For Erik ten Hag, this was the beginning of a critical campaign for the Manchester United manager, who is under huge pressure to engineer a big improvement on last term's dreadful eighth-placed finish.
It was United's worst-ever Premier League placing and perhaps the most damning indictment yet of how far they have fallen since the good old days under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Fergie retired in 2013, having won the 13th Premier League crown of his glorious reign.
United don't win titles any more but for a club of this size, a top-four finish is the minimum requirement this season.
Especially after the faith shown in Ten Hag this summer, when his position has been strengthened significantly.
Denne historien er fra August 17, 2024-utgaven av Daily Mirror UK.
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Denne historien er fra August 17, 2024-utgaven av Daily Mirror UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
ARTETA IS GAB FAB FOR GOALS
Transfer window open but Gunners boss is happy with his firepower...
Lack of pace is a running theme at a club suffering from woeful recruitment
LIVERPOOL Manchester United is one of football's great redletter fixtures but I can't recall a bigger divide between the teams.
SLUMP IS MY FAULT
Pep: Blame me for the drop in results... I should have found a way to lift my struggling players
Lou Macari... an angel in Stoke and part of the last United side to be relegated
STOKE & UNITED LEGEND LOU MACARI
Jones says Tara to her former career
STAR SWAPS BALL FOR A WHISTLE!
EVEN THE CROWN PRINCE OF BAHRAIN IS A HUGE FAN
AFTER reaching the PDC World Championship final on his debut 12 months ago, Littler's magic touch spread immediately to the Persian Gulf and charmed the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain.
'Zombie knife' horror on Coronation Street
Mason plot highlights UK stabbing epidemic
1 in 4 Grenfell fire heroes hit by long-term sickness
THE impact of toxic smoke on the Grenfell Tower fire crews could be monitored after a report found a quarter suffered long-term health problems, a minister suggested.
New Orleans warned over vehicle attack five years ago
Security firm had concerns about defences and faulty traffic bollards
MY XMAS MIRACLE
Strangers pitch in after Isabella's purse is stolen
