# 1938–39 Manchester United F.C. season

The 1938–39 season was Manchester United's 43rd season in the Football League. Newly promoted back to the First Division, they secured their survival with a 14th-place finish.

## First Division

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 27 August 1938 | Middlesbrough | A | 1 – 3 | Smith | 25,539 |
| 31 August 1938 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 2 – 2 | Craven, Own goal | 37,950 |
| 3 September 1938 | Birmingham | H | 4 – 1 | Smith (2), Bryant, Craven | 22,228 |
| 7 September 1938 | Liverpool | A | 0 – 1 | | 25,070 |
| 10 September 1938 | Grimsby Town | A | 0 – 1 | | 14,077 |
| 17 September 1938 | Stoke City | A | 1 – 1 | Smith | 21,526 |
| 24 September 1938 | Chelsea | H | 5 – 1 | Carey, Manley, Redwood, Rowley, Smith | 34,557 |
| 1 October 1938 | Preston North End | A | 1 – 1 | Bryant | 25,964 |
| 8 October 1938 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0 – 2 | | 35,730 |
| 15 October 1938 | Blackpool | H | 0 – 0 | | 39,723 |
| 22 October 1938 | Derby County | A | 1 – 5 | Smith | 26,612 |
| 29 October 1938 | Sunderland | H | 0 – 1 | | 33,565 |
| 5 November 1938 | Aston Villa | A | 2 – 0 | Rowley, Wrigglesworth | 38,357 |
| 12 November 1938 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1 – 3 | Rowley | 32,821 |
| 19 November 1938 | Everton | A | 0 – 3 | | 31,809 |
| 26 November 1938 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1 – 1 | Hanlon | 23,164 |
| 3 December 1938 | Portsmouth | A | 0 – 0 | | 18,692 |
| 10 December 1938 | Arsenal | H | 1 – 0 | Bryant | 42,008 |
| 17 December 1938 | Brentford | A | 5 – 2 | Hanlon (2), Bryant, Manley, Rowley | 14,919 |
| 24 December 1938 | Middlesbrough | H | 1 – 1 | Wassall | 33,235 |
| 26 December 1938 | Leicester City | H | 3 – 0 | Wrigglesworth (2), Carey | 26,332 |
| 27 December 1938 | Leicester City | A | 1 – 1 | Hanlon | 21,434 |
| 31 December 1938 | Birmingham | A | 3 – 3 | Hanlon, McKay, Pearson | 20,787 |
| 14 January 1939 | Grimsby Town | H | 3 – 1 | Rowley (2), Wassall | 25,654 |
| 21 January 1939 | Stoke City | H | 0 – 1 | | 37,384 |
| 28 January 1939 | Chelsea | A | 1 – 0 | Bradbury | 31,265 |
| 4 February 1939 | Preston North End | H | 1 – 1 | Rowley | 41,061 |
| 11 February 1939 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1 – 7 | Hanlon | 23,721 |
| 18 February 1939 | Blackpool | A | 5 – 3 | Hanlon (3), Bryant, Carey | 15,253 |
| 25 February 1939 | Derby County | H | 1 – 1 | Carey | 37,166 |
| 4 March 1939 | Sunderland | A | 2 – 5 | Manley, Rowley | 11,078 |
| 11 March 1939 | Aston Villa | H | 1 – 1 | Wassall | 28,292 |
| 18 March 1939 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0 – 3 | | 31,498 |
| 29 March 1939 | Everton | H | 0 – 2 | | 18,348 |
| 1 April 1939 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1 – 1 | Rowley | 14,007 |
| 7 April 1939** | Leeds United | H | 0 – 0 | | 35,564 |
| 8 April 1939 | Portsmouth | H | 1 – 1 | Rowley | 25,457 |
| 10 April 1939 | Leeds United | A | 1 – 3 | Carey | 13,771 |
| 15 April 1939 | Arsenal | A | 1 – 2 | Hanlon | 25,741 |
| 22 April 1939 | Brentford | H | 3 – 0 | Bryant, Carey, Wassall | 15,353 |
| 29 April 1939 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0 – 0 | | 10,314 |
| 6 May 1939 | Liverpool | H | 2 – 0 | Hanlon (2) | 12,073 |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Relegation |
| 1 | Everton (C) | 42 | 27 | 5 | 10 | 88 | 52 | 1.692 | 59 | |
| 2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 88 | 39 | 2.256 | 55 | |
| 3 | Charlton Athletic | 42 | 22 | 6 | 14 | 75 | 59 | 1.271 | 50 | |
| 4 | Middlesbrough | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 93 | 74 | 1.257 | 49 | |
| 5 | Arsenal | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 55 | 41 | 1.341 | 47 | |
| 6 | Derby County | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 66 | 55 | 1.200 | 46 | |
| 7 | Stoke City | 42 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 71 | 68 | 1.044 | 46 | |
| 8 | Bolton Wanderers | 42 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 67 | 58 | 1.155 | 45 | |
| 9 | Preston North End | 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 63 | 59 | 1.068 | 44 | |
| 10 | Grimsby Town | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 61 | 69 | 0.884 | 43 | |
| 11 | Liverpool | 42 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 62 | 63 | 0.984 | 42 | |
| 12 | Aston Villa | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 71 | 60 | 1.183 | 41 | |
| 13 | Leeds United | 42 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 59 | 67 | 0.881 | 41 | |
| 14 | Manchester United | 42 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 57 | 65 | 0.877 | 38 | |
| 15 | Blackpool | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 56 | 68 | 0.824 | 38 | |
| 16 | Sunderland | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 54 | 67 | 0.806 | 38 | |
| 17 | Portsmouth | 42 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 47 | 70 | 0.671 | 37 | |
| 18 | Brentford | 42 | 14 | 8 | 20 | 53 | 74 | 0.716 | 36 | |
| 19 | Huddersfield Town | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 58 | 64 | 0.906 | 35 | |
| 20 | Chelsea | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 64 | 80 | 0.800 | 33 | |
| 21 | Birmingham (R) | 42 | 12 | 8 | 22 | 62 | 84 | 0.738 | 32 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 22 | Leicester City (R) | 42 | 9 | 11 | 22 | 48 | 82 | 0.585 | 29 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 7 January 1939 | Round 3 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0 – 0 | | 23,900 |
| 11 January 1939 | Round 3 Replay | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1 – 5 | Redwood | 17,641 |