With Christmas and New Year behind us and football’s hectic festive period approaching its end, take a look at what’s in store for Manchester United as they prepare for five highly-anticipated fixtures in the first month of 2023.
The Red Devils have fixtures from three competitions on the horizon; Premier League, FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.
January 3: Bournemouth (H), Premier League – Kick-off: 8 pm.
Tuesday’s clash is as must-win as any other fixture but there is added pressure on the players to perform, as most of United’s top four competitors and rivals dropped points over the weekend. Newcastle United, Manchester City and Chelsea all oversaw respective draws, whilst Tottenham Hotspur lost 2-0 to Aston Villa.
United are now fourth in the league, two points off of the Magpies in third and four points off of City in second.
January 6: Everton (H), FA Cup – Kick-off: 8 pm.
Whilst the FA Cup is still in the early stages, it provides a great opportunity for Erik ten Hag to win silverware in his first season. Granted, the Reds have been given a slightly more difficult draw as they face a fellow top-division side, but there is no reason why they should be losing to the Toffees.
Frank Lampard’s side did see out a 1-1 draw at the Etihad over the weekend but their season so far has been nothing short of a nightmare. They sit 16th in the league table and may become part of a relegation scrap again, after narrowly securing survival in the closing stages of last season.
January 10: Charlton Athletic (H), Carabao Cup – Kick-off: 8 pm.
United may have been dealt a slightly more difficult draw in the FA Cup but they were given the easiest route, on paper, in the Carabao Cup – the Reds are the only team not facing a fellow Premier League club.
Again, this competition is a golden opportunity for the team to lift a trophy this season and they have a significant chance of winning it. It’s nearing its final stages too, as next week’s clash is a quarter-final tie.
Newcastle United, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers, City and Southampton all remain.
January 14: Manchester City (H), Premier League – Kick-off: 8 pm
The second Manchester derby of the 2022/2023 campaign is fast approaching and it simply cannot go in the same direction as the first.
As aforementioned, Pep Guardiola’s side were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Everton at the weekend. They have also overseen losses to Brentford and Liverpool, as well as draws to Newcastle and Villa.
Aside from the obvious and ever-threatening Erling Haaland, who has unfortunately picked up exactly where he left off before the international break in terms of goalscoring, City’s wingers are struggling to produce goal contributions.
Guardiola is a manager that is known for frequent rotation across his squad and has favoured both Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez in recent matches, who have registered just five contributions between them across the season.
With the Reds being just four points behind their noisy neighbours currently, winning every match up to and including this one is imperative.
January 22: Arsenal (A), Premier League – Kick-off: 4.30 pm
Currently, United are Arsenal’s only loss of the season. The league leaders look like a force to be reckoned with and have won 14 matches so far, making them favourites to lift the title.
However, if the Reds have done it once, they can do it again. Marcus Rashford tore the Gunners’ defence apart in September and with the form he is in, he will be ready to do it again on the 22nd. Anthony Martial is fit and firing and Lisandro Martinez will have fully returned from the World Cup, so he will be keen to put in another exceptional performance against the side that wanted him in the summer.
