Manchester United suffer third-worst start in Premier League era – but should fans be worried?
After drawing a blank in a stalemate against Burnley this afternoon, Manchester United have recorded their worst start to a league campaign in seven seasons and their third-worst start in the Premier League era.
With three games gone, Louis van Gaal’s side have just two points to their name, with today’s 0-0 draw at Turf Moor following a draw at Sunderland and an opening day loss to Swansea at Old Trafford. Only twice in their Premier League history have United had such a paltry total at this point in the season.
Even David Moyes did better than this. So should United fans be starting to worry?
The last time the Red Devils endured such a torrid first three games occurred in the 2007/2008 season. United drew at home to Reading, away to Portsmouth, and then lost at arch-rivals Manchester City, leaving them in 16th place. Yet most people don’t remember those three games from that season. They’re more likely to remember United lifting the Premier League and Champions League trophies nine months later the following May.
Similarly, the only time United have had a worse opening three games came in the Premier League’s first season. United were 21st (there were 22 teams that year) at that early stage, with just one point to their name. Yet over the remaining 39 games Sir Alex Ferguson’s men rose 20 places and won the league.
Before the Burnley game, van Gaal insisted that it was still possible for his side to finish the season as champions.
He said:
We can be champions still in England now, in my first year. Maybe you shall laugh, but also in my former clubs I have started like this.But you have to survive as a trainer-coach, as a manager. You have to survive, because, nowadays, the fans are asking for results and this is the question: Can I receive enough time to do all the steps we have to do?Maybe you (the media) can support Louis van Gaal. Do you believe in him? Yes? OK. What a fantastic end, a fantastic end.
He’s not kidding. In his first three games in charge of Bayern Munich in 2009 van Gaal’s side also picked up just two points. They finished the season with a league and cup double.
The quality and quantity of United’s competition this season is as strong as ever, while there are genuine questions to be asked about the suitability of van Gaal’s preferred 3-4-1-2 formation for United’s squad. Yet as gloomy as the United faithful may be feeling as they watch Match of the Day tonight, history tells us that van Gaal isn’t wrong.
It’s been a disastrous start for United, but there could be a fantastic end yet.