The 2022–23 season was Manchester United's 31st season in the Premier League and their 48th consecutive season in the top flight of English football. This was the club's first season under the management of Erik ten Hag. They won the EFL Cup with a 2–0 victory over Newcastle United in the final, the club's first competitive trophy since winning the UEFA Europa League in 2017. They also reached the final of the FA Cup, losing 2–1 to rivals Manchester City.
There was a mid-season break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with the last match being played on 13 November 2022. The team's first match after the World Cup was in the EFL Cup on 21 December 2022, following the World Cup final on 18 December.
On 22 November 2022, United announced the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, one year after he rejoined the club from Juventus.
Pre-season and friendlies United confirmed the first of their tour destinations, travelling to Bangkok, Thailand and Melbourne, Australia to face rivals Liverpool in the Bangkok Century Cup, Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace. A third friendly in Australia was later added, against Aston Villa. A trip to Norway was also confirmed for a fixture against Atlético Madrid. A home match, Erik ten Hag's first as United manager, was confirmed against Rayo Vallecano for 31 July.
United began the tour with a 4–0 win over Liverpool; goals from Jadon Sancho, Fred and Anthony Martial put them 3–0 up by half-time, before Facundo Pellistri added a fourth less than 15 minutes from the end. The tour resumed in Australia, where United came back from a goal down – scored by Chris Ikonomidis – to beat Melbourne Victory 4–1; goals from Scott McTominay, Martial, Marcus Rashford and an own goal from Victory youngster Edmond Lupancu maintained United's 100% start to pre-season. On 19 July, United led Crystal Palace 3–0 first via Martial, Rashford, and Sancho before a goal from Joel Ward pulled one back for the London club. Four days later, United led Aston Villa 2–0 in the first half via Sancho and a Matty Cash own goal before goals from Leon Bailey and Calum Chambers equalised for the Birmingham club. A week later, United suffered their first defeat in pre-season against Atlético Madrid, following a late goal from João Félix. The next day, United played another Madrid club, Rayo Vallecano. Amad Diallo scored first early in the second half before Álvaro García equalised nine minutes later.
During the break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Manchester United had a week-long training camp in Cádiz, Spain, highlighted by a friendly match against Cádiz CF at Nuevo Mirandilla on 7 December. A second friendly was played against Real Betis at the Estadio Benito Villamarín in Seville three days later. United lost both matches, going down 4–2 to Cádiz and 1–0 to Real Betis.
DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance12 July 2022LiverpoolN4–0Sancho 12', Fred 30', Martial 33', Pellistri 76'50,24815 July 2022Melbourne VictoryN4–1McTominay 43', Martial 45+1', Rashford 78', Lupancu 90' (o.g.)74,15719 July 2022Crystal PalaceN3–1Martial 17', Rashford 48', Sancho 59'76,49923 July 2022Aston VillaN2–2Sancho 25', Cash 42' (o.g.)58,22830 July 2022Atlético MadridN0–126,12931 July 2022Rayo VallecanoH1–1Diallo 48'68,6637 December 2022CádizA2–4Martial 21' (pen.), Mainoo 48'14,64810 December 2022Real BetisA0–111,927
Premier League The 2022–23 Premier League fixtures were released on 16 June 2022.
The league season began with a home loss against Brighton & Hove Albion on 7 August. Pascal Groß scored twice in the first half for Brighton before they conceded an own goal by Alexis Mac Allister in the second to give United their first ever home defeat to Brighton. Named in the starting line-up, Lisandro Martínez and Christian Eriksen made their debuts for United, as did Tyrell Malacia, who came on as a substitute. United then suffered another defeat to Brentford, the first time they had started a league campaign with consecutive losses since the 1992–93 season. Josh Dasilva, Mathias Jensen, Ben Mee and Bryan Mbeumo all scored without reply before the clock had reached 38 minutes. The rest of the game went goalless, but it meant United went bottom of the league table. This was United's seventh straight away defeat in the league, their worst streak since a run of 10 in the 1936–37 season, which ended in relegation from the First Division. That season, United lost both of their meetings with Brentford: 4–0 away on 10 October 1936 and 3–1 on 13 February 1937; those were United's most recent defeats to Brentford prior to this. Erik ten Hag became the first United manager since John Chapman in 1921 to lose his opening two games in charge of the club.
On 22 August, United achieved their first league victory of the season, a 2–1 home win against rivals Liverpool. Jadon Sancho scored 15 minutes into the first half and Marcus Rashford early in the second, before Mohamed Salah scored a consolation goal that made him the fixture's outright top scorer with 10 goals. This was United's first league win against Liverpool since March 2018. In the next match, United visited Southampton on 27 August. Bruno Fernandes scored the game's only goal with a volley as United won their first away match in the league and won back-to-back league matches for the first time since February 2022. Casemiro made his United debut when he came on as a substitute in the 80th minute. On 1 September, United achieved a second away victory as they won 1–0 against Leicester City. Sancho scored the only goal after 23 minutes as United won three league matches in a row for the first time since December 2021. On 4 September, United obtained their fourth consecutive league victory with a 3–1 home win against rivals Arsenal. Antony scored the opening goal 35 minutes into his United debut, before Bukayo Saka equalised at the hour mark. Rashford then scored two goals in order to secure victory against Arsenal, who were on top of the league table, having started the season on a five-match winning streak.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September, all league matches on the weekend of 10–12 September were postponed. United then announced that their home game against rivals Leeds United, originally scheduled for 18 September, would also be postponed due to a police shortage ahead of the Queen's state funeral.
United's break from league action was further extended by the September international window, which meant their first Premier League match in almost a month saw them face Manchester City away in the derby on 2 October. Erling Haaland and Phil Foden each scored twice for City in the first half to give the hosts a 4–0 lead at the break. Antony scored for United early in the second half, but Haaland and Foden both scored again to complete their hat-tricks before Anthony Martial came on to score two late goals for United. With a total of nine goals, it was the highest-scoring Manchester derby of all time. The next week, United travelled to play Everton. Alex Iwobi opened the scoring after just five minutes, but Everton led only briefly before Antony scored the equaliser, his third consecutive league game scoring. An injury to Martial saw him replaced by Cristiano Ronaldo just before the half-hour mark, who only took 15 minutes to score the winning goal, assisted by Casemiro. It was Ronaldo's first open-play goal of the season and the 700th overall in his club career. On the next match United faced Newcastle United in their first home league game in six weeks. Both teams had plenty of chances but ultimately had to settle for a goalless draw. Three days later, they hosted Tottenham Hotspur. Fred scored his first goal of the season before Fernandes sealed the win.
They visited Chelsea three days later in the last game against a fellow top six side in 2022. Following a foul in the penalty area by Scott McTominay, Jorginho slotted home the penalty three minutes from time, but Casemiro then headed home in the fourth minute of stoppage time – his first United goal – as United extended their unbeaten league record against the West London side to 10 matches, dating back to November 2017. United hosted West Ham United on 30 October. Rashford scored his 100th club goal, which proved to be the sole goal of the game. The match was held 85 years to the start of United's run of including academy graduates in their matchday squads, which by this point already reached 4,163 consecutive matches. A week later United travelled to Aston Villa, in their manager Unai Emery's first Premier League game since his days with Arsenal. A seventh-minute goal from Leon Bailey and a free kick from Lucas Digne four minutes later gave Villa an early two-goal lead, before a shot from Luke Shaw was deflected into his own net by Jacob Ramsey. Four minutes into the second half, Ramsey redeemed himself and made it 3–1. This was United's first loss at Villa Park in all competitions since October 1999, and the first in the league since August 1995. The following Sunday saw United travel to West London to face Fulham for the last Premier League game prior to the World Cup. Eriksen opened the scoring with his first goal for the club with less than 15 minutes played, but as the game passed the hour mark, former United winger Daniel James scored from close range to equalise. Alejandro Garnacho, who was subbed on for Martial 11 minutes later, scored the winning goal in the final minute of added time.
United's first action after the World Cup was a Boxing Day fixture against Nottingham Forest. Following up a corner kick from Eriksen, Rashford scored the opening goal after just 18 minutes, four minutes before setting up for Martial. Fred scored the third goal three minutes from time following a pass from Casemiro to secure the three points. United's final game of the year saw them play Wolverhampton Wanderers away. Rashford, who was benched for disciplinary reasons, scored the game's only goal to put United into the top four.
United started the new year with a home game against Bournemouth. Goals from Casemiro, Shaw and Rashford gave them a 3–0 win and strengthened the club's grip on the top four. Two weeks later, they welcomed Manchester City to Old Trafford for the second derby of the season. Jack Grealish opened the scoring for City on the hour mark, before Fernandes scored an equaliser in the 78th minute; the goal was initially ruled out for an offside against Rashford, but a VAR review deemed Rashford not to have been interfering with play. Rashford then scored the winner four minutes later; it was his eighth goal in his last seven appearances. The win also extended United's winning run to nine in all competitions. Four days later, United travelled to Crystal Palace. Their nine-game winning run was brought to an end after Fernandes' first half goal was cancelled out by a second half stoppage time free-kick from Michael Olise. This game saw Wout Weghorst made his debut for the club. Four days later, United travelled to league leaders Arsenal. Rashford brought United forward before an equaliser by Eddie Nketiah seven minutes later. Saka put Arsenal in front in the 53rd minute, but Lisandro Martínez scored his first United goal to equalise matters. Nketiah then scored the winner at the 90th minute, extended Arsenal's unbeaten league record this season to 13 matches and home record against United to five league matches; United's most recent league win at the Emirates Stadium was on 2 December 2017.