Rio Ferdinand Warns Amorim About Manchester United’s Brutal Premier League Start to 2025/26 Season

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has expressed concerns about the club’s first six games of the 2025/26 Premier League season. The former center-back worries that United’s promising pre-season form might not carry over, warning that “you can’t have both and the results don’t follow,” as he said.

Rúben Amorim’s Manchester United will look very different from last season. Several players have left, others have joined, and a few are still negotiating with other clubs—like Garnacho, who’s been linked with Chelsea.

During the pre-season friendlies and the Premier League Summer Series, United showed solid form, winning four out of seven games—losing once to the ASEAN All-Stars and drawing twice (against Leeds and Everton). Now, with just one game left before their Premier League opener against Arsenal at Old Trafford, Ferdinand is worried about the challenges ahead.

Rio Ferdinand Worried About United' Schedule

United kicks off the season against Arsenal. Then, they travel to London to face Fulham before returning home to play Burnley—that wraps up August. September looks even tougher: away at Manchester City, home against Chelsea, and then away to Brentford. After that, it doesn’t get any easier, with Sunderland at Old Trafford followed by a trip to Anfield to face the reigning champions.

"Man United's fixture list is horrendous. The first six games—it's tough. So all this good work that we're seeing, and we're hearing about, and coming out at a club, and what I saw, could be undone within the first six games if it doesn't go well. So that's going to be an important factor. The two have to marry up. You can't have one, and then the results don't follow." - Ferdinand said in TalkSport Breakfast show.

Manchester United will play the first game of the season, August 17 at 10:30 am ET.