The 1970–71 season was Manchester United's 69th season in the Football League, and their 26th consecutive season in the top division of English football. In a pre-season competition United participated in the Watney Cup, which was contested by the teams that had scored the most goals in each of the four divisions of the Football League the previous season who had not been promoted or admitted to one of the European competitions.
On 29 December 1970, United manager Wilf McGuinness who struggled in his new post was replaced with Matt Busby who returned as United manager until the end of the season, guiding the club to an eighth-place finish in the league. Following speculation that the Celtic manager Jock Stein would take over during the close season of 1971, Leicester City manager Frank O'Farrell was given the United job.
United's best chance of success came in the League Cup, but they were beaten by Third Division side Aston Villa in the semi-finals.
Watney Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance1 August 1970Round 1ReadingA3–2Charlton (2), P. Edwards18,3485 August 1970Semi-final Hull CityA1–1 (a.e.t., 4–3 p.)Law34,0078 August 1970FinalDerby CountyA1–4Best32,049
First Division DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance15 August 1970Leeds UnitedH0–159,52319 August 1970ChelseaH0–051,07922 August 1970ArsenalA0–454,13725 August 1970BurnleyA2–0Law (2)29,44229 August 1970West Ham UnitedH1–1Fitzpatrick50,9592 September 1970EvertonH2–0Best, Charlton51,2205 September 1970LiverpoolA1–1Kidd52,54212 September 1970Coventry CityH2–0Best, Charlton48,91219 September 1970Ipswich TownA0–427,77626 September 1970BlackpoolH1–1Best46,6473 October 1970Wolverhampton WanderersA2–3Gowling, Kidd38,62910 October 1970Crystal PalaceH0–142,96917 October 1970Leeds UnitedA2–2Charlton, Fitzpatrick50,16924 October 1970West Bromwich AlbionH2–1Kidd, Law43,27831 October 1970Newcastle UnitedA0–145,1957 November 1970Stoke CityH2–2Law, Sadler47,55314 November 1970Nottingham ForestA2–1Gowling, Sartori36,38421 November 1970SouthamptonA0–130,20228 November 1970Huddersfield TownH1–1Best45,3065 December 1970Tottenham HotspurA2–2Best, Law55,69312 December 1970Manchester CityH1–4Kidd52,68619 December 1970ArsenalH1–3Sartori33,18226 December 1970Derby CountyA4–4Law (2), Best, Kidd34,0689 January 1971ChelseaA2–1Gowling, Morgan53,48216 January 1971BurnleyH1–1Aston40,13530 January 1971Huddersfield TownA2–1Aston, Law41,4646 February 1971Tottenham HotspurH2–1Best, Morgan48,96520 February 1971SouthamptonH5–1Gowling (4), Morgan36,06023 February 1971EvertonA0–152,54427 February 1971Newcastle UnitedH1–0Kidd41,9026 March 1971West Bromwich AlbionA3–4Aston, Best, Kidd41,11213 March 1971Nottingham ForestH2–0Best, Law40,47320 March 1971Stoke CityA2–1Best (2)40,0053 April 1971West Ham UnitedA1–2Best38,50710 April 1971Derby CountyH1–2Law45,69112 April 1971Wolverhampton WanderersH1–0Gowling41,76613 April 1971Coventry CityA1–2Best33,84917 April 1971Crystal PalaceA5–3Law (3), Best (2)39,14619 April 1971LiverpoolH0–244,00424 April 1971Ipswich TownH3–2Charlton, Best, Kidd33,5661 May 1971BlackpoolA1–1Law29,8575 May 1971Manchester CityA4–3Best (2), Charlton, Law43,626
FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance2 January 1971Round 3MiddlesbroughH0–047,9245 January 1971 Round 3ReplayMiddlesbroughA1–2Best41,000
League Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance9 September 1970Round 2AldershotA3–1Best, Kidd, Law18,5097 October 1970Round 3PortsmouthH1–0Charlton32,06828 October 1970Round 4ChelseaH2–1Charlton, Best47,56518 November 1970Round 5Crystal PalaceH4–2Fitzpatrick, Kidd (2), Charlton48,96116 December 1970Semi-finalFirst legAston VillaH1–1Kidd48,88923 December 1970 Semi-finalSecond legAston VillaA1–2Kidd63,000
Squad statistics Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Jimmy Rimmer2002060280GK Alex Stepney2200000220DF Francis Burns16(4)0001(1)017(5)0DF Ian Donald00001010DF Tony Dunne3502050420DF Paul Edwards29(1)0102032(1)0DF Steve James130003(1)016(1)0DF Tommy O'Neil10000010DF David Sadler3212050391DF Ian Ure1301030170DF Willie Watson800020100DF Tony Young0(1)000000(1)0MF John Aston, Jr.19(1)3003(1)022(2)3MF George Best401821624821MF Bobby Charlton4252063508MF Paddy Crerand2402010270MF John Fitzpatrick3522061433MF Willie Morgan2532020293MF Carlo Sartori2(5)200103(5)2MF Nobby Stiles1700020190FW Alan Gowling17(3)80(1)01018(4)8FW Brian Kidd24(1)8206532(1)13FW Denis Law281520413416–Own goals–0–0–0–0
References