The 2024-25 Premier League season has been a rollercoaster for Manchester United, a club long synonymous with success, boasting an impressive 13 Premier League titles and a legacy of dominance in English football.

However, this season has seen the Red Devils plummet to depths unfamiliar to their loyal fanbase, teetering dangerously close to the unthinkable—a relegation battle.

A recent post from ESPN FC, dated April 20, 2025, captured this shocking decline with a biting tone, announcing that Manchester United had finally secured mathematical safety from relegation, ensuring their place in the Premier League for another year.

This statement, dripping with sarcasm, highlights just how far the mighty have fallen, turning what was once a given into a moment of bitter celebration.

Historically, Manchester United have been a powerhouse, one of only six teams never to have been relegated from the Premier League since its inception in 1992.

Yet, by December 2024, they found themselves languishing in 14th place, a position that marked their lowest ebb in the English top flight since 1989, according to data from The Athletic.

This alarming drop in form raised serious questions about the club’s direction, with fans and analysts alike wondering if the unthinkable could happen.

The ESPN FC post, accompanied by an image of a Manchester United player in a red jersey alongside a figure in a black hoodie, likely a coach, became a lightning rod for reactions on X.

Replies ranged from scathing mockery to disbelief, with users like @ClutchTimeX lamenting how United had gone from celebrating titles to celebrating mere survival, while @AmericanReds

called out ESPN FC for a perfectly executed “needle” at the club’s expense.

The arrival of Ruben Amorim as manager in November 2024 was supposed to herald a new era for Manchester United.

Amorim, who had previously enjoyed success at Sporting CP, was brought in to steady the ship and restore the club to its former glory.

However, his tenure got off to a rocky start. By December 2024, United had suffered six losses across all competitions in a single month, a dismal record not seen since 1930, as reported by BBC Sport.

This string of defeats included a third consecutive Premier League loss to Newcastle, part of a run where they lost five of their last six league matches.

Under Amorim’s management, the team managed to collect just seven points from a possible 24 in his first eight Premier League games, with only two wins, one draw, and five losses.

The numbers painted a grim picture, and fans were left reeling from the team’s inability to find form.

Tactically, Amorim introduced a system that emphasized patient build-up play, with around 10% of United’s passes being long balls, as noted by The Athletic in February 2025.

His strategy relied on forwards grouping against opposition defenses, supported by high-positioned wing-backs and playmakers like Bruno Fernandes.

However, the team struggled to dominate in these scenarios, often failing to win second balls or maintain productive possession.

Striker Rasmus Hojlund, despite his 6ft 2in frame, found it difficult to fulfill the target man role Amorim’s system demanded, further compounding United’s woes.

The lack of balance between patient and direct play left the team vulnerable, and their performances on the pitch reflected this uncertainty.

The ESPN FC post, while celebratory on the surface, was a sharp jab at Manchester United’s predicament.

For a club of United’s stature, avoiding relegation should never be a cause for celebration—it’s a baseline expectation.

The sarcastic tone of the post, coupled with the flood of mocking responses from the football community, underscores the severity of United’s fall from grace. Rival fans reveled in the schadenfreude, with comments like @Dug’s “What an achievement” and @KazibweAbbas1’s reference to United’s Europa League struggles adding fuel to the fire. Even United supporters, like @IamBradleyCarl, expressed embarrassment, blaming former manager Erik ten Hag for leaving the squad in disarray with poor signings.

This season has been a humbling experience for Manchester United, forcing fans to confront a reality where survival in the Premier League is no longer guaranteed.

While Amorim’s appointment was meant to spark a revival, his early struggles have only deepened the crisis, leaving many to question whether he can turn things around.

The 2024-25 campaign will likely be remembered as a dark chapter in United’s storied history, one where the threat of relegation loomed larger than ever before.

For now, the Red Devils have narrowly escaped the drop, but the road to redemption remains long and uncertain.