Manchester United Must Improve Recent December Record for Top 4 Ambitions

An away victory over Crystal Palace at the end of November showed glimpses of a rejuvenated Manchester United side, ready to tackle a hectic festive period.

They can prove that by having a strong December; a month they have endured torrid form in, if recent history is anything to go by.

The Red Devils have lost nine of their 14 December league fixtures over the past two years. That poor record, in the busiest month of the Premier League calendar, has often pushed United away from top four contention.

Registering a solid record in what is a relatively kind schedule this year could cement them as contenders for a place in next season’s Champions League.

We look at their less than favourable December record in recent years, what it has led to, and why Ruben Amorim’s men need different fortunes in 2025.

Manchester United’s December Record Over The Past Two Years

 Since 2023, Manchester United have only won four of their 14 December games. 

United have not qualified for Europe’s premier club competition for the last two seasons, and their poor form over the festive month has typically steered them off course.

In 2023, The Red Devils entered December four points off the top four, only to enter the new year nine points adrift.

Similarly in 2024, they entered the month seven points off the top four, and ended up trailing the Champions League places by 13 points after only winning two of their seven games for a second consecutive year.

Manchester United Have a Favourable December Schedule

Manchester United fans may have a happier festive period compared to the last two years due to their favourable schedule. 

For a start, a third of United’s six fixtures are against a Wolves side who have yet to win a league game this season. 

Either side of their trip to Molineux, they host a West Ham side who won when they last visited Old Trafford, but are yet to win an away match under Nuno Espirito Santo, and a Bournemouth side who started the season so well that their manager, Andoni Iraola is being touted as Ruben Amorim’s replacement.

However, The Cherries are in the middle of a five game winless run and have only won one away game all season. 

Ruben Amorim will hope to win the first three games of the month before key players Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo are part of the many Premier League stars departing for the Africa Cup of Nations. 

Their final game before Christmas is a tough trip to Villa Park against an Aston Villa side who have won eight of their last nine games, but have not beaten United in their last six match-ups. On Boxing Day, they host a Newcastle side who have also only won one away game all season, before they once again face the league’s worst side in their final match of 2025. 

It is Imperative That Manchester United Have a Good December

If Champions League nights are to return to Old Trafford, they have to take advantage of their relative freshness compared to the teams around them. 

Nine Premier League teams have featured in European competitions in the first half of the season. Couple that up with a jam-packed festive schedule, and nearly half of the teams in the division are more likely to be forced to rotate, or will succumb to injuries during the busiest period of the calendar. 

With United only being three points off the top four but also four points off 15th-place Fulham, they must take advantage of the squads lack of wear and tear compared to their rivals and their relatively kind fixture schedule through December, if they are to end up having an encouraging season.