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Manchester United are showing clear signs of progress with coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Executive Vice President Ed Woodward said after the club’s latest financial results were announced.
United released its fiscal second quarter 2021 results on Thursday, with debt increasing 16 percent to 455.5 million pounds after 12 months of the coronavirus pandemic.
United are second in the Premier League and are in a solid position to qualify for next season’s Champions League, but are following leaders Manchester City, with whom they play on Sunday, live. Sky sports – for 14 points.
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They have also progressed to the FA Cup quarter-finals and reached the Europa League round of 16 after exiting the Champions League in the group stage.
Woodward says it has been “an extraordinarily challenging 12 months for football and society as a whole” but is optimistic about the club’s prospects for the future due to the “rapid launch of vaccines in the UK”.
“While the disruption to our operations remains significant, we are pleased with the tremendous resilience the club has shown during the pandemic, backed by the dedication of our people and the strength of our commercial business,” Woodward said.
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Sky Sports reporter James Cooper says Manchester United CEO Ed Woodward is ‘optimistic’ about the club’s progress both on and off the pitch after the release of fiscal second-quarter results.
“We have been reminded of the importance of football as a source of community, entertainment and pride for fans around the world, even when we have missed it so much at Old Trafford.
“The progress made by Ole and the players this season is clear and our thriving Academy and women’s team also adds to the optimism we feel about the future on and off the court.”
United’s revenue fell 7.2 percent year-on-year to 281.8 million pounds and earnings fell 6.9 percent to 33.8 million pounds.
A return to the Champions League, albeit only for the group stage, generated streaming revenue of up to £ 156.3 million, an increase of 60.1 per cent.
Business revenue was down 19.1 percent to £ 122.3 million and with games played behind closed doors since last March, revenue for the day fell from £ 55.2 million to £ 3.2 million.
United’s penultimate game of the season, at home to Fulham on May 15, could welcome fans and Woodward is excited for the fans’ return to Old Trafford.
Neville: United ‘sleepwalker’ in top four fight
Gary Neville says Manchester United are “sleepwalking” into a top-four fight after their stuttering form continued with a goalless draw against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team underperformed at Selhurst Park, getting only one shot on goal and missing a chance to open a three-point gap over third-placed Leicester.
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Gary Neville said Manchester Utd was ‘well away’ in their 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and ‘it was boring to watch’
United led the league in January but have only won two of their last eight Premier League games, falling 14 points behind Manchester City, which they will face at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Neville was disappointed in their “boring” performance against Crystal Palace and feels they are putting themselves at risk of falling outside the top four.
“We know that the fans are not in the stadium, we know that there has been a lot of football, but they looked really lethargic tonight and very well,” said the Sky sports pandit. “The body language seemed really exhausted.
“I thought progress had been made in the last few weeks and that they would consolidate that second place by scoring three points at places like Crystal Palace and against Sheffield United and West Brom, but now they are making it really difficult.
“If you were Liverpool or Chelsea watching that tonight, you’d be thinking, ‘We have a good chance because they look leggy.’
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Gary Neville says Bruno Fernandes has not been helped in recent games due to the lack of movement from the Manchester Utd forwards.
“Manchester United have to find something somewhere.
“There was no urgency at the end of the game. You were expecting United to throw everything away. You were hoping that maybe some of the guys would come in and do something to try to win the game, take a chance, take a chance.” , but there was almost a fear that perhaps Crystal Palace was going to fight back.
“It wasn’t a good night for United. You can’t have too many performances like that.”
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