We take a closer look at our opposition for the upcoming Premier League season
Founded as ‘Newton Heath LYR Football Club’ in 1878, the Red Devils competed in their first recorded match two years later as they lost 6-0 to Bolton Wanderers’ reserve team.
By 1888, ‘Newton Heath’ had become founding members of The Combination, a regional league and after that dissolved just a season later they joined the Football Alliance which would eventually merge with The Football League.
Starting the 1892/93 season in the top flight, the club had dropped the ‘LYR’ from its name having become independent to the railway company which it was formed from.
A season later, the Red Devils were relegated to the Second Division and spent several seasons there amidst financial issues which were resolved by four local businessmen on the grounds that they could change the club’s name. Out of that came ‘Manchester United’.
Promoted back to the First Divison in 1906, United then won a top flight title for the first time in 1908 and in the following season United began with victory in the first-ever Charity Shield and ended it with the club’s first FA Cup title.
Various relegations and promotions followed for the Red Devils, who then appointed Matt Busby as manager in October 1945 at the resumption of football post-WWII.
Busby led the team to 2nd-place finishes in three consecutive seasons and an FA Cup triumph before winning the First Division in 1952 to bring a first league title to Old Trafford in 41 years.
With an average age of 22 the squad were nicknamed ‘The Busby Babes’ by the media and in 1957 they became the first English team to compete in the European Cup reaching the semi-finals.
The following season however, on their way home from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade, United’s plane crashed while attempting to take off in Munich. 23 lives were lost in the disaster.
Busby had to re-build his team through youth players including George Best and did so by winning the FA Cup in 1963 and going on to win the European Cup for the first time in 1968 with a victory over Benfica in the final becoming the first English club to win the competition. Busby then retired as manager in 1969.
Uninspiring years followed and with them even a season spent in the Second Division following relegation in 1974, before Sir Alex Ferguson arrived in 1986.
Scotsman Ferguson would spend 27 years at the helm of United, a stint not matched by any coach in this country to date.
The most decorated manager ever, he earned 38 pieces of silverware during his tenure including 13 Premier League titles, two UEFA Champions Leagues and one FIFA Club World Cup.
Though the Red Devils haven’t hit the same heights since his departure a decade ago, there has still been success to discuss at Old Trafford for the club now managed by Erik ten Hag.
Winning the Carabao Cup last term, and reaching the FA Cup final, United also qualified for the UEFA Champions League with a 4th-place finish.
Stadium: Old Trafford (74,310) – Sir Matt Busby Way, Old Trafford, Stretford, Manchester, M16 0RA
Nickname(s): The Red Devils, United
Manager: Erik ten Hag
2022/23 finishing position: 3rd
2022/23 top scorer (all competitions): Marcus Rashford (30)
Played for both:
David May – May moved to United from Blackburn Rovers in 1994 and made his debut for the Red Devils against his former side Rovers the same year in the Charity Shield Final at Wembley. The Oldham-born defender spent seven years at Old Trafford making 85 appearances and winning the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and FA Cup before departing in 2003. May signed for Burnley that summer and spent just one campaign at Turf Moor making 35 appearances before leaving at the end of the 2003/04 season.
Phil Bardsley – Salford-born Bardsley joined United’s academy system at just eight-years-old and worked his way all the way through the age groups up to the first team. The defender made his debut for the Red Devils against West Brom in 2003 and went on to feature a further 17 times during his time at Old Trafford. Bardsley also spent time out on loan at Royal Antwerp, Rangers, Aston Villa, Sheffield United and Burnley. Six appearances for the Clarets in the 2005/06 Championship season then saw Bardsley depart United permanently in 2008 for Sunderland. After a seven year spell in the North East and three years at Stoke City, the right-back then joined Burnley for a second time in 2017. The right-back spent five seasons at Turf Moor making 71 appearances before leaving in 2022.
Mike Phelan – Born in Nelson, Phelan joined the Clarets as a schoolboy in 1979. Making his league debut for the Club in 1981, Phelan made 168 appearances for Burnley over six years before joining Norwich City in 1986. Three years at Carrow Road then saw Phelan sign for United in 1989. The defender spent six seasons at Old Trafford and featured 102 times also winning the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Full record against (competitive): P – 135 , W – 45, D – 24, L – 66
Last time we met: 21.12.2022 – United 2 [Rashford, Eriksen] – 0 Burnley (Carabao Cup)
Last win against: 22.02.2020 – United 0-2 Burnley [Wood, Rodriguez] (PL)
2023/24 Fixtures: H – 23/09/2023 / A – 27/04/2024
