Manchester United are hoping to bounce back after a turbulent 2024/25 campaign.
Ruben Amorim endured a difficult first six months as Manchester United head coach, losing the Europa League final and finishing 15th in the Premier League.
The Red Devils are expected to improve after welcoming four new signings to the squad. They include Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon, Bryan Mbuemo and Benjamin Sesko.
Those who were present last season are now expected to step up after a dire campaign.
Amorim will call upon his leaders in the United first team dressing room to take responsibility for the entire group. He will also hope that his new signings can boost morale within the team.
Harry Maguire wants to give something back to the fans
If any United player knows what it takes to bounce back, it’s Harry Maguire.
The experienced centre-back has experienced many highs and lows during his time at Old Trafford.
After being subjected to heavy criticism, Maguire lost the captain’s armband at United, but he has since become a leader in the dressing room by setting standards on the pitch.
Maguire believes the United players must repay the club’s loyal fans, starting from the opening day of the new season against Arsenal.
“I said it last year, that we’ve got the best fans in the world,” Maguire told MUTV.
“I think you realise that when you’re going through bad times. Everyone can be there and celebrating and be loud and proud when things are going well, but our fans last year stuck with us through it all. There were some dark times and some performances that were nowhere near good enough and they were always there.
“A few days after the final, it could have been a real toxic atmosphere. It wasn’t. It was the opposite.
“We got clapped off the pitch when we did the a lap of honour and that’s our fans. Now it’s on us to go and repay them this season with some special performances and some memories for them to keep and share.”
What fans can expect from Man Utd this season
United enjoyed a positive pre-season this summer after travelling to Sweden and the United States.
Throughout five pre-season friendlies, United were unbeaten, winning three of those matches.
Maguire believes the whole squad have learnt from last season’s disappointment. Hopefully, they can prove that on the pitch.
He added: “We will definitely be stronger, for sure.
“Individuals will be strong. When you have setbacks, you learn from them, you gain experience from them.
“There’ll be a lot of lads in that changing room who have had a tough year last year and will have found themselves coming under a lot of pressure and a lot of scrutiny, probably for the first time in their career, so they’ll have learned from it massively.
“It’s important that we’re resilient throughout the season. We know it’s not going to be plain sailing, that we’re not just going to win every match even though we want to.
“There’s going to be ups and downs again. But compared to last year, we need to have much more ups and much more consistency for us to succeed and get this club where it deserves to be.
“A good break [helps you] switch off from football and come back to it thinking of it as a fresh start. Signing new players [also] helps with that, and being in the new facility. It’s our first pre-season under Ruben [Amorim] and his staff, so it’s really important.
“It feels like a real fresh start this season, and after a bad season, that’s the best thing that could have happened. Now it’s time for us to play and put it into practice and make sure we get the result.”
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