Revealed: The Real Reason Manchester United Won’t Play on a Saturday Again This Year
Top-flight domestic football resumes this weekend following the international break, during which several nations secured or missed out on qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Others, including Kenya’s Harambee Stars and world champions Argentina, featured in friendly fixtures as preparation for upcoming qualifiers intensified.
The Premier League returns on Saturday afternoon, with Chelsea travelling to Turf Moor to face Burnley in the early kick-off. However, the standout fixture of the weekend will be the North London derby on Sunday, as Arsenal and Tottenham renew their rivalry.
Manchester United, meanwhile, will not feature until Monday night, when they welcome Everton to Old Trafford. Remarkably, this will be the beginning of a two-month period in which United will not play a single Premier League match on a Saturday, a sequence spanning 10 consecutive league fixtures.
According to the current schedule, United’s next Saturday league match will not take place until January 17, when they meet rivals Manchester City in the much-anticipated Manchester derby.
A Unique Scheduling Quirk
United’s unusual run is the result of a combination of television selections and fixture congestion involving other clubs. As reported by BBC Sport, the primary reason is linked to broadcast choices, which continue to dictate fixture movement throughout the season.
All three of United’s Monday fixtures during this period were chosen as the designated Monday Night Football broadcasts. Meanwhile, two of their initially planned Saturday fixtures—against Crystal Palace and Leeds United—had been earmarked for coverage by TNT Sports but were subsequently rescheduled.
A Premier League source told BBC Sport that the changes were unavoidable:
“The broadcast selections were made early, but subsequent adjustments were necessary due to the commitments of other clubs in midweek European or Premier League fixtures.”
Crystal Palace will be involved in the UEFA Europa Conference League on a Thursday, while Leeds United have another Premier League fixture scheduled for the same evening. League rules require clubs to have a minimum of 60 hours’ recovery time, meaning neither could fulfil a Saturday fixture.
Midweek Commitments and Festive Disruption
United’s home fixtures against West Ham and Wolves, as well as their away trip to Burnley, all fall within the Premier League’s congested midweek programme. This stretch includes several rearranged matches intended to balance the calendar ahead of the busy festive period.
Just before Christmas, United face Aston Villa in the late Sunday kick-off, while their game against Newcastle United has been set for Boxing Day, which falls on a Friday this season.
A Chance to Build Momentum
Despite the irregularity of their schedule, United may view this window as an opportunity. Notably, none of the 10 games in their no-Saturday run comes against a traditional “top-six” opponent.
Erik ten Hag’s side—or “Ruben Amorim’s side,” following United’s recent managerial change—enter this period in improved form, unbeaten in their last five matches and currently sitting seventh in the table with 18 points. They remain eight points behind leaders Arsenal.
However, Arsenal face challenges of their own after defender Gabriel suffered an adductor injury during international duty. Mikel Arteta’s side must first navigate the derby this weekend before shifting focus to their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
For United, a lighter schedule—after failing to qualify for European football last season—may ultimately work in their favour. The club finished 15th last term and were beaten by Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final, leaving them with fewer midweek commitments compared to previous campaigns.
With no Saturday football on the horizon until mid-January, the upcoming run may prove pivotal in shaping United’s season—either as a platform for steady progress or a period that highlights further inconsistencies.
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Revealed: The Real Reason Manchester United Won’t Play on a Saturday Again This Year