MUTV Group Chat analyse key 2020/21 games

The fixtures for the new Premier League campaign were announced on Thursday and, like most fans, David May, Wes Brown, Danny Webber and Ben Thornley instantly looked for the dates when we’ll be playing our main rivals.

As usual, everyone was quick to check when we’ll lock horns with Liverpool and Manchester City, but there was also an extra name to keep an eye out for this year, with Leeds United making a return to the top flight for the first time since 2004.

On top of that, the quartet wanted to know which teams United will play after midweek cup games and assessed how that will impact Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team selections.

In particular, October and November will be gruelling months for the Reds with the return of the UEFA Champions League and Carabao Cup sandwiched between several tough league games.

“It’s difficult, of course it is,” said Maysie. “We’ve got Chelsea and Arsenal [after European games], but the good thing is that we’re home. Everton is away, but there’s not much travelling until you get to the Southampton game.

“Then you’ve got the derby at the end of it [against Man City in mid-December]. It could have been a hell of a lot worse with travelling distances away.

“That’s what Manchester United is all about: playing in the Champions League,” he added. “We were desperate to get back into it; we’re back in it now and we’ve just got to deal with it. 

“It’s always tough, but it’s what playing for Manchester United is all about. You love those games; you thrive off those games.”

Wes also feels that by October the Reds will need to be hitting top form and with so many games in a short period of time, our former defender thinks rotation will be key.

“You will look at that as a player and think that’s the first month where everybody has to be ready,” he told host Stewart Gardner. 

“Every single game is a big game, but I think as a player it helps with your concentration. That’s where the squad comes into play. You do have games where players will take a rest out or they’ll pick up knocks.

“That’s where the rest of the lads need to step up. It’s very early, but that’s the month it could happen straight away. The squad needs to be ready.”

Our ex-players are already looking forward to a massive week in December when we’ll play three league games against Man City, Sheffield United and then Leeds.

“It’s a huge week,” said Webber. “Sheffield United in the middle will also be a tough game, but the derby is before. We did very well this year against City at home and we’ll want to maintain the performances we’ve had against them.

“But then to top it off, [provisionally] six days before Christmas we’ve got Leeds coming to Old Trafford for the first time. You only have to look at the Youth Cup game a few months ago and they brought a few thousand then. They’ll be there in full force if fans are allowed back in the stadium.

“It’ll be a tasty encounter. I do hope we have a large section of fans back in stadiums by then because it’ll be an unreal atmosphere. They’re the games you want to play in.”

Our next match against a rival comes in the form of a trip to Anfield in the middle of January. Oddly, we won’t have played Jurgen Klopp’s side before the turn off the year, in what is a slightly later campaign than we're used to.

“It’s unusual that you haven’t completed a full set of fixtures before mid-January, but we simply don’t have enough time,” Thornley explained. 

“I think the other thing to think about is, I can’t remember the last time we played Liverpool so late in the season as well.

“I think it’s four or five games from the end. We’ll have to wait all that time and you hope by the time we play them in January they’re looking up at us and not the other way round. Let’s hope that when we get to play them it really does mean something.”

Get ready for next season. Our 2020/21 home and away kits are available now from United Direct.