| Club: | Manchester United |
| Season: | 1948–49 |
| Manager: | Matt Busby |
| Chairman: | James W. Gibson |
| Stadium: | Maine Road |
| League: | First Division |
| League Result: | 2nd |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Semi-final |
| Cup2: | Charity Shield |
| Cup2 Result: | Runners-up |
| League Topscorer: | Jack Rowley (20) |
| Season Topscorer: | Jack Rowley (30) |
| Highest Attendance: | 82,771 vs Bradford Park Avenue (29 January 1949) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 20,158 vs Middlesbrough (2 May 1949) |
| Average Attendance: | 50,427 |
| Pattern B1: | _white_collar |
| Pattern So1: | _band_red |
| Leftarm1: | E20E0E |
| Body1: | E20E0E |
| Rightarm1: | E20E0E |
| Shorts1: | FFFFFF |
| Socks1: | 000000 |
| Pattern B2: | _white_collar |
| Pattern So2: | _band_white |
| Leftarm2: | 0000C0 |
| Body2: | 0000C0 |
| Rightarm2: | 0000C0 |
| Shorts2: | FFFFFF |
| Socks2: | 0000C0 |
| Prevseason: | 1947–48 |
| Nextseason: | 1949–50 |
The 1948–49 season was Manchester United's 47th season in the Football League. They finished second in the league and as FA Cup holders they reached the semi-finals.[1]
See main article: 1948 FA Charity Shield.
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 August 1948 | Derby County | H | 1–2 | Pearson | 52,620 | |
| 23 August 1948 | Blackpool | A | 3–0 | Rowley (2), Mitten | 36,880 | |
| 28 August 1948 | Arsenal | A | 1–0 | Mitten | 64,150 | |
| 1 September 1948 | Blackpool | H | 3–4 | Delaney, Mitten, Morris | 51,187 | |
| 4 September 1948 | Huddersfield Town | H | 4–1 | Pearson (2), Delaney, Mitten | 57,714 | |
| 8 September 1948 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 2–3 | Morris, Rowley | 42,617 | |
| 11 September 1948 | Manchester City | A | 0–0 | 64,502 | ||
| 15 September 1948 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–0 | Buckle, Pearson | 33,871 | |
| 18 September 1948 | Sheffield United | A | 2–2 | Buckle, Pearson | 36,880 | |
| 25 September 1948 | Aston Villa | H | 3–1 | Mitten (2), Pearson | 53,820 | |
| 2 October 1948 | Sunderland | A | 1–2 | Rowley | 54,419 | |
| 9 October 1948 | Charlton Athletic | H | 1–1 | Burke | 46,964 | |
| 16 October 1948 | Stoke City | A | 1–2 | Morris | 45,830 | |
| 23 October 1948 | Burnley | H | 1–1 | Mitten | 47,093 | |
| 30 October 1948 | Preston North End | A | 6–1 | Mitten (2), Pearson (2), Morris, Rowley | 37,372 | |
| 6 November 1948 | Everton | H | 2–0 | Delaney, Morris | 42,789 | |
| 13 November 1948 | Chelsea | A | 1–1 | Rowley | 62,542 | |
| 20 November 1948 | Birmingham City | H | 3–0 | Morris, Pearson, Rowley | 45,482 | |
| 27 November 1948 | Middlesbrough | A | 4–1 | Rowley (3), Delaney | 31,331 | |
| 4 December 1948 | Newcastle United | H | 1–1 | Mitten | 70,787 | |
| 11 December 1948 | Portsmouth | A | 2–2 | McGlen, Mitten | 29,966 | |
| 18 December 1948 | Derby County | A | 3–1 | Burke (2), Mitten | 31,498 | |
| 25 December 1948 | Liverpool | H | 0–0 | 47,788 | ||
| 27 December 1948 | Liverpool | A | 2–0 | Burke, Pearson | 53,325 | |
| 1 January 1949 | Arsenal | H | 2–0 | Burke, Mitten | 58,688 | |
| 22 January 1949 | Manchester City | H | 0–0 | 66,485 | ||
| 19 February 1949 | Aston Villa | A | 1–2 | Rowley | 68,354 | |
| 5 March 1949 | Charlton Athletic | A | 3–2 | Pearson (2), Downie | 55,291 | |
| 12 March 1949 | Stoke City | H | 3–0 | Downie, Mitten, Rowley | 55,949 | |
| 19 March 1949 | Birmingham City | A | 0–1 | 46,819 | ||
| 6 April 1949 | Huddersfield Town | A | 1–2 | Rowley | 17,256 | |
| 9 April 1949 | Chelsea | H | 1–1 | Mitten | 27,304 | |
| 15 April 1949 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–0 | Carey | 44,999 | |
| 16 April 1949 | Burnley | A | 2–0 | Rowley (2) | 37,722 | |
| 18 April 1949 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 3–0 | Rowley (2), Mitten | 47,653 | |
| 21 April 1949 | Sunderland | H | 1–2 | Mitten | 30,640 | |
| 23 April 1949 | Preston North End | H | 2–2 | Downie (2) | 43,214 | |
| 27 April 1949 | Everton | A | 0–2 | 39,106 | ||
| 30 April 1949 | Newcastle United | A | 1–0 | Burke | 38,266 | |
| 2 May 1949 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–0 | Rowley | 20,158 | |
| 4 May 1949 | Sheffield United | H | 3–2 | Downie, Mitten, Pearson | 20,880 | |
| 7 May 1949 | Portsmouth | H | 3–2 | Rowley (2), Mitten | 49,808 |
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 January 1949 | Round 3 | Bournemouth & Boscombe AFC | H | 6–0 | Burke (2), Rowley (2), Pearson, Mitten | 55,012 | |
| 29 January 1949 | Round 4 | Bradford Park Avenue | H | 1–1 | Mitten | 82,771 | |
| 5 February 1949 | Round 4 Replay | Bradford Park Avenue | A | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Mitten | 30,000 | |
| 7 February 1949 | Round 4 Second Replay | Bradford Park Avenue | H | 5–0 | Burke (2), Rowley (2), Pearson | 70,434 | |
| 12 February 1949 | Round 5 | Yeovil Town | H | 8–0 | Rowley (5), Burke (2), Mitten | 81,565 | |
| 26 February 1949 | Round 6 | Hull City | A | 1–0 | Pearson | 55,000 | |
| 26 March 1949 | Semi-final | Wolverhampton Wanderers | N | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Mitten | 62,250 | |
| 2 April 1949 | Semi-final Replay | Wolverhampton Wanderers | N | 0–1 | 73,000 |
| Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | Charity Shield | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| GK | Jack Crompton | 41 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 0 | |
| GK | Berry Brown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| FB | John Aston, Sr. | 39 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
| FB | John Ball | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| FB |  Johnny Carey | 41 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 1 | |
| FB | Tommy Lowrie | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| HB | Allenby Chilton | 42 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 0 | |
| HB | Henry Cockburn | 36 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
| HB | Billy McGlen | 23 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| HB | Jack Warner | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| FW | John Anderson | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| FW | Ted Buckle | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | |
| FW | Ronnie Burke | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 13 | |
| FW | Laurie Cassidy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| FW | Jimmy Delaney | 36 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 4 | |
| FW | John Downie | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 | |
| FW | Charlie Mitten | 42 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 23 | |
| FW | Johnny Morris | 21 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 6 | |
| FW | Stan Pearson | 39 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 17 | |
| FW | Jack Rowley | 39 | 20 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 48 | 30 | |
| – | Own goals | – | 0 | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | 1 | |