Manchester United

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For me, wherever I played, I'd always see where the first game was, where the last game was, and where we were at Christmas.

There is such a big difference between being at home on Boxing Day versus being away because, depending on what your manager is like, if you've got an away game there is a chance you're training on Christmas Day.

Some of the toughest times I had was when we had away games on Boxing Day and we had to come in to train at four or five on Christmas. That's when everything is just starting at home and everyone is really enjoying themselves and you have to leave.

If you lose you are sat in the hotel having walked away from friends and family all for no points. It's not the best feeling and as a consequence you bring home some of that disappointment with you.

But, in reality, you just know it is the busiest time of the year. The floodlights are always on for the games, the conditions get that little bit tougher, you've got games it feels like every three or four days.

I think it's an exciting part of the season because you can gain real, significant momentum but ultimately it comes down to are you winning games.

I think the Christmas period itself can be tough if you have got family but in reality it always feels nicer when you get that win on Boxing Day. The atmosphere in the stadiums is a little bit different, the atmosphere among the players is a bit different.

You're very thankful to get the chance to do what you do, but if you end up losing on Boxing Day or around that spell it is rubbish because it almost feels like it was a waste of time with all the efforts you put in.

But, I get it. The fans love it, there is a lot of clamour around it. You lose track of days just like everyone else does after Christmas and before New Year but it is great to play in front of those types of crowds and it just does feel different playing during that week or two.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

Alex Turk
Fan writer

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As 2024 stumbles to a close at Manchester United, let's take a brief moment to reflect on the highs rather than anguish over the lows.

In a year of plenty of the latter, moments don't get much greater than the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on 25 May.

United's 13th FA Cup-winning run probably produced the club's two best moments of 2024, in fact.

The 4-3 quarter-final victory against Liverpool is the most emotional match I have attended at Old Trafford since becoming a season ticket holder in 2015.

But Erik ten Hag's heavy underdogs went one better by executing the Dutchman's gameplan to perfection against Manchester City in the final.

Dread was the overwhelming feeling in the build-up. Ten Hag was expected to lose his job, and you'd likely be able to count the number of the world's punters who backed United on one hand.

Two academy graduates - Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo - netting the decisive goals in a 2-1 victory made the occasion all the more sweet.

Rich traditions overcoming modern, state-backed dominance. Days like that sunny afternoon in May are the ones that Manchester United Football Club is all about.

Tears were flowing (and not just from my eyes) as I stood in the heavens at Wembley in disbelief. Dread quickly transitioned into immense pride.

Vengeance for that agonising narrow defeat in the first-ever Manchester derby FA Cup final a year earlier.

It just went to show that no matter how bad things stoop at this incredible football club, there will always be a chance of magic.

At the start of the sixth rebuild since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson, that sparks desperately needed hope under Ruben Amorim.

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