| 2015–16 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Co-chairmen | Joel andAvram Glazer | |||
| Manager | Louis van Gaal | |||
| Stadium | Old Trafford | |||
| Premier League | 5th | |||
| FA Cup | Winners | |||
| League Cup | Fourth round | |||
| UEFA Champions League | Group stage | |||
| UEFA Europa League | Round of 16 | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Anthony Martial (11) All: Anthony Martial (17) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 75,415 (vs.Swansea City, 2 January) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 56,607 (vs.Ipswich Town, 23 September) | |||
| Average home league attendance | 75,279 | |||
The2015–16 season wasManchester United's 24th season in thePremier League, and their 41st consecutive season in the top flight ofEnglish football.[1] Along with thePremier League, the club also competed in theFA Cup,Football League Cup,UEFA Champions League andUEFA Europa League. The season saw Manchester United win a then record-equalling 12th FA Cup with a 2–1 victory overCrystal Palace in the2016 FA Cup Final.[2]
Manchester United announced a shortened pre-season tour of the United States on 28 April 2015. The first match against Mexican sideClub América was played on 17 July atCenturyLink Field inSeattle, and was followed, four days later, by a game againstMajor League Soccer'sSan Jose Earthquakes at the Earthquakes' home ground,Avaya Stadium inSan Jose. It was originally scheduled to be played atCalifornia Memorial Stadium inBerkeley,[3] but it was moved to reduce the amount of travelling the team would have to do.[4] Four days later, Manchester United facedEuropean championsBarcelona atLevi's Stadium inSanta Clara, California, before completing the campaign atChicago'sSoldier Field with a game againstParis Saint-Germain.[5][6]
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 July 2015 | Club América | N | 1–0 | Schneiderlin 5' | 46,857 |
| 21 July 2015 | San Jose Earthquakes | A | 3–1 | Mata 32',Depay 36',A. Pereira 61' | 18,000 |
| 25 July 2015 | Barcelona | N | 3–1 | Rooney 8',Lingard 65',Januzaj 90' | 68,416 |
| 29 July 2015 | Paris Saint-Germain | N | 0–2 | 61,351 |
The fixtures for this league season were announced on 17 June 2015 at 09:00 BST.[7] Manchester United began their campaign with a 1–0 win at home toTottenham Hotspur on 8 August, with an own goal fromKyle Walker proving the difference between the two teams.[8]
United then went top of the League for the first time since August 2013 with another 1–0 win overAston Villa atVilla Park the following Friday;Adnan Januzaj's goal in the 29th minute was his first since April 2014.[9] The game had moved to Friday for policing reasons due to anEnglish Defence League march in nearbyWalsall the following day, a decision which also gave United an extra day to prepare for theirUEFA Champions League play-off againstClub Brugge.[10] United kept a third clean sheet in a row at home toNewcastle United on 22 August, but the forwards were unable to find the net and the match finished as a goalless draw.[11]
In the final fixture before the first international break, United conceded their first goals of the season as they lost 2–1 toSwansea City at theLiberty Stadium. After going ahead early in the second half throughJuan Mata, they conceded twice in five minutes just after the hour mark, first to a header fromAndré Ayew, who then provided the assist forBafétimbi Gomis.[12]
Following the international break, Manchester United returned to action with a home match againstLiverpool. The first half was goalless, but goals fromDaley Blind andAnder Herrera gave them the lead going into the last ten minutes.Christian Benteke then pulled one back for Liverpool with a bicycle kick before deadline day signingAnthony Martial scored a debut goal to seal a 3–1 win.[13] Martial continued his scoring when United won 3–2 away toSouthampton.Graziano Pellè first gave Southampton the lead before Martial scored a brace; the first goal before halftime and the second goal after. United also added a third goal from Juan Mata before Pellè could score his second and the final goal of the match.[14]
On 26 September, United went on top of the league for the first time in over two years after beatingSunderland at home.Memphis Depay opened the scoring in first half stoppage time andWayne Rooney scored 40 seconds into the second half – ending his longest barren spell in the Premier League after not scoring in 11 matches – before Juan Mata scored the final goal in the last minute of regular time to secure a 3–0 win.[15]
In their next match, 4 October, the last match before a new international break, United suffered a 3–0 defeat againstArsenal atEmirates Stadium, which was their worst defeat against the Gunners in the league for 17 years. Arsenal drew first blood through anAlexis Sánchez goal in the sixth minute beforeMesut Özil added to the score barely 74 seconds later. Sánchez completed his brace in the 19th minute to condemn United to their second loss in the League this season, which made United drop to third in the league standings, behind Arsenal ongoal difference.[16]
After the international break, United travelled toGoodison Park to playEverton. After having lost 3–0 at the stadium theprevious season, they won by the same scoreline after two early goals fromMorgan Schneiderlin, Ander Herrera and a goal in the 62nd minute from United captain and former Everton player Wayne Rooney.
Their next match was theManchester derby againstManchester City atOld Trafford. The match ended goalless, for the first time since 2010. Their next game, againstCrystal Palace ended goalless as well, meaning United were down to fourth place at the end of the month.
United's first match of November saw them beatWest Bromwich Albion 2–0 at Old Trafford.Jesse Lingard scored his first goal for the club seven minutes into the second half. In the first minute of stoppage time, West Brom went down to ten men afterGareth McAuley was sent off following a foul on Anthony Martial, which gave United a penalty, which Juan Mata took to seal the win for United.
After another international break, United facedWatford atVicarage Road for the first time since 2006. Memphis Depay opened the scoring in the 11th minute after he volleyed a cross from Ander Herrera. Watford equalised late on through aTroy Deeney penalty, but then he put it into hisown goal in stoppage time to give United back–to–back victories. On the following Saturday, they travelled to theKing Power Stadium to playLeicester City.Jamie Vardy opened the scoring in the 24th minute, scoring in his 11th consecutive game.Bastian Schweinsteiger levelled the match before half–time, and no goals were scored in the second half, meaning both sides shared the points.
The club's first match of December was a goalless draw againstWest Ham United atOld Trafford.[17] On 12 December, United travelled toDean Court to faceAFC Bournemouth, who were new to the Premier League. They fell behind after two minutes whenJunior Stanislas struck the first goal from a corner.Marouane Fellaini levelled 22 minutes later, but Bournemouth hit back afterJoshua King headed home the winner in the 54th minute.[18]
They then suffered a second loss in a row, this time at home to another newly promoted side, this time it wasNorwich City.Cameron Jerome headed in the opener seven minutes before half–time, thenAlexander Tettey put the visitors 2–0 up in the 54th minute. Martial pulled one back but it was not enough, and it meant United were out of the top four (and, like in the2013–14 season, whenDavid Moyes was manager, they stayed out for the remainder of the season).[19]
On Boxing Day, United travelled to theBritannia Stadium to face Stoke City. Yet again, it was another defeat, this time it was 2–0, meaning that United lost three matches in a row like what happened in May theprevious season. Their final game of 2015 was a goalless draw at home to struggling and defending championsChelsea. This meant United ended 2015 in sixth position after a run of six league games without a win, their worst run of results since January 1990.
United started 2016 with a home game against Swansea, and gained revenge on the Swans for their three–straight defeats by winning 2–1. It was United's first win since the away match against Watford in November. Anthony Martial headed in the opener two minutes into the second half.Gylfi Sigurðsson levelled in the 70th minute, but seven minutes later, Wayne Rooney flicked home the winner. Their next match saw them travel toSt James' Park to play Newcastle. Rooney scored a penalty in the ninth minute before Jesse Lingard added his name to the scoresheet 29 minutes later.Georgino Wijnaldum pulled one back for Newcastle before half–time, then in the second half, Newcastle scored a penalty courtesy ofAleksandar Mitrović in the 67th minute. Twelve minutes later, Rooney pulled one back for United, butPaul Dummett equalised in the 90th minute, ending the match 3–3.
United returned to winning ways in their next match, defeating arch-rivalsLiverpool 1–0, courtesy of a lateWayne Rooney strike.[20] However United struggled initially to build on this victory, losing their next match at home to Southampton, withCharlie Austin scoring a late winner.[21] United were subsequently booed off at full time by their fans. This result left United five points off of the top four at the end of the month.
United kick-started February in scintillating form, defeating Stoke City 3–0 at Old Trafford.[22] Jesse Lingard, Antony Martial and Wayne Rooney supplied the goals. In the next game, United secured a strong point against Chelsea, drawing 1–1.[23] Jesse Lingard opened the scoring on the hour mark, before a defensive lapse allowedDiego Costa to rescue a point for Chelsea in the closing stages of the match. One week later, United suffered a surprise defeat to relegation-contenders Sunderland, going down 2–1. Anthony Martial cancelled out an earlyWahbi Khazri opener, before a De Gea own goal provided Sunderland with the three points.
An injury-hit United however rallied in their next match, gaining a surprise (given the circumstances) victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford, winning 3–2. This game was noticeable for the emergence ofMarcus Rashford, who scored a brace on his Premier League debut.Danny Welbeck andMesut Özil both scored for Arsenal, yet Rashford's brace and a deflected Ander Herrera effort secured the win for United.
United won their opening fixture in March, defeating a stubbornWatford side 1–0, with Juan Mata securing the three points with an 83rd minute free-kick. However, in the next fixture, United lost 1–0 toWest Bromwich Albion. Juan Mata was sent off in the first half, with United struggling with the man disadvantage. This was West Bromwich Albion's first home victory over United in 32 years.[24]
United's next match was away to rivals Manchester City. Both sides were embroiled in a battle for a place in the Champions League. United won the derby, with Marcus Rashford continuing his meteoric rise by scoring the winner. Rashford became the youngest scorer in the history of theManchester derby after his goal. The win kept the top-four hopes of United alive. ManagerLouis Van Gaal also attracted praise for placing his faith in his young squad.[25] This faith reaped dividends as United marched on.
United maintained momentum by beatingEverton 1–0 at the start of April. Anthony Martial continued his fine season by scoring a second-half winner. This win left United just one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City.[26] Yet United were unable to capitalise on their recent gains, losing 3–0 toTottenham in the next game. This meant United fell further behind City.
Yet United returned to winning ways in their next match – defeatingAston Villa 1–0. Once again, Marcus Rashford scored the winner. United rounded off April with a 2–0 win overCrystal Palace. ADamien Delaney own goal was followed up by aMatteo Darmian effort to keep United in the top-four race.
United began the final month of the season with a 1–1 home draw against eventual championsLeicester. Anthony Martial gave United an early lead, yetWes Morgan equalised. Despite dominating possession, United were unable to force a winner. United kept their Champions League hopes alive with a 1–0 away victory overNorwich City. Juan Mata scored the winner.
After Manchester City slipped up, United knew two wins from their final two games would secure a top-four finish.[27] However United failed to capitalise on this opportunity, losing 3–2 atWest Ham, a club that also had an outside chance of claiming a top-four finish. This was the final game at theBoleyn Ground. United led the match 2–1 courtesy of an Anthony Martial double, yet West Ham produced a late fightback, which appeared to doom any chance of a top-four finish for United.
United required Manchester City to lose toSwansea to stand any reasonable chance of a top-four finish. United had a home fixture withBournemouth to end the campaign. However, while both games were due to kick-off at the same time on 15 May, a 'suspect package' was found at Old Trafford, leading to a full stadium evacuation.[28] The match was eventually postponed amid safety fears, and the incident was subsequently revealed to be a hoax, being labelled a 'fiasco'.[29] This bizarre set of circumstances deprived United of a chance to apply pressure on City, who ultimately drew to Swansea to secure a top-four finish. United's match against Bournemouth was re-arranged for 17 May, two days after intended kick-off, and they closed the campaign in style, winning 3–1 with goals from Wayne Rooney, Marcus Rashford and Ashley Young. United would miss out on Champions League football on goal difference to their city rivals, however, a fifth-place finish was good enough to qualify forEuropa League football in thenext season.
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | League position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 August 2015 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–0 | Walker 22' (o.g.) | 75,261 | 4th[8] |
| 14 August 2015 | Aston Villa | A | 1–0 | Januzaj 29' | 42,200 | 1st[9] |
| 22 August 2015 | Newcastle United | H | 0–0 | 75,354 | 2nd[11] | |
| 30 August 2015 | Swansea City | A | 1–2 | Mata 48' | 20,828 | 5th[12] |
| 12 September 2015 | Liverpool | H | 3–1 | Blind 49',Herrera 70' (pen.),Martial 86' | 75,347 | 2nd[13] |
| 20 September 2015 | Southampton | A | 3–2 | Martial (2) 34', 50',Mata 68' | 31,588 | 2nd[14] |
| 26 September 2015 | Sunderland | H | 3–0 | Depay 45+4',Rooney 46',Mata 90' | 75,328 | 1st[15] |
| 4 October 2015 | Arsenal | A | 0–3 | 60,084 | 3rd[16] | |
| 17 October 2015 | Everton | A | 3–0 | Schneiderlin 18',Herrera 22',Rooney 62' | 39,553 | 2nd |
| 25 October 2015 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | 75,329 | 4th | |
| 31 October 2015 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–0 | 24,854 | 4th | |
| 7 November 2015 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–0 | Lingard 52',Mata 90+1' (pen.) | 75,410 | 4th |
| 21 November 2015 | Watford | A | 2–1 | Depay 11',Deeney 90' (o.g.) | 20,702 | 2nd |
| 28 November 2015 | Leicester City | A | 1–1 | Schweinsteiger 45' | 32,115 | 3rd |
| 5 December 2015 | West Ham United | H | 0–0 | 75,350 | 4th | |
| 12 December 2015 | AFC Bournemouth | A | 1–2 | Fellaini 24' | 11,334 | 4th |
| 19 December 2015 | Norwich City | H | 1–2 | Martial 67' | 75,320 | 5th |
| 26 December 2015 | Stoke City | A | 0–2 | 27,426 | 6th | |
| 28 December 2015 | Chelsea | H | 0–0 | 75,275 | 6th | |
| 2 January 2016 | Swansea City | H | 2–1 | Martial 47',Rooney 77' | 75,415 | 5th |
| 12 January 2016 | Newcastle United | A | 3–3 | Rooney (2) 9' (pen.), 79',Lingard 38' | 49,673 | 6th |
| 17 January 2016 | Liverpool | A | 1–0 | Rooney 78' | 43,865 | 5th |
| 23 January 2016 | Southampton | H | 0–1 | 75,408 | 5th | |
| 2 February 2016 | Stoke City | H | 3–0 | Lingard 14',Martial 23',Rooney 53' | 75,234 | 5th |
| 7 February 2016 | Chelsea | A | 1–1 | Lingard 61' | 41,434 | 5th |
| 13 February 2016 | Sunderland | A | 1–2 | Martial 39' | 41,687 | 5th |
| 28 February 2016 | Arsenal | H | 3–2 | Rashford (2) 29', 32',Herrera 65' | 75,329 | 5th |
| 2 March 2016 | Watford | H | 1–0 | Mata 83' | 75,282 | 5th |
| 6 March 2016 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–1 | 24,878 | 6th | |
| 20 March 2016 | Manchester City | A | 1–0 | Rashford 16' | 54,557 | 6th |
| 3 April 2016 | Everton | H | 1–0 | Martial 54' | 75,341 | 5th |
| 10 April 2016 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–3 | 35,761 | 5th | |
| 16 April 2016 | Aston Villa | H | 1–0 | Rashford 32' | 75,411 | 5th |
| 20 April 2016 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–0 | Delaney 4' (o.g.),Darmian 55' | 75,277 | 5th |
| 1 May 2016 | Leicester City | H | 1–1 | Martial 8' | 75,275 | 5th |
| 7 May 2016 | Norwich City | A | 1–0 | Mata 72' | 27,132 | 5th |
| 10 May 2016 | West Ham United | A | 2–3 | Martial (2) 51', 72' | 34,602 | 5th |
| 17 May 2016 | AFC Bournemouth | H | 3–1 | Rooney 43',Rashford 74',Young 87' | 74,363 | 5th |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 69 | 35 | +34 | 70 | Qualification for theChampions League group stage |
| 4 | Manchester City | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 71 | 41 | +30 | 66 | Qualification for theChampions League play-off round |
| 5 | Manchester United | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 49 | 35 | +14 | 66 | Qualification for theEuropa League group stage[a] |
| 6 | Southampton | 38 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 63 | |
| 7 | West Ham United | 38 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 65 | 51 | +14 | 62 | Qualification for theEuropa League third qualifying round[b] |
United entered the FA Cup in the third round together with the other Premier League clubs, as well as those from theChampionship. The draw was made on 7 December 2015, which saw United drawn at home toSheffield United fromLeague One.[31] United got their first shot on target through substituteMemphis Depay, who was fouled in second half stoppage time byDean Hammond for apenalty kick, from whichWayne Rooney scored the only goal with United's only other shot on target. ManagerLouis van Gaal was under pressure for Manchester United's poor form prior to the match, and the victory was compared to one in the same competition in 1990, in which a goal byMark Robins reportedly saved the career ofAlex Ferguson.[32]
Twenty days later in the next round, United travelled toPride Park to playDerby County, situated in the play-off places in theChampionship. Rooney scored the first goal from outside the penalty area, butGeorge Thorne soon equalised. In the second half, further United goals byDaley Blind andJuan Mata relieved Van Gaal of further pressure; it was the first time in 15 games that the team won by a margin of more than one goal.[33]
On 22 February, United played the fifth round away at League One strugglersShrewsbury Town.Chris Smalling opened the scoring, and Mata doubled the advantage in first-half added time.Jesse Lingard confirmed a 3–0 win with about half an hour left to play; in the closing stages United had to play with only 10 men whenWill Keane was injured and no substitutes remained.[34]
United hosted their sixth-round match against top-flight opponentsWest Ham United on 13 March. The visitors took the lead via a free-kick fromDimitri Payet, and only seven minutes remained when the hosts equalised withAnthony Martial's close-range finish.[35] A month later, the game went to a replay, the final FA Cup match at theBoleyn Ground. A curled effort fromMarcus Rashford gave Manchester United a lead in the second half, and the lead was doubled byMarouane Fellaini. West Ham halved the deficit late on afterJames Tomkins' header passed intoDavid de Gea's net, and they threatened an equaliser but could not achieve it.[36]
On 23 April, Manchester United travelled to Wembley to playEverton in the semi-finals. Martial assisted Fellaini to open the scoring against his former team, giving a half-time lead. After the break, a penalty was given whenTimothy Fosu-Mensah fouledRoss Barkley, but De Gea saved the spot-kick afterRomelu Lukaku took it. Everton brought onGerard Deulofeu whose cross was put into United's net via a Chris Smalling own goal to level the scores. In added time,Ander Herrera set up Martial for the winner.[37]
United's opponents for thefinal wereCrystal Palace, in a repeat of the1990 showpiece which United won after a replay. Palace took the lead in the 78th minute throughJason Puncheon butJuan Mata equalised three minutes later, taking the match intoextra time.Chris Smalling became the fourth player in FA Cup final history to be sent off, for a second bookable offence just before the end of the first period of extra time. With 10 minutes to go,Jesse Lingard scored the winner for United with a right-foot volley, clinching the club's record-equalling 12th FA Cup.[38]
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 January 2016 | Round 3 | Sheffield United | H | 1–0 | Rooney 90+3' (pen.) | 74,284 |
| 29 January 2016 | Round 4 | Derby County | A | 3–1 | Rooney 16',Blind 65',Mata 83' | 31,134 |
| 22 February 2016 | Round 5 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 3–0 | Smalling 37',Mata 45'+2,Lingard 61' | 9,370 |
| 13 March 2016 | Round 6 | West Ham United | H | 1–1 | Martial 83' | 74,298 |
| 13 April 2016 | Round 6 Replay | West Ham United | A | 2–1 | Rashford 54',Fellaini 67' | 33,505 |
| 23 April 2016 | Semi-final | Everton | N | 2–1 | Fellaini 34',Martial 90+3' | 86,064 |
| 21 May 2016 | Final | Crystal Palace | N | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Mata 81',Lingard 110' | 88,610 |
As one of eight English clubs who qualified for European competition in the2014–15 season, United received a bye to the third round of the League Cup. The draw for the third round took place on 25 August and paired United withChampionship sideIpswich Town.[39] United won the game against Ipswich 3–0, with goals from Rooney, adirect free kick byacademy productAndreas Pereira, and the final goal from in-form substitute Martial.[40] The draw for the fourth round was held on 23 September 2015. United were drawn at home toMiddlesbrough from theChampionship.[41] United lost 3–1 on penalties after a goalless draw after extra time.
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 September 2015 | Round 3 | Ipswich Town | H | 3–0 | Rooney 23',A. Pereira 60',Martial 90+2' | 56,607[42] |
| 28 October 2015 | Round 4 | Middlesbrough | H | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (1–3p) | 67,258 |
Having finished fourth in the leaguelast season, Manchester United began theirUEFA Champions League campaign in the play-off round. They were seeded in the 'League Route' for the draw, which took place inNyon on 7 August 2015. United were drawn in a two-legged tie againstBelgian Pro League runners-upClub Brugge,[43] which they won 7–1 on aggregate, ensuring their place in the group stage after a one-season absence.[44]
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 August 2015 | Play-off round First leg | Club Brugge | H | 3–1 | Depay (2) 13', 43',Fellaini 90+4' | 75,312 |
| 26 August 2015 | Play-off round Second leg | Club Brugge | A | 4–0 | Rooney (3) 20', 49', 57',Herrera 63' | 28,733 |
The group stage draw was made on 27 August 2015 inMonaco. Manchester United were drawn into Group B with Dutch championsPSV, the runners-up from Russia and Germany,CSKA Moscow andVfL Wolfsburg.[45] Manchester United had been drawn in the same group as CSKA Moscow and Wolfsburg in2009–10, while they had met PSV in the first group stage of the2000–01 competition.[46] United suffered a shock defeat to PSV in the first game as the hosts came from behind to win 2–1, after Depay scored the opener following his brace against Club Brugge in the play-offs.Héctor Moreno levelled the game at half-time, andLuciano Narsingh sealed the game in the 56th minute. In the 24th minute, United's in-form left-backLuke Shaw suffered a broken leg in a challenge with Moreno, keeping him out for six months.[47]
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Group position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 September 2015 | PSV | A | 1–2 | Depay 41' | 35,292 | 3rd |
| 30 September 2015 | VfL Wolfsburg | H | 2–1 | Mata 34' (pen.),Smalling 52' | 74,811 | 2nd |
| 21 October 2015 | CSKA Moscow | A | 1–1 | Martial 65' | 18,156 | 2nd |
| 3 November 2015 | CSKA Moscow | H | 1–0 | Rooney 79' | 75,165 | 1st |
| 25 November 2015 | PSV | H | 0–0 | 75,321 | 2nd | |
| 8 December 2015 | VfL Wolfsburg | A | 2–3 | Martial 10',Guilavogui 82' (o.g.) | 26,400 | 3rd |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  VfL Wolfsburg | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 12 | Advance toknockout phase |
| 2 |  PSV Eindhoven | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 10 | |
| 3 |  Manchester United | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 8 | Transfer toEuropa League |
| 4 |  CSKA Moscow | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 4 |
As one of the best four third-placed finishers in the Champions League group stage, United were seeded for the Europa League round of 32 draw, along with the group stage winners. The draw took place on 14 December 2015 and saw United drawn against Danish championsMidtjylland, with the away tie taking place on 18 February and the home tie on 25 February 2016.[48] Despite taking the lead, United overcame a 2–1 deficit from the first leg to win 6–3 on aggregate. The round of 16 draw, which was held on 26 February, pitted United withrivals Liverpool for the first European meeting between the sides.[49] United exited the tournament, losing 3–1 on aggregate.
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 February 2016 | Round of 32 First leg | Midtjylland | A | 1–2 | Depay 37' | 9,182 |
| 25 February 2016 | Round of 32 Second leg | Midtjylland | H | 5–1 | Bodurov 32' (o.g.),Rashford (2) 63', 75',Herrera 88' (pen.),Depay 90' | 58,609 |
| 10 March 2016 | Round of 16 First leg | Liverpool | A | 0–2 | 43,228 | |
| 17 March 2016 | Round of 16 Second leg | Liverpool | H | 1–1 | Martial 32' (pen.) | 75,180 |
| No. | Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | Discipline[citation needed] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |  |  | |||
| 1 | GK |  David de Gea | 34 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Phil Jones | 6(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 7(6) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF |  Marcos Rojo | 15(1) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5(2) | 0 | 25(3) | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | DF |  Jonny Evans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | Memphis Depay | 16(13) | 2 | 1(2) | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 9(2) | 5 | 27(18) | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Juan Mata | 34(4) | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10(1) | 1 | 49(5) | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| 9 | FW |  Anthony Martial | 29(2) | 11 | 7 | 2 | 0(2) | 1 | 9 | 3 | 45(4) | 17 | 4 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Wayne Rooney (c) | 27(1) | 8 | 4(1) | 2 | 1(1) | 1 | 6 | 4 | 38(3) | 15 | 6 | 0 |
| 11 | MF |  Adnan Januzaj | 2(3) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4(3) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | Chris Smalling | 35 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 55 | 2 | 11 | 1 |
| 13 | GK |  Anders Lindegaard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW |  Javier Hernández | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Michael Carrick (vc) | 22(6) | 0 | 4(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6(2) | 0 | 33(9) | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Daley Blind | 35 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 11(1) | 0 | 55(1) | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Ashley Young | 11(7) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 2(3) | 0 | 14(12) | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | James Wilson | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | GK | Sergio Romero | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | Ander Herrera | 17(10) | 3 | 4(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5(2) | 2 | 27(14) | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Nick Powell | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Luke Shaw | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | MF |  Antonio Valencia | 8(6) | 0 | 1(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2(2) | 0 | 12(10) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | Marouane Fellaini | 12(6) | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3(5) | 1 | 23(11) | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | Morgan Schneiderlin | 25(4) | 1 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6(1) | 0 | 33(6) | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 30 | MF |  Guillermo Varela | 3(1) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | Bastian Schweinsteiger | 13(5) | 1 | 1(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6(4) | 0 | 21(10) | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | Paddy McNair | 3(5) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4(5) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | GK | Dean Henderson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | MF | Jesse Lingard | 19(6) | 4 | 5(2) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 32(8) | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| 36 | DF |  Matteo Darmian | 24(4) | 1 | 1(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6(1) | 0 | 32(7) | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| 37 | DF |  Donald Love | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 38 | DF | Axel Tuanzebe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | FW | Marcus Rashford | 11 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 40 | GK |  Joel Castro Pereira | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | DF |  Regan Poole | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | DF | Tyler Blackett | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 43 | DF | Cameron Borthwick-Jackson | 6(4) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 9(5) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | MF |  Andreas Pereira | 0(4) | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0(3) | 0 | 2(9) | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 45 | MF | Sean Goss | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | MF | Joe Rothwell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 47 | MF | James Weir | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | FW | Will Keane | 0(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 49 | MF | Joe Riley | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | GK | Sam Johnstone | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | DF | Timothy Fosu-Mensah | 2(6) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(6) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 52 | DF | Ro-Shaun Williams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Own goals | – | 3 | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 2 | – | 5 | – | – | ||
Statistics accurate as of 21 May 2016.[50]
| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2015 | FW | Memphis Depay | PSV | Undisclosed[nb 1][52] |
| 11 July 2015 | DF | Matteo Darmian | Torino | Undisclosed[nb 2][54] |
| 13 July 2015 | MF | Bastian Schweinsteiger | Bayern Munich | Undisclosed[nb 3][56] |
| 13 July 2015 | MF | Morgan Schneiderlin | Southampton | Undisclosed[nb 4][58] |
| 27 July 2015 | GK | Sergio Romero | Unattached | Free[59] |
| 1 September 2015 | FW | Anthony Martial | Monaco | Undisclosed[nb 5][61] |
| 1 September 2015 | DF | Regan Poole | Newport County | Undisclosed[62] |
| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2015 | GK | Ben Amos | Released[63] | |
| 1 July 2015 | MF | Tom Cleverley | Everton | Free[64] |
| 1 July 2015 | DF | Callum Evans | Released[63] | |
| 1 July 2015 | DF |  Saidy Janko | Celtic | Free[65] |
| 1 July 2015 | DF | Jordan Thompson | Rangers | Free |
| 1 July 2015 | DF |  Ryan McConnell | Released[63] | |
| 1 July 2015 | DF | Tom Thorpe | Released[63] | |
| 6 July 2015 | FW |  Ángelo Henríquez |  Dinamo Zagreb | Undisclosed[66] |
| 6 July 2015 | MF | Nani |  Fenerbahçe | £4.25m[67] |
| 14 July 2015 | FW | Robin van Persie | Fenerbahçe | Undisclosed[nb 6][69] |
| 21 July 2015 | DF | Reece James | Wigan Athletic | Undisclosed[70] |
| 3 August 2015 | DF | Rafael | Lyon | Undisclosed[71] |
| 6 August 2015 | MF | Ángel Di María | Paris Saint-Germain | Undisclosed[nb 7][73] |
| 29 August 2015 | DF | Jonny Evans | West Bromwich Albion | Undisclosed[nb 8][75] |
| 31 August 2015 | FW | Javier Hernández | Bayer Leverkusen | Undisclosed[nb 9][77] |
| 31 August 2015 | GK | Anders Lindegaard | West Bromwich Albion | Free[78] |
| November 2015 | GK |  Vanja Milinković-Savić | Released[79] | |
| 11 January 2016 | MF | Ben Pearson | Preston North End | Undisclosed[80] |
| 18 January 2016 | MF | Liam Grimshaw | Preston North End | Undisclosed[81] |
| Date from | Date to | Pos. | Name | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 July 2015 | 1 January 2016 | FW | Will Keane | Preston North End[82] |
| 18 July 2015 | 3 January 2016 | MF | Ben Pearson | Barnsley[83] |
| 18 July 2015 | 13 October 2015 | MF | Joe Rothwell | Barnsley[83][84] |
| 29 August 2015 | 30 June 2016 | DF | Tyler Blackett | Celtic[85] |
| 31 August 2015 | 6 January 2016 | MF | Adnan Januzaj | Borussia Dortmund[86] |
| 1 September 2015 | 4 January 2016 | MF | Liam Grimshaw | Motherwell[87] |
| 1 September 2015 | 29 September 2015 | GK | Kieran O'Hara | Morecambe[87] |
| 2 October 2015 | 2 December 2015 | DF | Donald Love | Wigan Athletic[88] |
| 19 November 2015 | 3 January 2016 | GK | Joel Castro Pereira | Rochdale[89] |
| 24 November 2015 | 24 December 2015 | GK | Kieran O'Hara | Stockport County[90] |
| 26 November 2015 | 30 June 2016 | FW | James Wilson | Brighton & Hove Albion[91] |
| 31 December 2015 | 30 June 2016 | GK | Sam Johnstone | Preston North End[92] |
| 7 January 2016 | 30 June 2016 | FW | Ashley Fletcher | Barnsley[93][94] |
| 24 January 2016 | 29 April 2016 | GK | Víctor Valdés | Standard Liège[95][96] |
| 2 February 2016 | 30 June 2016 | MF | Nick Powell | Hull City[97] |
