Manchester United is certainly one of England’s most beloved, popular, and successful football clubs. In fact, in terms of sheer numbers, the Red Devils are the undisputed number one most popular club. They’ve won 20 league titles, making them the most successful domestic club in the country. And it does not end there. They’ve also won the European Cup three times, as well as the UEFA Europa League, the Cup Winners’ Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup.
Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium is among the most popular and notable stadiums in England. Many historic games have been played on the Red Devils’ historic stomping ground. It is the place where Man Utd. earned their fame and success. However, despite United’s historic success, their 2022/23 season did not start off on the right foot.
Manchester United in the EPL 2022/23
The 2022/23 English Premier League was the 31st season of the annual event. The tournament recently concluded, and the top three have already been announced. Many Manchester United fans were disappointed that the Red Devils did not reach the gold medal. Even more were infuriated by the fact that, for the third season in a row, United’s hometown rivals, Manchester City took the title.
The English Premier League is one of the most popular football competitions in the world. Bettors join some top tier online sportsbooks, and many use Bitcoin anonymously to place their bets. And it isn’t much of a surprise that plenty of bettors back Manchester United in the EPL. After all, the club has achieved international success.
Sadly, this season, Manchester United did not leave a huge impression, at least in the first half of the tournament. In this article, we would like to explore just how well The Red Devils performed in the 31st edition of the English Premier League.
Off to a Rough Start
It is no secret that the Red Devils got off to a rough start in 2022. They started the season on a devastating loss against Brighton & Hove Albion. And though they managed to score a goal, it was not enough to catch up to Brighton’s ace, Alexis Mac Allister. Their first loss landed them number 13 in the initial Premier League rankings.
It got worse when they lost their second match against Brentford. The Red Devils could not score a single goal against the opposing club. The final score was 0 – 4, and Manchester United dropped to the bottom of the rankings. Needless to say fan reactions ranged from disappointment to fury.
However, it wasn’t all bad. After their devastating loss, the Red Devils had a string of successful matches, beating notable clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool. Their success streak, however, was eventually stopped by their home-town rivals, Manchester City. The Sky Blues devastated the Red Devils, in a match with a final score of 3 – 6. However, despite the loss, United had recovered from their low placement, and now enjoyed the 6th spot in the Premier League.
It was around this time that internal drama lead to the Red Devils losing one of their most notable players, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo Left United
In mid-to-late October, 2022, sports news websites began reporting that Ronaldo would be leaving the Red Devils. We did not know a lot on the topic then. In fact, there were many conflicting reports, stating that the star player’s departure was a mutual decision, a heat of the moment argument, and a long-time coming. And while at the time, nobody knew what to believe, one thing was certain; Ronaldo was leaving the Red Devils.
The departure of one of football’s greatest players hit the club hard. However, through the efforts of some talented players, and club manager Erik ten Hag, the team recovered. After languishing in the 6th spot, the Red Devils showed a noticeable improvement. They quickly jumped a few spots, taking up the 4th position within a month.
They managed to win some impressive matches, and even take their revenge against Manchester City in the rematch game, winning with a score of 2 – 1. So, let us take a look at the most notable matches that the Red Devils played in the 2022/23 season.
United’s Most Notable Matches
We have to take the good with the bad. And certainly one of the most notable matches that United had this past season was bad. In their first game against Manchester City, the Red Devils took their most devastating lost. Their rivals, the Sky Blues, doubled the score, ending the game with 3 – 6. Not only did this loss hit hard, but it also set the Red Devils back from 5th spot to number 6.
But it wasn’t all bad. After their lost to City, United had a pretty successful streak of three wins and two draws. During that time, they managed to regain and retain their number 5 rank. They would hold on to said ranking until Late-December, when they faced off, and defeated the Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In mid-January, Manchester United were to play the rematch game against Manchester City. One of the most notable rivalries in all of football brought many fans together. And finally, the Red Devil fandom got their wish, as United defeated City, ending the game with a score of 2 – 1. The Old Trafford Stadium roared with cheers, applause, and shouts as the Red Devils scored their second goal.
When all was said and done though, Manchester City had the last laugh. After all, in the last minute, they rose up the rank and once more won the English Premier League title, just barely dethroning Arsenal, who had been in the lead throughout the year. The Gunnars, for their part, managed to hold on tight to the number two spot, leaving the Red Devils with the bronze medal.
Still, a number three ranking is a marked improvement over the 2021/22 season, when United finished the EPL at number 6. And with new rumors of trades, it appears that the Red Devils will perform even better next season.