The new Premier League season will get underway on Friday, August 16, as FA Cup champions Manchester United welcomes Fulham at Old Trafford. Manchester United have prepared the best way for the season opener against the Cottagers with preseason games and new signings, but not all have gone according to plan.

First, Erik Ten Hag’s men played five preseason games before the Community Shield against Manchester City last weekend but only won two out of five, losing three. The Red Devils lost to Rosenberg, Arsenal, and Liverpool but ultimately defeated Rangers and Real Betis.

Their FA Community Shield fixture against Manchester City last weekend ended in a 1-1 draw, but the citizens emerged as winners on penalties. In the transfer window, the Red Devils were active all through as they let go of some players, most recently Aaron Wan-Bisaka, who left for West Ham United. His exit was facilitated by the arrival of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich.

One of Manchester United’s first famous signings was Joshua Zirkzee while Leny Yoro followed but was injured in his first appearance in the preseason and he alongside Luke Shaw has been sidelined. While the latter was ruled out with a calf injury, £52m-worth defender Leny Yoro is away for three months and Rasmus Hojlund has a hamstring problem.

Perhaps this was the reason why Erik Ten Hag believes his team is not ready for the game against Fulham on Friday.

“The team is not ready, but the league starts. We can’t hide from it. We have to deal with it. It’s not about the players who are not available, It’s also what I said always last season: it’s about the players who are available and we have a good group, we can make a strong selection.” Ten Hag said.

The game is the first of many to come in the new 2024/2025 Premier League season. Ipswich Town will play their first game back in the Premier League against Liverpool in the first of six Saturday fixtures.