| Club: | Manchester United |
| Season: | 1978–79 |
| Manager: | Dave Sexton |
| Chairman: | Louis Edwards |
| League: | First Division |
| League Result: | 9th |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Runners-up |
| Cup2: | League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Third Round |
| League Topscorer: | Steve Coppell (11) Jimmy Greenhoff (11) |
| Season Topscorer: | Jimmy Greenhoff (17) |
| Highest Attendance: | 56,139 vs Birmingham City |
| Lowest Attendance: | 33,678 vs Norwich City (25 April 1979) |
| Average Attendance: | 46,164 |
| Pattern La1: | _manutdh7580 |
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| Prevseason: | 1977–78 |
| Nextseason: | 1979–80 |
The 1978–79 season was Manchester United's 77th season in the Football League, and their fourth consecutive season in the top division of English football.[1] They finished the season ninth in the league, but were more successful in the FA Cup, reaching the final where they lost 3-2 to Arsenal at Wembley, conceding a late goal from Alan Sunderland in the final minute of the game after coming from 2-0 down make it 2-2 in the closing minutes of the game.
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 August 1978 | Birmingham City | H | 1–0 | Jordan | 56,139 | |
| 23 August 1978 | Leeds United | A | 3–2 | Macari, McIlroy, McQueen | 36,845 | |
| 26 August 1978 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–3 | 21,802 | ||
| 2 September 1978 | Everton | H | 1–1 | Buchan | 53,982 | |
| 9 September 1978 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–1 | J. Greenhoff | 23,477 | |
| 16 September 1978 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | J. Greenhoff | 53,039 | |
| 23 September 1978 | Arsenal | A | 1–1 | Coppell | 45,393 | |
| 30 September 1978 | Manchester City | H | 1–0 | Jordan | 55,301 | |
| 7 October 1978 | Middlesbrough | H | 3–2 | Macari (2), Jordan | 45,402 | |
| 14 October 1978 | Aston Villa | A | 2–2 | Macari, McIlroy | 36,204 | |
| 21 October 1978 | Bristol City | H | 1–3 | J. Greenhoff | 47,211 | |
| 28 October 1978 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 4–2 | J. Greenhoff (2), B. Greenhoff, Jordan | 23,141 | |
| 4 November 1978 | Southampton | H | 1–1 | J. Greenhoff | 46,259 | |
| 11 November 1978 | Birmingham City | A | 1–5 | Jordan | 23,550 | |
| 18 November 1978 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–0 | Coppell, J. Greenhoff | 42,109 | |
| 21 November 1978 | Everton | A | 0–3 | 42,126 | ||
| 25 November 1978 | Chelsea | A | 1–0 | J. Greenhoff | 28,162 | |
| 9 December 1978 | Derby County | A | 3–1 | Ritchie (2), J. Greenhoff | 23,180 | |
| 16 December 1978 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–0 | McIlroy, Ritchie | 52,026 | |
| 22 December 1978 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–3 | 32,390 | ||
| 26 December 1978 | Liverpool | H | 0–3 | 54,910 | ||
| 30 December 1978 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 3–5 | B. Greenhoff, McIlroy, McQueen | 45,091 | |
| 3 February 1979 | Arsenal | H | 0–2 | 45,460 | ||
| 10 February 1979 | Manchester City | A | 3–0 | Coppell (2), Ritchie | 46,151 | |
| 24 February 1979 | Aston Villa | H | 1–1 | J. Greenhoff | 44,437 | |
| 28 February 1979 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–0 | Coppell, J. Greenhoff | 36,085 | |
| 3 March 1979 | Bristol City | A | 2–1 | McQueen, Ritchie | 24,583 | |
| 20 March 1979 | Coventry City | A | 3–4 | Coppell (2), McIlroy | 25,382 | |
| 24 March 1979 | Leeds United | H | 4–1 | Ritchie (3), Thomas | 51,191 | |
| 27 March 1979 | Middlesbrough | A | 2–2 | Coppell, McQueen | 20,138 | |
| 7 April 1979 | Norwich City | A | 2–2 | Macari, McQueen | 19,382 | |
| 11 April 1979 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–2 | Buchan | 49,617 | |
| 14 April 1979 | Liverpool | A | 0–2 | 46,608 | ||
| 16 April 1979 | Coventry City | H | 0–0 | 43,035 | ||
| 18 April 1979 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–1 | Jordan | 33,074 | |
| 21 April 1979 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–1 | McQueen | 36,665 | |
| 25 April 1979 | Norwich City | H | 1–0 | Macari | 33,678 | |
| 28 April 1979 | Derby County | H | 0–0 | 42,546 | ||
| 30 April 1979 | Southampton | A | 1–1 | Ritchie | 21,616 | |
| 5 May 1979 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–1 | 27,960 | ||
| 7 May 1979 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 3–2 | Coppell (2), Ritchie | 39,402 | |
| 16 May 1979 | Chelsea | H | 1–1 | Coppell | 38,109 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 January 1979 | Round 3 | Chelsea | H | 3–0 | Coppell, J. Greenhoff, Grimes | 38,743 | |
| 31 January 1979 | Round 4 | Fulham | A | 1–1 | J. Greenhoff | 25,229 | |
| 12 February 1979 | Round 4 Replay | Fulham | H | 1–0 | J. Greenhoff | 41,200 | |
| 20 February 1979 | Round 5 | Colchester United | A | 1–0 | J. Greenhoff | 13,171 | |
| 10 March 1979 | Round 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–1 | Thomas | 51,800 | |
| 14 March 1979 | Round 6 Replay | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–0 | McIlroy, Jordan | 55,584 | |
| 31 March 1979 | Semi-Final | Liverpool | N | 2–2 | Jordan, B. Greenhoff | 52,524 | |
| 4 April 1979 | Semi-Final Replay | Liverpool | N | 1–0 | J. Greenhoff | 53,069 | |
| 12 May 1979 | Final | Arsenal | N | 2–3 | McQueen, McIlroy | 100,000 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 August 1978 | Round 2 | Stockport County | H | 3–2 | McIlroy, J. Greenhoff, Jordan | 41,761 | |
| 4 October 1978 | Round 3 | Watford | H | 1–2 | Jordan | 40,534 |
| Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| GK | Gary Bailey | 28 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | |
| GK |  Paddy Roche | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| DF | Arthur Albiston | 32(1) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41(1) | 0 | |
| DF | Martin Buchan | 37 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 2 | |
| DF | Tom Connell | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| DF | Stewart Houston | 21(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24(1) | 0 | |
| DF | Gordon McQueen | 36 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 7 | |
| DF | Kevin Moran | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| DF | Jimmy Nicholl | 19(2) | 0 | 6(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25(4) | 0 | |
| DF | Steve Paterson | 1(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(2) | 0 | |
| MF | Steve Coppell | 42 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 53 | 12 | |
| MF | Brian Greenhoff | 32(1) | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 39(1) | 3 | |
| MF | Ashley Grimes | 5(11) | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10(11) | 1 | |
| MF | Lou Macari | 31(1) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37(1) | 6 | |
| MF | David McCreery | 14(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 14(2) | 0 | |
| MF | Chris McGrath | 0(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(2) | 0 | |
| MF | Sammy McIlroy | 40 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 8 | |
| MF | Tom Sloan | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 | |
| MF | Mickey Thomas | 25 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
| FW | Jimmy Greenhoff | 33 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 44 | 17 | |
| FW | Joe Jordan | 30 | 6 | 4(1) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 36(1) | 10 | |
| FW | Stuart Pearson | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| FW | Andy Ritchie | 16(1) | 10 | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19(2) | 10 | |