The 2011–12 season was Manchester United‘s 20th season in the Premier League, and their 37th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football. United were defending Premier Leaguechampions, and aimed for an unprecedented 20th league title this season. Furthermore, they were competing in the Champions League for a 16th successive season. In addition, they were competing in the domestic tournaments, the FA Cup and theLeague Cup.
Manchester United began the season with a 3–2 win over local rivals Manchester City in the Community Shield at Wembley on 7 August 2011.
They were however knocked out of the League Cup at the Fifth Round stage for the second successive season after losing 2–1 to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on 30 November 2011.
On 7 December 2011, United lost 2–1 away to Basel, a result which saw them finish third in their Champions League group. This meant that they competed in the UEFA Europa League (formerly the UEFA Cup) for the first time since the 1995–96 season. However, they only made it as far as the Round of 16, falling to Athletic Bilbao 5–3 on aggregate.
On 4 January 2012 against Newcastle United, Ryan Giggs broke Sir Bobby Charlton’s record for the most starts, the match being Giggs’ 757th start.
On 28 January 2012, United were knocked out of the FA Cup in the Fourth Round after losing 2–1 against Liverpool at Anfield.
Going into the last match of the season, on 13 May 2012, United and Manchester City were locked together on 86 points at the top the table, but City led with an eight-goal advantage in goal difference. United therefore needed to better City’s result to win the title. They were on course to do this, winning 1–0 at Sunderland, whilst City trailed 2–1 at home to Queens Park Rangers. However, two stoppage time goals from Edin Džeko and Sergio Agüero gave City a 3–2 win and edged United out on goal difference. It was the first time in 23 years that the champions and the runners-up had finished level on points.
Pre-season and friendlies
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result
F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 July 2011 | New England Revolution | A | 4–1 | Owen 51′, Macheda (2) 54′, 60′, Park 80′ | 51,523 |
| 20 July 2011 | Seattle Sounders | A | 7–0 | Owen 15′, Diouf 49′, Rooney (3) 51′, 69′, 72′, Park 71′,Obertan 88′ | 67,052 |
| 23 July 2011 | Chicago Fire | N | 3–1 | Rooney 66′, Rafael 76′, Nani 82′ | 61,308 |
| 27 July 2011 | MLS All-Stars | N | 4–0 | Anderson 20′, Park 45′, Berbatov 52′, Welbeck 68′ | 26,760 |
| 30 July 2011 | Barcelona | N | 2–1 | Nani 22′, Owen 76′ | 81,807 |
| 5 August 2011 | New York Cosmos | H | 6–0 | Scholes 9′, Rooney 28′ (pen.), Anderson 50′, Welbeck 59′,Diouf (2) 69′, 74′ | 74,731 |
| 15 May 2012 | Irish League XI | N | 4–1 | Evra 20′, Young (2) 58′, 87′, Rooney 64′ (pen.) | 14,098 |
FA Community Shield
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result
F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 August 2011 | Manchester City | N | 3–2 | Smalling 52′, Nani (2) 58′, 90+4′ | 77,169 |
Premier League
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result
F–A |
Scorers | Attendance | League
position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 August 2011 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 2–1 | Rooney 13′, Reid 81′ (o.g.) | 25,360 | 3rd |
| 22 August 2011 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 3–0 | Welbeck 61′, Anderson 76′, Rooney 87′ | 75,498 | 2nd |
| 28 August 2011 | Arsenal | H | 8–2 | Welbeck 22′, Young (2) 28′, 90+1′, Rooney (3) 41′, 64′, 82′ (pen.), Nani 67′, Park 70′ | 75,448 | 1st |
| 10 September 2011 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 5–0 | Hernández (2) 5′, 58′, Rooney (3) 20′, 25′, 68′ | 25,944 | 1st |
| 18 September 2011 | Chelsea | H | 3–1 | Smalling 8′, Nani 37′, Rooney 45′ | 75,455 | 1st |
| 24 September 2011 | Stoke City | A | 1–1 | Nani 27′ | 27,582 | 1st |
| 1 October 2011 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 | Anderson 68′, Welbeck 87′ | 75,514 | 1st |
| 15 October 2011 | Liverpool | A | 1–1 | Hernández 81′ | 45,065 | 2nd |
| 23 October 2011 | Manchester City | H | 1–6 | Fletcher 81′ | 75,487 | 2nd |
| 29 October 2011 | Everton | A | 1–0 | Hernández 19′ | 35,494 | 2nd |
| 5 November 2011 | Sunderland | H | 1–0 | Brown 45+1′ (o.g.) | 75,570 | 2nd |
| 19 November 2011 | Swansea City | A | 1–0 | Hernández 11′ | 20,295 | 2nd |
| 26 November 2011 | Newcastle United | H | 1–1 | Hernández 49′ | 75,594 | 2nd |
| 3 December 2011 | Aston Villa | A | 1–0 | Jones 20′ | 40,053 | 2nd |
| 10 December 2011 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 4–1 | Nani (2) 17′, 56′, Rooney (2) 27′, 62′ | 75,627 | 2nd |
| 18 December 2011 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2–0 | Rooney 1′, Carrick 56′ | 18,033 | 2nd |
| 21 December 2011 | Fulham | A | 5–0 | Welbeck 5′, Nani 28′, Giggs 43′, Rooney 88′,Berbatov 90′ | 25,700 | 2nd |
| 26 December 2011 | Wigan Athletic | H | 5–0 | Park 8′, Berbatov (3) 41′, 58′, 78′ (pen.), Valencia 75′ | 75,183 | 2nd |
| 31 December 2011 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 2–3 | Berbatov (2) 52′, 62′ | 75,146 | 2nd |
| 4 January 2012 | Newcastle United | A | 0–3 | 52,299 | 2nd | |
| 14 January 2012 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 3–0 | Scholes 45+1′, Welbeck 74′, Carrick 83′ | 75,444 | 2nd |
| 22 January 2012 | Arsenal | A | 2–1 | Valencia 45+1′, Welbeck 81′ | 60,093 | 2nd |
| 31 January 2012 | Stoke City | H | 2–0 | Hernández 38′ (pen.), Berbatov 53′ (pen.) | 74,719 | 2nd |
| 5 February 2012 | Chelsea | A | 3–3 | Rooney (2) 58′ (pen.), 69′ (pen.), Hernández 84′ | 41,668 | 2nd |
| 11 February 2012 | Liverpool | H | 2–1 | Rooney (2) 47′, 50′ | 74,844 | 1st |
| 26 February 2012 | Norwich City | A | 2–1 | Scholes 7′, Giggs 90+2′ | 26,811 | 2nd |
| 4 March 2012 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 3–1 | Rooney 45′, Young (2) 60′, 69′ | 36,034 | 2nd |
| 11 March 2012 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–0 | Rooney (2) 35′, 71′ (pen.) | 75,598 | 1st |
| 18 March 2012 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 5–0 | Evans 21′, Valencia 43′, Welbeck 45+1′, Hernández(2) 56′, 61′ | 27,494 | 1st |
| 26 March 2012 | Fulham | H | 1–0 | Rooney 42′ | 75,570 | 1st |
| 2 April 2012 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 2–0 | Valencia 81′, Young 86′ | 26,532 | 1st |
| 8 April 2012 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–0 | Rooney 15′ (pen.), Scholes 68′ | 75,505 | 1st |
| 11 April 2012 | Wigan Athletic | A | 0–1 | 18,115 | 1st | |
| 15 April 2012 | Aston Villa | H | 4–0 | Rooney (2) 7′ (pen.), 73′, Welbeck 43′, Nani 90+3′ | 75,138 | 1st |
| 22 April 2012 | Everton | H | 4–4 | Rooney (2) 41′, 69′, Welbeck 57′, Nani 60′ | 75,522 | 1st |
| 30 April 2012 | Manchester City | A | 0–1 | 47,259 | 2nd | |
| 6 May 2012 | Swansea City | H | 2–0 | Scholes 28′, Young 41′ | 75,496 | 2nd |
| 13 May 2012 | Sunderland | A | 1–0 | Rooney 20′ | 46,452 | 2nd |
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 93 | 29 | +64 | 89 |
| 2 | Manchester United | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 89 | 33 | +56 | 89 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 74 | 49 | +25 | 70 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference;Pts = Points
FA Cup
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result
F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 January 2012 | Round 3 | Manchester City | A | 3–2 | Rooney (2) 10′, 40′, Welbeck 30′ | 46,808 |
| 28 January 2012 | Round 4 | Liverpool | A | 1–2 | Park 39′ | 43,952 |
League Cup
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result
F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 September 2011 | Round 3 | Leeds United | A | 3–0 | Owen (2) 15′, 32′, Giggs 45+1′ | 31,031 |
| 25 October 2011 | Round 4 | Aldershot Town | A | 3–0 | Berbatov 15′, Owen 41′, Valencia 48′ | 7,044 |
| 30 November 2011 | Round 5 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Macheda 69′ (pen.) | 52,624 |
UEFA Champions League
Group stage
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result
F–A |
Scorers | Attendance | Group
position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 September 2011 | Benfica | A | 1–1 | Giggs 42′ | 63,822 | 2nd |
| 27 September 2011 | Basel | H | 3–3 | Welbeck (2) 16′, 17′, Young 90′ | 73,115 | 3rd |
| 18 October 2011 | Oțelul Galați | A | 2–0 | Rooney (2) 64′ (pen.), 90+2′ (pen.) | 28,047 | 2nd |
| 2 November 2011 | Oțelul Galați | H | 2–0 | Valencia 8′, Sârghi 87′ (o.g.) | 74,847 | 1st |
| 22 November 2011 | Benfica | H | 2–2 | Berbatov 30′, Fletcher 59′ | 74,873 | 2nd |
| 7 December 2011 | Basel | A | 1–2 | Jones 89′ | 36,894 | 3rd |
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benfica | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 12 |
| Basel | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 10 | +1 | 11 |
| Manchester United | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 9 |
| Oțelul Galați | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 11 | −8 | 0 |
UEFA Europa League
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result
F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 February 2012 | Round of 32
First leg |
Ajax | A | 2–0 | Young 59′, Hernández 85′ | 48,866 |
| 23 February 2012 | Round of 32
Second leg |
Ajax | H | 1–2 | Hernández 6′ | 67,328 |
| 8 March 2012 | Round of 16
First leg |
Athletic Bilbao | H | 2–3 | Rooney (2) 22′, 90+2′ (pen.) | 59,265 |
| 15 March 2012 | Round of 16
Second leg |
Athletic Bilbao | A | 1–2 | Rooney 80′ | 40,000 |
Squad statistics
| No. | Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | Discipline | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||||
| 1 | GK | David de Gea | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Patrice Evra | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Phil Jones | 25(4) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7(2) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 34(7) | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Rio Ferdinand | 29(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37(1) | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Jonny Evans | 28(1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5(3) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 35(5) | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| 7 | FW | Michael Owen | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Anderson | 8(2) | 2 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12(4) | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Dimitar Berbatov | 5(7) | 7 | 0(1) | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3(1) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 11(10) | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Wayne Rooney | 32(2) | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 41(2) | 34 | 3 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Ryan Giggs | 14(11) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22(11) | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | Chris Smalling | 14(5) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5(2) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23(7) | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | Park Ji-Sung | 10(7) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19(9) | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | Javier Hernández | 18(10) | 10 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(3) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 22(14) | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | Nemanja Vidić | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | MF | Michael Carrick | 27(3) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37(4) | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Nani | 24(5) | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6(3) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 32(8) | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Ashley Young | 19(6) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 27(6) | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | Danny Welbeck | 23(7) | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 1(4) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 27(12) | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | Fábio | 2(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12(3) | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | Rafael | 10(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 15(3) | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Paul Scholes | 14(3) | 4 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15(6) | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | Tom Cleverley | 5(5) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 9(6) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Darren Fletcher | 7(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9(1) | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | Antonio Valencia | 22(5) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32(6) | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | Gabriel Obertan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | Federico Macheda | 0(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(4) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | Darron Gibson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | GK | Tomasz Kuszczak | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | Ritchie De Laet | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | Mame Biram Diouf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | FW | Bébé | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | GK | Anders Lindegaard | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | Reece Brown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | DF | Marnick Vermijl | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | Robbie Brady | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | DF | Michael Keane | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | DF | Tom Thorpe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | GK | Ben Amos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | FW | Joshua King | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | MF | Paul Pogba | 0(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(3) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(7) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 43 | MF | Matty James | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | DF | Sean McGinty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | MF | Davide Petrucci | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | MF | Ryan Tunnicliffe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 47 | MF | Oliver Norwood | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | FW | Will Keane | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 49 | MF | Ravel Morrison | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | GK | Sam Johnstone | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | DF | Zeki Fryers | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 52 | MF | Larnell Cole | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 53 | MF | Jesse Lingard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| – | – | Own goals | – | 2 | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 3 | – | – |