You’ve probably looked at the Premier League standings this morning and felt that familiar, heavy sigh. If you’re a United fan, seeing Manchester United in the table sitting in 7th place—trailing Arsenal by a massive 17 points—is enough to make you want to close the browser tab and go for a very long walk.
Honestly, the numbers don't lie, but they also don't tell the whole story. As of mid-January 2026, United has 32 points from 21 games. That’s 8 wins, 8 draws, and 5 losses. It’s the kind of mid-table mediocrity that feels like a fever dream you can’t wake up from. But if you look closer, the chaos behind the scenes and the tactical whiplash this squad has endured is almost unprecedented.
The Chaos Behind the Numbers
It's been a wild ride. Just a few weeks ago, Ruben Amorim was the man with the plan, but that 3-4-2-1 formation basically imploded. It didn't fit the personnel, and the results reflected that. One week you’re beating Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield (thanks to a Bryan Mbeumo early strike and a vintage Harry Maguire header), and the next you're drawing 4-4 at home to Bournemouth in a match that looked more like a basketball game than professional football.
Amorim is gone now. Sacked on January 5. Darren Fletcher stepped in for a heartbeat, and now we’ve got Michael Carrick back in the dugout as the interim boss until the end of the season.
This managerial musical chairs is exactly why the team is stuck in 7th. You can’t build a rhythm when the tactical blueprint changes every three months. Carrick’s big job is to fix a defense that has leaked 32 goals already. For context, Chelsea, sitting just a point behind in 8th, has a goal difference of +10, while United’s is a measly +4. That's a glaring red flag.
A Look at the Mid-Table Logjam
The current standing of Manchester United in the table puts them in a weird spot. They are technically level on points with Newcastle, but the Magpies have a better goal difference.
- Arsenal: 49 points (Running away with it)
- Manchester City: 43 points
- Aston Villa: 43 points
- Liverpool: 35 points
- Brentford: 33 points
- Newcastle: 32 points
- Manchester United: 32 points
Look at that gap to the top. It’s a canyon. But then look at the gap to 4th place. It’s only three points. This is the ultimate "glass half full or half empty" scenario. One good week under Carrick and United are back in the Champions League conversation. One bad week—especially with a Manchester Derby and a trip to Arsenal looming—and they could easily slide down to 10th or 11th. Fulham and Sunderland are breathing down their necks with 31 and 30 points respectively.
The Mbeumo and Fernandes Factor
If there is a reason United hasn't completely collapsed into the bottom half, it’s Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes. Mbeumo has been a revelation since arriving, leading the club with 6 league goals. He’s got that "it" factor that a lot of the other summer signings seem to be missing.
Then you have Bruno. Love him or hate him, the man is a machine. He’s sitting on 5 goals and 8 assists. He’s created 56 chances this season—nearly double anyone else in the squad. Without his 90+7 minute penalty against Burnley back in August, or his brace against Wolves in December, the position of Manchester United in the table would look a lot more like Everton's or Crystal Palace's.
Kinda crazy to think about, right? One player basically holding the ceiling up.
The Defensive Nightmare
We have to talk about the defense. It’s been, well, let's be kind and call it "unstable." 32 goals conceded in 21 games is relegated-team territory.
Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt were supposed to be the Great Wall of Old Trafford. Instead, we’ve seen Leny Yoro conceding penalties and the team getting carved open by teams like Brentford and Bournemouth. The lack of a consistent defensive partner for De Ligt—mostly due to injuries to Lisandro Martinez and the aging legs of Casemiro—has left the goalkeeper, whether it's Altay Bayındır or the newcomer Senne Lammens, totally exposed.
Actually, Lammens has been one of the few bright spots lately. His debut helped secure that win at Liverpool, and he’s currently rocking a 61.1% save percentage. Not world-beating, but better than what we saw earlier in the campaign.
Why 7th Place Isn't the Ceiling
Most pundits are writing United off for the season. They see the 5 losses and the staggering 8 draws and assume the spark is gone. But Carrick is likely going back to a 4-2-3-1.
This is huge for Kobbie Mainoo. Under Amorim’s system, Mainoo was basically a ghost. He didn't start a single Premier League game because he didn't fit the rigid two-man midfield setup. Carrick has already hinted that he wants to build the team around the 20-year-old. If Mainoo gets back to his 2024 form, the transition from defense to attack becomes 100% smoother.
Also, getting Amad Diallo back from AFCON duty is going to be massive. He and Mbeumo on the wings give United a speed and directness they’ve lacked during the dreary winter months.
The Realistic Path Forward
So, what does the rest of the season look like for Manchester United in the table?
There are 17 games left. That’s 51 points up for grabs. If Carrick can turn half of those draws into wins—which isn't a huge ask if the defense stops gift-wrapping goals—United can comfortably hit 60-65 points. Historically, that’s usually enough for 5th or 6th. And with the new UEFA coefficients, 5th place might just be enough to sneak back into the Champions League.
It’s all about the next four weeks.
- Manchester City (H): A win here changes the entire mood of the city.
- Arsenal (A): Survival is the goal at the Emirates.
- Fulham (H): A "must-win" if 7th place is to be left behind.
- Tottenham (H): A six-pointer for European spots.
Actionable Insights for the Rest of the Season
If you’re tracking the progress of Manchester United in the table, stop looking at the "Points" column for a second and start looking at "Expected Goals Against" (xGA).
Until Carrick fixes the structure in front of the back four, United will continue to drop points in games they dominate. Watch the role of Manuel Ugarte in the coming weeks. He’s currently leading the team with 4.7 tackles per 90 minutes. If Carrick lets him play as a pure "destroyer" to protect the center-backs, the goal concessions will drop, and the climb up the table will actually begin.
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Keep an eye on the injury report for Luke Shaw as well. He’s played 1,825 minutes this season—the most in the squad. If he burns out or gets sidelined, the left side of the pitch becomes a massive liability again.
The season isn't over. It’s just very, very messy.
Next Steps for Following the Standings:
Monitor the "Games Played" column carefully. Arsenal and City have a congested Champions League schedule coming up in February. United, having been knocked out of the EFL Cup and having a lighter European load, might actually benefit from the extra rest. The climb from 7th to 4th is only one winning streak away.
Check the live table updates after the Manchester Derby on January 17; that result will likely dictate whether United spends the spring fighting for the top four or just trying to stay ahead of Fulham.