2016–17 Manchester United F.C. season

The 2016–17 season was Manchester United's 25th season in the Premier League. It was their 42nd season in a row at the top level of English football. After Louis van Gaal left the club at the end of season before, the club signed former Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid manager José Mourinho. He got a three-year contract, with the option of another year.

Manchester united won the FA Cup in the season before. This means it played against the Premier League winners, Leicester City, in the 2016 FA Community Shield. United won the match 2–1 and won the first trophy of the year. On 26 February 2017, the club won its second trophy that year. It beat Southampton 3–2 in the EFL Cup Final. The club did not qualify for the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League through its league position, because it finished in sixth place. Only the top four clubs qualify. However, it won the Europa League, beating Ajax 2–0 in the Europa League Final on 24 May 2017. This means it still qualified for the Champions League. That win also made United the fifth team to win all three main European club trophies.

Pre-season and friendlies
Before the start of their 2016–17 season, United played several games. It played a friendly against Wigan, had a tour of China, played a friendly in Sweden against Turkish club Galatasaray in the 2016 SuperGame, and Wayne Rooney's testimonial match between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford. The season ended with Michael Carrick's testimonial on 4 June. It was between United players of the 2008 European Double-winning side (and Dimitar Berbatov, who joined the club during the following transfer window, and Michael's brother, Graeme Carrick) and an all-star team that Carrick chose. Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp managed the teams. Redknapp was Carrick's first manager as a professional footballer.

DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance16 July 2016Wigan AthleticA2–0Keane 49', Pereira 58'13,31422 July 2016Borussia DortmundN1–4Mkhitaryan 59'38,28525 July 2016Manchester CityN—Match cancelled due to inadequate playing conditions30 July 2016GalatasarayN5–2Ibrahimović 4', Rooney (2) 55', 58' (pen.), Fellaini 62', Mata 74'30,2003 August 2016EvertonH0–058,5974 June 2017Michael Carrick XIH2–2Vidić 28', Carrick 82'70,027

FA Community Shield
Manchester United won the FA Cup the season before, so the club played against Leicester City, who won the 2015–16 Premier League, in the FA Community Shield. It was United's 30th time playing for that trophy. Manchester United won the match to claim its 21st Community Shield (including four shared titles).

DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance7 August 2016Leicester CityN2–1Lingard 32', Ibrahimović 83'85,437

Premier League
The Premier League season started on 13 August. It ended on 21 May. United did no lose for a season-record 25 matches between October and May. 12 of those matches were draws.

DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition14 August 2016BournemouthA3–1Mata 40', Rooney 59', Ibrahimović 64'11,3551st19 August 2016SouthamptonH2–0Ibrahimović (2) 36', 52' (pen.)75,3261st27 August 2016Hull CityA1–0Rashford 90+2'24,5602nd10 September 2016Manchester CityH1–2Ibrahimović 42'75,2723rd18 September 2016WatfordA1–3Rashford 62'21,1187th24 September 2016Leicester CityH4–1Smalling 22', Mata 37', Rashford 40', Pogba 42'75,2566th2 October 2016Stoke CityH1–1Martial 69'75,2516th17 October 2016LiverpoolA0–052,7697th23 October 2016ChelseaA0–441,4247th29 October 2016BurnleyH0–075,3258th6 November 2016Swansea CityA3–1Pogba 15', Ibrahimović (2) 21', 33'20,9386th19 November 2016ArsenalH1–1Mata 68'75,2646th27 November 2016West Ham UnitedH1–1Ibrahimović 21'75,3146th4 December 2016EvertonA1–1Ibrahimović 42'39,5506th11 December 2016Tottenham HotspurH1–0Mkhitaryan 29'75,2716th14 December 2016Crystal PalaceA2–1Pogba 45+2', Ibrahimović 88'25,5476th17 December 2016West Bromwich AlbionA2–0Ibrahimović (2) 5', 56'26,3086th26 December 2016SunderlandH3–1Blind 39', Ibrahimović 82', Mkhitaryan 86'75,3256th31 December 2016MiddlesbroughH2–1Martial 85', Pogba 86'75,3146th2 January 2017West Ham UnitedA2–0Mata 63', Ibrahimović 78'56,9966th15 January 2017LiverpoolH1–1Ibrahimović 84'75,2766th21 January 2017Stoke CityA1–1Rooney 90+4'27,4236th1 February 2017Hull CityH0–075,2976th5 February 2017Leicester CityA3–0Mkhitaryan 42', Ibrahimović 44', Mata 49'32,0726th11 February 2017WatfordH2–0Mata 32', Martial 60'75,3016th4 March 2017BournemouthH1–1Rojo 23'75,2456th19 March 2017MiddlesbroughA3–1Fellaini 30', Lingard 62', Valencia 90+3'32,6895th1 April 2017West Bromwich AlbionH0–075,3975th4 April 2017EvertonH1–1Ibrahimović 90+4' (pen.)75,2726th9 April 2017SunderlandA3–0Ibrahimović 30', Mkhitaryan 46', Rashford 89'43,7795th16 April 2017ChelseaH2–0Rashford 7', Herrera 49'75,2725th23 April 2017BurnleyA2–0Martial 21', Rooney 39'21,8705th27 April 2017Manchester CityA0–054,1765th30 April 2017Swansea CityH1–1Rooney 45+3' (pen.)75,2715th7 May 2017ArsenalA0–260,0555th14 May 2017Tottenham HotspurA1–2Rooney 71'31,8486th17 May 2017SouthamptonA0–031,4256th21 May 2017Crystal PalaceH2–0Harrop 15', Pogba 19'75,2546th

FA Cup
Manchester United started the FA Cup in the third round. This is the same as the other Premier League Championship clubs. The third round draw (when the matches are decided) happened on 5 December. United played at home against Championship side Reading. The opponent's manager was Jaap Stam. He played for United for three years between 1998 and 2001 and this was his first time back. United won 4–0 on 7 January. Wayne Rooney scored in the first half and matched Bobby Charlton's 249-goal record for the club in that game. Anthony Martial also scored in the first half. Marcus Rashford scored two goals in the second half. The next match was at home again, against League One champions Wigan Athletic. Their manager was Warren Joyce who used to be a coach for Manchester United Under-23. United beat the Latics 4–0. They then played away against Championship side Blackburn Rovers in the fifth round. United came from behind to win 2–1. Marcus Rashford and substitute Zlatan Ibrahimović scored. In the quarter-finals, United played away at Premier League rivals Chelsea. It was a close game. Ander Herrera got a red card and N'Golo Kanté scored the winning goal. This was the end of Manchester United's defence (because United won the year before) of the FA Cup.

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult F–AScorersAttendance7 January 2017Round 3ReadingH4–0Rooney 7', Martial 15', Rashford (2) 75', 79'74,39629 January 2017Round 4Wigan AthleticH4–0Fellaini 44', Smalling 57', Mkhitaryan 74', Schweinsteiger 81'75,22919 February 2017Round 5Blackburn RoversA2–1Rashford 27', Ibrahimović 75'23,13013 March 2017Quarter-finalsChelseaA0–140,801

EFL Cup
As United qualified for the Europa League in the 2015–16 season, United received a bye to the third round of the EFL Cup. The draw was on 24 August 2016. United played away against Northampton Town on 21 September 2016. Manchester United won 3–1. Michael Carrick scored first in the 17th minute. Northampton's Alex Revell equalised from with a penalty shortly before half-time. Ander Herrera and Marcus Rashford scored in the second half to win the match for United. The draw for the fourth round happened shortly after the match. United played at home against their rivals Manchester City on 26 October 2016. United won 1–0. Juan Mata scored the only goal in the 54th minute.

Manchester United also played at home in the fifth round. This time, the club played against West Ham. United won 4–1. Zlatan Ibrahimović and Anthony Martial both scored two goals. Former Manchester United youth player Ashley Fletcher scored the only goal for West Ham in the 35th minute. United played against Hull City in the semi-final. The first leg (game) was at Old Trafford on 10 January 2017. Mata and substitute Marouane Fellaini scored. United won 2–0. Two weeks later, United lost the second leg at the KCOM Stadium 2–1. They still reached the final 3–2 on aggregate (over the two matches).

In the final on 26 February, Manchester United played against Southampton. They beat Liverpool in the semi-finals. Ibrahimović and Lingard scored and United were winning 2–0. Manolo Gabbiadini scored twice to make the score 2–2. Ibrahimović scored in the 87th minute and United won 3–2.

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance21 September 2016Round 3Northampton TownA3–1Carrick 17', Herrera 68', Rashford 75'7,79826 October 2016Round 4Manchester CityH1–0Mata 54'74,19630 November 2016Round 5West Ham UnitedH4–1Ibrahimović (2) 2', 90+3', Martial (2) 48', 62'65,26910 January 2017Semi-finalsFirst legHull CityH2–0Mata 56', Fellaini 87'65,79826 January 2017Semi-finalsSecond legHull CityA1–2Pogba 66'16,83126 February 2017FinalSouthamptonN3–2Ibrahimović (2) 19', 87', Lingard 38'85,264

UEFA Europa League
Group stage
As United won the FA Cup, they started the Europa League at the group stage. The draw was on 26 August 2016. United were in a group with Turkish league runners-up (second place) Fenerbahçe, Dutch cup winners Feyenoord and the fourth-placed team from the Ukrainian league, Zorya Luhansk. United had played against Fenerbahçe in Europe twice before (1996–97 and 2004–05) and Feyenoord once before (1997–98). United first played in the Netherlands against Feyenoord on 15 September. They lost the match 1–0. They then had a home game against Zorya Luhansk two weeks later. They played twice against Fenerbahçe, first at home then away. They ended the group stage with return games against Feyenoord and Zorya Luhansk. Due to the war in Donbass, the away game against Zorya Luhansk was at Chornomorets Stadium in Odesa.

DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceGroupposition15 September 2016FeyenoordA0–131,0004th29 September 2016Zorya LuhanskH1–0Ibrahimović 69'58,1793rd20 October 2016FenerbahçeH4–1Pogba (2) 31' (pen.), 45+2', Martial 34' (pen.), Lingard 48'73,0632nd3 November 2016FenerbahçeA1–2Rooney 89'35,3783rd24 November 2016FeyenoordH4–0Rooney 35', Mata 69', Jones 75' (o.g.), Lingard 90+2'64,6282nd8 December 2016Zorya LuhanskA2–0Mkhitaryan 48', Ibrahimović 88'25,9002nd
Knockout phase
The draw for the round of 32 was on 12 December. Manchester United played against French side Saint-Étienne, who finished top of group C. Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba played against his elder brother, Florentin, who plays as a defender for the French side. Zlatan Ibrahimović scored his first hat-trick for the club in the first match. Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored in the second leg and United went through to the next round. In the round of 16, United played Russian side Rostov. United won 2–1 on aggregate. United then played against Belgian side Anderlecht in the quarter-finals. Mkhitaryan scored in his fourth European away game in a row. In the return leg, Marcus Rashford scored in extra time. United got to the semi-finals, 3–2 on aggregate. Rashford also scored in the semi-final against Celta Vigo. This gave United a first win in Spain since 2010. The second leg was a 1–1 draw and United's went through to the final 2–1 on aggregate. United played against Dutch side Ajax in the final. Pogba and Mkhitaryan scored and United won the Europa League for the first time. With this victory, they became only the fifth club to have won all three major European trophies (European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League, and the now defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup). This win also qualified them as the fifth English team in the next season's Champions League.

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance16 February 2017Round of 32First legSaint-ÉtienneH3–0Ibrahimović (3) 15', 75', 88' (pen.)67,19222 February 2017Round of 32Second legSaint-ÉtienneA1–0Mkhitaryan 16'41,4929 March 2017Round of 16First legRostovA1–1Mkhitaryan 35'14,22316 March 2017Round of 16Second legRostovH1–0Mata 70'64,36113 April 2017Quarter-finalsFirst legAnderlechtA1–1Mkhitaryan 36'20,00020 April 2017Quarter-finalsSecond legAnderlechtH2–1 Mkhitaryan 10', Rashford 107'71,4964 May 2017Semi-finalsFirst legCelta VigoA1–0Rashford 67'26,20211 May 2017Semi-finalsSecond legCelta VigoH1–1Fellaini 17'75,13824 May 2017FinalAjaxN2–0Pogba 18', Mkhitaryan 48'46,961

Squad statistics
No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals13px13px1GK David de Gea35010503010450203DF Eric Bailly24(1)000101101037(1)0724DF Phil Jones1801(1)030300025(1)0305DF Marcos Rojo18(3)140508(2)00(1)035(6)1506MF Paul Pogba29(1)51(1)0411530049(2)91007FW Memphis Depay0(4)000100(3)0001(7)0108MF Juan Mata19(6)62(1)0329(1)20(1)032(9)10509FW Zlatan Ibrahimović27(1)170(1)14(1)49(2)51141(4)288010FW Wayne Rooney (c)15(10)5213(1)04(3)21025(14)89011FW Anthony Martial18(7)4312(1)24(6)11028(14)83012DF Chris Smalling13(5)141408(2)00029(7)20014MF Jesse Lingard18(7)11(1)02(2)16(4)21128(14)56015MF Adnan Januzaj0000000000000016MF Michael Carrick (vc)18(5)0204(1)15(2)01030(8)11017DF Daley Blind21(3)1102(1)010(1)01035(5)14018MF Ashley Young8(4)030103(4)00015(8)05019FW Marcus Rashford16(16)5333(3)18(3)20(1)030(23)113020GK Sergio Romero203010120001800021MF Ander Herrera27(4)12(1)061900(1)044(6)213222MF Henrikh Mkhitaryan14(9)4312010(1)60(1)029(11)114023DF Luke Shaw9(2)01020401017(2)01024DF Timothy Fosu-Mensah1(3)01(1)0101(3)0004(7)01025MF Antonio Valencia28(1)110308(1)01041(2)17027MF Marouane Fellaini18(10)12(1)10(5)17(3)11028(19)49128MF Morgan Schneiderlin0(3)0001(1)0200(1)03(5)01031MF Bastian Schweinsteiger001(1)10(1)00(1)0001(3)10032GK Sam Johnstone0000000000000034GK Dean Henderson0000000000000035DF Demetri Mitchell1000000000100036DF Matteo Darmian15(3)02020700026(3)03038DF Axel Tuanzebe400(1)00000004(1)00039MF Scott McTominay1(1)0000000001(1)01040GK Joel Castro Pereira100(1)00000001(1)00042MF Matty Willock0000000000000043DF Cameron Borthwick-Jackson0000000000000044MF Andreas Pereira0000000000000045GK Kieran O'Hara0000000000000046FW Josh Harrop1100000000110047MF Angel Gomes0(1)0000000000(1)00048FW Zak Dearnley00000000000000Own goals–0–0–0–1–0–1––
Statistics accurate as of 24 May 2017.

Transfers

In
DatePos.NameFromFee6 June 2016DF Eric Bailly VillarrealUndisclosed1 July 2016FW Zlatan Ibrahimović Paris Saint-GermainFree6 July 2016MF Henrikh Mkhitaryan Borussia DortmundUndisclosed9 August 2016MF Paul Pogba Juventus£89m

Out
DatePos.NameToFee10 June 2016GK George DorringtonReleased10 June 2016GK Víctor ValdésReleased10 June 2016MF Nick PowellReleased10 June 2016MF Oliver RathboneReleased12 July 2016DF Tyler Reid Swansea CityUndisclosed12 July 2016MF Joe Rothwell Oxford UnitedFree12 July 2016FW Ashley Fletcher West Ham UnitedFree13 July 2016DF Jimmy Dunne BurnleyFree13 July 2016GK Oliver Byrne Cardiff CityFree11 August 2016DF Paddy McNair Sunderland£5.5m11 August 2016DF Donald Love Sunderland22 August 2016DF Tyler Blackett ReadingUndisclosed30 August 2016FW Will Keane Hull CityUndisclosed31 August 2016MF James Weir Hull CityUndisclosed12 January 2017MF Morgan Schneiderlin Everton£24m20 January 2017FW Memphis Depay Lyon£13.8m28 January 2017MF Sean Goss Queens Park RangersUndisclosed2 February 2017DF Sadiq El Fitouri ChesterfieldFree29 March 2017MF Bastian Schweinsteiger Chicago FireFree

Loan out
Date fromDate toPos.NameTo23 July 201630 June 2017DF Guillermo Varela Eintracht Frankfurt12 August 201630 June 2017MF Adnan Januzaj Sunderland20 August 20162 February 2017FW James Wilson Derby County22 August 201630 June 2017DF Cameron Borthwick-Jackson Wolverhampton Wanderers26 August 201630 June 2017MF Andreas Pereira Granada31 August 20163 February 2017GK Dean Henderson Grimsby Town31 August 20165 January 2017GK Joel Castro Pereira Belenenses5 January 201730 June 2017GK Sam Johnstone Aston Villa17 January 201730 June 2017DF Joe Riley Sheffield United

 References 

Category:Manchester United F.C.