# 1978–79 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1978–79 season was Manchester United's 77th season in the Football League, and their fourth consecutive season in the top division of English football. They finished the season ninth in the league, but were more successful in the FA Cup, reaching the final where they lost 3-2 to Arsenal at Wembley, conceding a late goal from Alan Sunderland in the final minute of the game after coming from 2-0 down make it 2-2 in the closing minutes of the game.

## First Division

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 19 August 1978 | Birmingham City | H | 1–0 | Jordan | 56,139 |
| 23 August 1978 | Leeds United | A | 3–2 | Macari, McIlroy, McQueen | 36,845 |
| 26 August 1978 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–3 | | 21,802 |
| 2 September 1978 | Everton | H | 1–1 | Buchan | 53,982 |
| 9 September 1978 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–1 | J. Greenhoff | 23,477 |
| 16 September 1978 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | J. Greenhoff | 53,039 |
| 23 September 1978 | Arsenal | A | 1–1 | Coppell | 45,393 |
| 30 September 1978 | Manchester City | H | 1–0 | Jordan | 55,301 |
| 7 October 1978 | Middlesbrough | H | 3–2 | Macari (2), Jordan | 45,402 |
| 14 October 1978 | Aston Villa | A | 2–2 | Macari, McIlroy | 36,204 |
| 21 October 1978 | Bristol City | H | 1–3 | J. Greenhoff | 47,211 |
| 28 October 1978 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 4–2 | J. Greenhoff (2), B. Greenhoff, Jordan | 23,141 |
| 4 November 1978 | Southampton | H | 1–1 | J. Greenhoff | 46,259 |
| 11 November 1978 | Birmingham City | A | 1–5 | Jordan | 23,550 |
| 18 November 1978 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–0 | Coppell, J. Greenhoff | 42,109 |
| 21 November 1978 | Everton | A | 0–3 | | 42,126 |
| 25 November 1978 | Chelsea | A | 1–0 | J. Greenhoff | 28,162 |
| 9 December 1978 | Derby County | A | 3–1 | Ritchie (2), J. Greenhoff | 23,180 |
| 16 December 1978 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–0 | McIlroy, Ritchie | 52,026 |
| 22 December 1978 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–3 | | 32,390 |
| 26 December 1978 | Liverpool | H | 0–3 | | 54,910 |
| 30 December 1978 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 3–5 | B. Greenhoff, McIlroy, McQueen | 45,091 |
| 3 February 1979 | Arsenal | H | 0–2 | | 45,460 |
| 10 February 1979 | Manchester City | A | 3–0 | Coppell (2), Ritchie | 46,151 |
| 24 February 1979 | Aston Villa | H | 1–1 | J. Greenhoff | 44,437 |
| 28 February 1979 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–0 | Coppell, J. Greenhoff | 36,085 |
| 3 March 1979 | Bristol City | A | 2–1 | McQueen, Ritchie | 24,583 |
| 20 March 1979 | Coventry City | A | 3–4 | Coppell (2), McIlroy | 25,382 |
| 24 March 1979 | Leeds United | H | 4–1 | Ritchie (3), Thomas | 51,191 |
| 27 March 1979 | Middlesbrough | A | 2–2 | Coppell, McQueen | 20,138 |
| 7 April 1979 | Norwich City | A | 2–2 | Macari, McQueen | 19,382 |
| 11 April 1979 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–2 | Buchan | 49,617 |
| 14 April 1979 | Liverpool | A | 0–2 | | 46,608 |
| 16 April 1979 | Coventry City | H | 0–0 | | 43,035 |
| 18 April 1979 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | Jordan | 33,074 |
| 21 April 1979 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–1 | McQueen | 36,665 |
| 25 April 1979 | Norwich City | H | 1–0 | Macari | 33,678 |
| 28 April 1979 | Derby County | H | 0–0 | | 42,546 |
| 30 April 1979 | Southampton | A | 1–1 | Ritchie | 21,616 |
| 5 May 1979 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–1 | | 27,960 |
| 7 May 1979 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 3–2 | Coppell (2), Ritchie | 39,402 |
| 16 May 1979 | Chelsea | H | 1–1 | Coppell | 38,109 |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 7 | Arsenal | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 61 | 48 | +13 | 48 | Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 8 | Aston Villa | 42 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 59 | 49 | +10 | 46 | |
| 9 | Manchester United | 42 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 60 | 63 | −3 | 45 | |
| 10 | Coventry City | 42 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 58 | 68 | −10 | 44 | |
| 11 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 48 | 61 | −13 | 41 | |
* ↑ Arsenal qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1978–79 FA Cup winners.

## FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 15 January 1979 | Round 3 | Chelsea | H | 3–0 | Coppell, J. Greenhoff, Grimes | 38,743 |
| 31 January 1979 | Round 4 | Fulham | A | 1–1 | J. Greenhoff | 25,229 |
| 12 February 1979 | Round 4 Replay | Fulham | H | 1–0 | J. Greenhoff | 41,200 |
| 20 February 1979 | Round 5 | Colchester United | A | 1–0 | J. Greenhoff | 13,171 |
| 10 March 1979 | Round 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–1 | Thomas | 51,800 |
| 14 March 1979 | Round 6 Replay | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–0 | McIlroy, Jordan | 55,584 |
| 31 March 1979 | Semi-Final | Liverpool | N | 2–2 | Jordan, B. Greenhoff | 52,524 |
| 4 April 1979 | Semi-Final Replay | Liverpool | N | 1–0 | J. Greenhoff | 53,069 |
| 12 May 1979 | Final | Arsenal | N | 2–3 | McQueen, McIlroy | 100,000 |

## League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 30 August 1978 | Round 2 | Stockport County | H | 3–2 | McIlroy, J. Greenhoff, Jordan | 41,761 |
| 4 October 1978 | Round 3 | Watford | H | 1–2 | Jordan | 40,534 |

## Squad statistics

| Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | Gary Bailey | 28 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| GK | Paddy Roche | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| DF | Arthur Albiston | 32(1) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41(1) | 0 |
| DF | Martin Buchan | 37 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 2 |
| DF | Tom Connell | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | Stewart Houston | 21(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24(1) | 0 |
| DF | Gordon McQueen | 36 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 7 |
| DF | Kevin Moran | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | Jimmy Nicholl | 19(2) | 0 | 6(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25(4) | 0 |
| DF | Steve Paterson | 1(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(2) | 0 |
| MF | Steve Coppell | 42 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 53 | 12 |
| MF | Brian Greenhoff | 32(1) | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 39(1) | 3 |
| MF | Ashley Grimes | 5(11) | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10(11) | 1 |
| MF | Lou Macari | 31(1) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37(1) | 6 |
| MF | David McCreery | 14(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 14(2) | 0 |
| MF | Chris McGrath | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 |
| MF | Sammy McIlroy | 40 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 8 |
| MF | Tom Sloan | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 |
| MF | Mickey Thomas | 25 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 2 |
| FW | Jimmy Greenhoff | 33 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 44 | 17 |
| FW | Joe Jordan | 30 | 6 | 4(1) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 36(1) | 10 |
| FW | Stuart Pearson | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| FW | Andy Ritchie | 16(1) | 10 | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19(2) | 10 |