Manchester United had a 2021/22 campaign to forget with no silverware and the collapse of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign. Here is everything you need to know.
As far as seasons go, in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, 2021/22 was among the most frustrating as a Manchester United fan.
This is because optimism was so high under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and there was such belief around a league title challenge with the additions of Raphael Varane, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Jadon Sancho.
However, despite a really strong 5-1 win vs Leeds to start the season, things quickly tailed off.
Managers
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – 17 games
- Michael Carrick – 3 games (caretaker)
- Ralf Rangnick – 29 games (interim)
Solskjaer’s exit came after a 4-1 defeat to Watford; some still believe it to be harsh considering what he had managed before, and things didn’t improve much under Ralf Rangnick.
Here is everything you need to know about that season.
Top scorers and competition outcomes
- Premier League position: 6th
- Points total: 58
- FA Cup: Fourth round
- Carabao Cup: Third round
- Champions League: Round of 16
- Trophies: N/A
This season saw the long-awaited return of Ronaldo, and the Portuguese legend was among United’s star players as he finished top scorer.
- Top scorer: Cristiano Ronaldo – 24
Second to Ronaldo was Bruno Fernandes with 10, but then there was a pretty substantial drop off.
2021/22 signings
- Jadon Sancho – £72m
- Raphael Varane – £41m
- Cristiano Ronaldo – £12.8m
- Tom Heaton – Free
Memorable matches
Despite the disappointment of the season, there were some good times.
Manchester United 5-1 Leeds
The season opener against Leeds was a celebration as Varane was announced pre-game before United went on to thrash the opposition.
Fernandes scored a hat-trick and Paul Pogba notched up four assists from left-wing, with Jadon Sancho making his debut from the bench.
It was a day that had fans believing that a 21st Premier League title was on the way, with the crowd celebrating every goal like it was a winner.
Manchester United 4-1 Newcastle United
If you thought Old Trafford was loud against Leeds, this 4-1 win over Newcastle was an entirely new level as it saw the return of Ronaldo at United.
Ronaldo bagged a brace, and it was like a dream to see the club legend back home, scoring goals, and the win put the Red Devils top of the league.
This was the peak of the season for United, as from here it was mostly downhill.
Manchester United 3-2 Arsenal
Between Solskjaer being sacked and Rangnick being hired, it was Michael Carrick who was in charge of a tough three-game spell against Chelsea, Arsenal, and Villarreal.
Against Arsenal saw Carrick claim a massive win, and in hindsight, it should have seen him appointed head coach until the end of the season.
Ronaldo’s brace and Fernandes’ goal claimed a 3-2 win over the Gunners. This was about as good as it got.
What else happened this season?
Outside of the managerial drama and Ronaldo’s return, the main thing that 2021/22 saw was the return of full stadiums after the coronavirus pandemic.
It had been a staggered return, and this jubilation from the fans came through for United early in the season with Old Trafford bouncing.
The campaign also saw the breakout of Anthony Elanga. United’s Champions League campaign came to an end against Atletico Madrid.
At the end of the season there was a clearout, with Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard and Nemanja Matic leaving on free transfers.
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