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2024/25 English Premier League
Matchday 1
Manchester United v Fulham
Old Trafford
Manchester, England
Friday, 16 August 2024
Kick-off is at 21h00
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will be under pressure to get off to a winning start against Fulham at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the new
Premier League season on Friday, August 16.
The Dutchman's future was in doubt after United finished a disappointing eighth last season, although he saved face by beating neighbours Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final.
Ten Hag became the first manager since Sir Alex Ferguson to win back-to-back trophies with the Red Devils in successive seasons and he was subsequently handed a new contract.
However, he needs to make a strong start to the 2024-25 campaign to justify ENIOS' decision to keep him on board and will be looking to avenge February's home defeat at the hands of the Cottagers.
Fulham's 2-1 win was their first at the Theatre of Dreams since October 2003, having lost 12 of their subsequent 14 league visits to Manchester.
United have made two off-season signings thus far in Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee, while they've also agreed deals with Bayern Munich duo Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.
Image Source: Alamy Stock Photo
Marco Silva's side appeared to be on course for a top-10 finish before the wheels came off in the final two months of the campaign as they won just two of their last nine games to finish in 13th place.
The West Londoners lost a key player in the off-season after they sold Joao Palhinha to Bayern, but that has been offset by the acquisition of Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal.
Ryan Sessegnon and Jorge Cuenca have also been added to Silva's squad and the Cottagers could return for Scott McTominay after seeing an initial bid rejected by the Red Devils.
United were beaten by City on penalties in the Community Shield on August 10, but Ten Hag saw positives from the curtain-raiser to the new season and believes the team will make progress.
"The league start is the most important. I think we can take a lot of positives from this game, and it will give us confidence but also a little bit of pain in our stomach," he said.
"When you are twice leading - in the game and in the penalties - then you have to feel the pain. We were very close but [did] not [win] a trophy.
"We are going in the new season. I am very pleased with the new structure. We are working very good together. The team was always good but I think we can make steps forwards.
"I think from pre-season, and also today, we can take positives but I think if we step up and are more clinical in both boxes, then we can be a successful team."
Silva hailed their pre-season tours to Portugal and Germany a success after they wrapped up their preparations with a 2-0 win over TSG Hoffenheim on August 10.
"Next Monday starts our preparation for the first match against Man United and we finished [pre-season] in the best way," he told FFC TV after the Hoffenheim game.
"A good win, it's not the most important thing in pre-season. There are things that are more important for us but it's always important to have a good feeling, to create this winning mentality and good habits as well not to concede goals is important.
"Already the third game during the pre-season that we haven't conceded is always important for us. It's been a very good tour for us, a very good camp in Portugal, all the conditions for us to train, to improve [and] to create a bond is the main things for us."
Head-to-Head (Last Five Premier League Meetings)
Matches - 5
Man United wins - 4
Fulham wins - 1
Draws - 0
Premier League Matchday 1 fixtures:
Friday, August 16
21h00: Manchester United v Fulham
Saturday, August 17
13h30: Ipswich Town v Liverpool
16h00: Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers
16h00: Everton v Brighton & Hove Albion
16h00: Newcastle United v Southampton
16h00: Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth
18h30: West Ham United v Aston Villa
Sunday, August 18
15h00: Brentford v Crystal Palace
17h30: Chelsea v Manchester City
Monday, August 19
21h00: Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur
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