’ll be sung again this season, but the dynamics have changed.
He knows he was cut a lot of credit and support last season because he was taking over a team (and club) undergoing huge change. He has clear ideas and a clear vision. It’s time for it to start looking like it could work.
Star signing
Benjamin Sesko: The most recent of United’s three big summer signings, Sesko has long been a United target. United need goals after only 44 were scored in 38 games last season and while there was mitigation, the hardworking Rasmus Hojlund was anything but prolific.
The Slovenian giant, 22, will cost €76.5 million plus €8.5 million in bonuses. He scored 21 goals and made six assists for RB Leipzig last season and has already been capped 41 times while scoring 16 goals for his country.
“Benjamin possesses a rare combination of electrifying pace and the ability to physically dominate defenders making him one of the most exceptional young talents in world football,” said United’s director of football Jason Wilcox.
“All our data analysis and research concluded he has the required qualities and personality to thrive at Manchester United.”
Key player
Bruno Fernandes: They tried to make him go to Riyadh and he said, no, no, no. United’s best player by a mile. Captain, creator and one of the few providers of pleasure last season, his coach and teammates were pleased that he stayed.
Player of the season and top scorer last term, he’s now 30 and over five years into a United career that hasn’t seen his team come close to mounting a title challenge.
Last term he carried United, a lone beacon of hope amid the dross in ’24-25. His leadership has moved up a few notches. He’s so ridiculously important to this United, indispensable even. His departure would have left a huge hole.
Subject to overly critical analysis, especially from people who don’t watch United regularly failing to understand his role in the team.
Hot prospect
Leny Yoro: The 19-year-old swerved an offer from Real Madrid to join United in 2024 amid uncertainty around the manager Erik ten Hag and the playing squad. It wasn’t ideal, nor was picking up a serious ankle injury pre-season in Los Angeles which kept him out until December 2024.
Faster than the Eurostar train which used to pass his home in Lille, Yoro has settled but still has much to come. United had plenty of bad moments last season, but when the team went behind, he was not one of the players who let his head drop.
His reactions, his resilience, hunger, ambition and courage impressed amid the acrimony of defeat after defeat. And all the time he was dealing with a new league, new country, new teammates and two new ways of playing under three different managers at United.
He’s bulked up, he has potential to be one of the best defenders in the world.
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Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
Key facilities
Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Fight card
1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)
4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)
5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)
6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)
9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)
10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)
11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)