13 Years, 10 Managers, 0 Titles: How Manchester United Fell Apart After Ferguson

When Sir Alex Ferguson lifted the Premier League trophy in May 2013 and walked away, Manchester United were the champions of England for the 20th time. Thirteen years later, after Sunday's 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth, they sit 16th in the table, one point above the relegation zone, without a win in eight games. How did the biggest club in England fall this far?

The Ferguson Standard

Ferguson won 38 trophies in 26 years at Old Trafford, including 13 league titles and two Champions Leagues. He did not just win; he rebuilt winning teams again and again, and the whole club was organised around him. When he retired, he hand-picked Everton's David Moyes as his successor. The problem was that no one else at the club had been planning for life without him.

Ten Men in the Dugout

Moyes lasted less than a season and United finished seventh. Louis van Gaal brought an FA Cup in 2016 but a style fans found slow. José Mourinho won the League Cup and the Europa League in 2017 and finished second in 2018, then was sacked that December after falling out with players and the board.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær revived the mood and took United to second in 2020-21, but a Europa League final defeat, a 5-0 home loss to Liverpool and a 4-1 defeat at Watford ended his spell. Erik ten Hag won the League Cup in 2023 and beat Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final, yet an eighth-placed finish and a poor start to the next season cost him his job in October 2024.

Ruben Amorim's first full season brought a 15th-placed finish and another Europa League final defeat, this time to Tottenham, and he left in January 2026. Counting caretakers such as Ryan Giggs, Ralf Rangnick and Ruud van Nistelrooy, that is ten different men in charge since Ferguson, each arriving with a new plan and a new style.

Big Money, Small Returns

Every new manager wanted new players, and United paid huge fees to get them. Ángel Di María, Paul Pogba, Jadon Sancho and Antony all arrived for very large sums, and Cristiano Ronaldo's emotional return in 2021 ended in a messy exit a year later. Too many signings were bought for one manager's system and left stranded when he was sacked.

The points tell the story. Ferguson's final title side reached 89 points. In 2024-25, United finished with just 42, their lowest Premier League total.

Rock Bottom at Old Trafford

Michael Carrick, who stepped in after Amorim and steadied the side to a third-placed finish last season, is now under heavy pressure. Against Bournemouth on Sunday he left captain Bruno Fernandes on the bench, and United were 2-0 down by half-time after goals from Rayan and Marcus Tavernier. Evanilson added a third in the second half as away fans sang that Carrick would be sacked in the morning.

Meanwhile, Liverpool's 2025 title took them level with United on 20 league championships. For a generation of United fans, the bragging rights Ferguson built are gone.

What Would It Take to Rebuild?

The lesson of the last 13 years is that changing the manager is not a plan. United need a clear playing style that survives coaching changes, a recruitment team that signs players for that style, patience with one coach, and trust in the academy that once produced the Class of '92. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have promised a reset, including plans for a new stadium, but the results on the pitch have not followed yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Manchester United last win the Premier League?

In 2012-13, Sir Alex Ferguson's final season. It was the club's 20th league title.

Who has managed Manchester United since Ferguson?

David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim and Michael Carrick, plus caretakers including Ryan Giggs, Ralf Rangnick and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

What trophies have United won since 2013?

Two FA Cups (2016 and 2024), two League Cups (2017 and 2023) and the 2017 Europa League, but no league title or Champions League.

Thirteen years, ten managers and no league title: the fall of Manchester United is one of football's great cautionary tales. Watch the full story on the Scorer254 YouTube channel and follow Scorer254 for more Premier League stories with a Kenyan and African angle.