The 2019-20 Premier League season is set to restart on Wednesday 17 June 2020. Manchester United’s first game will be away to Tottenham Hotspur on Friday that week.
Key Fixtures If Manchester United Are To Finish In The Top 4
Manchester United were in excellent form prior to the Premier League’s suspension in mid-March. The Red Devils were unbeaten in five, winning three, which included beating Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge and Manchester City by the same scoreline at Old Trafford.
These results and Chelsea’s form in decline at the time saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side close the gap on the Blues to just three points with nine games to go. The disruption may have played in the West London club’s favour as they had won only two of their last seven in the Premier League. This included a defeat away to Newcastle United and draws against Arsenal and Bournemouth.
Frank Lampard’s side restart the 2019-20 Premier League season away to Aston Villa on Sunday 21 June 2020, two days after Manchester United go to Jose Mourinho’s Spurs. With the Blues being widely predicted to win on their visit to Aston Villa, the gap could be as wide as six points with just eight games to go.
Both teams are also in FA Cup action with United travelling to Norwich City and Chelsea away to Leicester City in the quarter-finals, rescheduled for the end of June.
Chelsea’s remaining fixtures largely comprise of teams at the top and bottom of the table. After facing relegation candidates Aston Villa, Lampard’s side will host Manchester City just four days later. Three days after their tricky FA Cup tie, they are in a London derby at West Ham United, who themselves are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
In fact, Chelsea face all but Bournemouth in the current bottom five, with home games against Watford and Norwich City still to come, both of whom could still be fighting for their Premier League status at that point.
At the top of the table, they are the final visitors to Anfield in the Premier League this season and also go to European football chasing Sheffield United, before hosting Wolverhampton Wanderers in their last game of the season, scheduled for the end of July.
Manchester United fans can be a little more optimistic about their remaining schedule, at least after facing Spurs. They have five days between that and hosting Sheffield United, whilst the Blades will be playing their third game in eight days.
A trip to struggling Brighton & Hove Albion does come only three days after their FA Cup tie, but Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Ham United could all be sitting in comfortable mid-table positions by the time they face them. Solskjaer’s side finishes the season away to Leicester City, who could have their Champions League spot wrapped up by then too.
Manchester United’s first game back next Friday is going to be huge in their top-four challenge, but if they can continue the form they left off with, then there’s no reason why they won’t displace Chelsea or even Leicester for a top-four finish this season.
Any UEFA Europa League continuation is expected to take place after the domestic campaigns and therefore not be a distraction on the Premier League.
