Each year Rant predicts the season ahead. Manchester United’s performance, the winners, the losers and the individual stars of the campaign. There have been mixed results over the years – check out 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15.
United made some progress last season under Louis van Gaal, albeit from a very low base after the disastrous experiment with Sir Alex Ferguson’s former friend, David Moyes. With qualification for the Champions League obtained, the club set about righting some of the more obvious wrongs in the Dutchman’s squad – adding four quality players and Sergio Romero. The last month of the window has, in the most common narrative at least, undone much of the good that came before. Time will tell how many problems remain in United’s squad.
In a change from previous campaigns Rant’s predictions are made just after the transfer window has closed, rather than on the cusp of the new campaign. Will this make a difference to Rant’s accuracy? Unlikely!
Last season Rant predicted few of the season’s events correctly. Such is the folly of gambling. United missed out on the third place Rant forecast, while the prediction that the Reds’ campaign would also include a Capital One Cup semi-final fell flat, although the Van Gaal’s team did make the FA Cup quarter-final.
Add your predictions in the comments section below and we’ll revisit this post at the end of May 2016 to find out how we all did. No cash prizes – just glory to the winners, and likely humiliation for Rant.
United’s Season
- Premier League: fourth
- Champions League: quarter-final
- Carling Cup: semi-final
- FA Cup: fourth round
- Player of the Year: Bastian Schweinsteiger
- Under-21 Player of the Year: Joel Pereira
- Academy Player of the Year: Marcus Rashford
Premier League Top Ten
- Manchester City
- Chelsea
- Arsenal
- Manchester United
- Liverpool
- Tottenham Hotspur
- Swansea City
- Stoke City
- Everton
- Crystal Palace
Relegated
- Bournemouth
- Watford
- Sunderland
Champions League
- Winners: Real Madrid
- Runners-up: Barcelona
Europa League
- Schalke 04
FA Cup
- Chelsea
Carling Cup
- Manchester City
Euro 2016
- Germany
Player of the Season
- Sergio Aguero, Manchester City
Young Player of the Season
- Memphis Depay, Manchester United
Sack Race
- Dick Advocaat, Sunderland
- Quique Flores, Watford
- Jose Mourinho, Chelsea
schweinsteiger player off the year. Wow. I must be alone in thinking that business ain’t all that
You think that signing Schweinsteiger at £6m “aint all that”. There’s no hope for you. Give up now
Loving the sack race predictions, especially Mou.
Premier league top ten:
1. Man City
2. Man United
3. Chelsea
4. Arsenal
5. Liverpool
6. Swansea
7. Tottenham Hotspur
8 Stoke
9. West Ham
10. Everton
Relegation
Sunderland
Watford
Norwich
Champions League
Winner: Bayern Munich
Runner up: Barcelona
FA Cup: Chelsea
Carling Cup: Arsenal
Player of the season: Aguero
Young player of the season: Sterling
Man United player of the season: Smalling
Hmm, afraid I can’t see us finishing above 3rd, probs 4th again. FA Cup – quarters. League Cup – semies. CL – second round. Then again, I hope I am pleasantly surprised :).
Schweinsteiger hasn’t been too great so far this is true. I put that down to lack of fitness that is hindering his performance levels, but if he`s managed right throughout the season, which he will be, then he will be a great signing and also very influential in Europe too, even if he`s not the Schweinsteiger of old once he`s up to speed with the EPL we`ll see a difference in the teams performance and general play. I think Rooney at 10 connecting with Memphis and Martial along with having a great playing rapport with Mata and Young on the right and backed by the midfield we now have will be the most influential player. I also think the set up is now right for us to get the most out of Rooney playing where he plays best coming deep and linking play and getting into the box to score goals.
Given Rant’s predictions coming true, the question is, will LvG be given another season or will there be a temptation to replace him with say Guardiola who’ll be available or many people’s favourite (not mine) Jurgen Klopp, who’ll also be available. There has to be some significant improvement surely for LvG to stay in the job?
Premier league top ten:
1. Man City
2. Man United
3. Chelsea
4. Arsenal
5. Southampton
6. Tottenham Hotspur
7. Liverpool
8. Swansea
9. Everton
10. West Ham
Relegation
Watford
Sunderland
Norwich
Champions League
Winner: Man City 🙁
Runner up: PSG
FA Cup: Swansea
Carling Cup: Arsenal
Player of the season: Aguero
Young player of the season: Sterling
Man United player of the season: Mata
1. Man City
2. Chelsea
3. Man Utd
4. Arsenal
5. Liverpool
6. Swansea
7. Tottenham Hotspur
8 Stoke
9. West Ham
10. Everton
Champions League
Winner: Bayern Munich
Runner up: PSG
FA Cup: Man City
Carling Cup: Chelsea
Player of the season: Aguero
Young player of the season: Martial
Man United player of the season: Smalling