First Division 10th League Cup Second Round | FA Cup Fourth Round Charity Shield Shared | |
The 1977–78 season was Manchester United's 76th season in the Football League, and their third consecutive season in the top division of English football. It was their first season under the management of Dave Sexton, following the dismissal of Tommy Docherty in the close season due to revelations about his personal life. As FA Cup holders they contested the Charity Shield and were joint holders with league champions Liverpool, but failed to make an impact in Europe or on either of the domestic cups and finished only 10th in the league.
They were in fact expelled from the Cup Winners' Cup after their fans ran riot in France after a first round first leg tie with Saint-Etienne, although they were reinstated to the competition on appeal but had to play the return leg at a neutral venue.
Winger Gordon Hill, who was transferred to Derby County (then managed by Tommy Docherty) at the end of the season, bowed out of Old Trafford in style as the club's top scorer once again with 17 goals in the league and 19 in all competitions.
First Division
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points