How the Premier League table would look if season started when Ralf Rangnick took over at Man Utd
- Paul Okey
- 4 May 2022
Man Utd were in a sorry state when Ralf Rangnick took over and fans are struggling to see any improvement. However, the stats say different.
Gary Neville claims Manchester United are a joke under interim manager Ralf Rangnick, but the Red Devils have actually improved under the German - at least if you look at points per match gained.
United were seventh when Rangnick took the reins at Old Trafford, having won six and lost five of their opening 14 games at an average of 1.5 points per game.
However, since Rangnick was officially installed, they are averaging 1.68 points per game. Ten wins and seven draws from the 22 games would actually put them fifth if the season had started on December 2, above Chelsea.
Leaders way out in front
United would still be sitting a massive 14 points adrift of Manchester City and Liverpool having played two games more.
The Premier League's standout pairing actually boast an identical record for the period with City topping the table on goal difference.
Arsenal would be third, 11 points adrift of the duo, with Tottenham breathing down their necks in fourth.
Chelsea, who were top when Rangnick took over having lost just one of their opening fixtures and conceded just six, would be seventh. The Blues, who picked up 33 points in their opening 14 games have since taken the same number of points in six games more.
West Ham, fourth in early December, would be down in ninth having won eight and lost nine of their 21 games in the Rangnick era.
Premier League table since December 2, 2021
| P | W` | D | L | F | A | Pts | ||
| 1 | Manchester City | 20 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 55 | 13 | 51 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 20 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 43 | 10 | 51 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 20 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 37 | 21 | 40 |
| 4 | Tottenham | 21 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 46 | 22 | 39 |
| 5 | MAN UTD | 22 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 33 | 28 | 37 |
| 6 | Newcastle | 21 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 24 | 26 | 36 |
| 7 | Chelsea | 20 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 35 | 23 | 33 |
| 8 | Wolves | 20 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 21 | 20 | 28 |
| 9 | West Ham | 21 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
| 10 | Crystal Palace | 20 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 22 | 25 |
| 11 | Brighton | 21 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 27 | 25 |
| 12 | Southampton | 21 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 28 | 38 | 25 |
| 13 | Aston Villa | 19 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 25 | 23 | 24 |
| 14 | Brentford | 21 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 24 | 33 | 24 |
| 15 | Burnley | 21 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 24 |
| 16 | Leicester | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 26 | 29 | 23 |
| 17 | Leeds | 20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 25 | 52 | 19 |
| 18 | Everton | 19 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 18 | 31 | 17 |
| 19 | Norwich | 20 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 14 | 43 | 11 |
| 20 | Watford | 20 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 43 | 9 |
Upwardly mobile Newcastle
Eddie Howe had been in charge of Newcastle just under a month when Manchester United named Rangnick as the permanent non permanent successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and were still without a win and already six points from safety.
However, a run of form - 11 wins from 21 - which would put them sixth for the period has lifted them off the bottom and into the top half of the Premier League.
Their upturn in fortunes hasn't been replicated by Watford and Norwich who have picked up just nine and 11 points, respectively, in the same period.
The duo have been joined in the bottom three by Everton in recent weeks, with the Toffees, despite a shock win over Chelsea at the weekend, 18th for the period since Rangnick's appointment.
Fellow strugglers Leeds are just two points better off having played a game more, with the 52 goals they have let in by some way the worst in the division. It's almost double the total Man Utd have conceded in the same period, even with their joke side.
