Dangerous start for Ten Hag

Erik ten Hag remains as Manchester United manager but the nearly three-week wait after the FA Cup final to have his position confirmed hardly smacks of complete confidence from the Old Trafford hierarachy.

It is with a bit of trepidation that the new fixture calendar has been unveiled because it is fraught with difficulty.

An opening night encounter with Fulham is a reminder Marco Silva's men won on their last visit, in February.

United did win at Brighton - where they go for their second game - but were hammered by the Seagulls at home, and Liverpool always represents a tough test.

Weirdly, that is the third game of the season, just as it was in 2022-23, when it provided Ten Hag's first win as United boss.

Immediately after the first international break, there are two lengthy away trips, to newly-promoted Southampton and Crystal Palace, where United lost 4-0 in truly embarrassing fashion just six weeks ago, leading many to think Ten Hag was finished.

It is probably wise not to take anything for granted with Manchester United just at the moment.