We simulated Manchester United in the Scottish Premiership and the results were not what we expected

Manchester United beat Rangers 2-1 on Thursday and there was very little to choose between the sides – so what would happen if the Red Devils were in the Scottish Premiership?

United captain Bruno Fernandes spared his team’s blushes with a sumptuous second-half stoppage-time winner against the Scottish outfit in the Europa League on Thursday evening.

And there was very little difference in the quality between the sides on show at Old Trafford. But what would happen if Ruben Amorim’s side competed in Scotland’s top tier?

Well, we used Football Manager to predict exactly how the 20-time Premier League champions would fare if they were to enter the Scottish league.

According to the simulation, United would finish as champions on 99 points – nine ahead of Celtic and 36 ahead of Rangers.

Of course, as ever with simulations, this does not consider variables such as injuries or possible transfers. But United fans may be hoping some of its predictions come true with it forecasting an 18-goal season for striker Rasmus Hojlund.

In reality, Hojlund, 21, has scored just seven times this season and is yet to justify his reported £72m price tag.

FM's simulation of Manchester United in the Scottish Premiership (Credit:Football Manager)

Over the years, there has been some debate about where Rangers and Celtic would finish if they were to join the Premier League – an idea proposed by former Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside in the early 2000s but it was dubbed a “non-starter” by then-Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.

And even current Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers – previously a Premier League boss with Swansea, Liverpool and Leicester – weighed in with his thoughts.

"Celtic and Rangers, and obviously I can only talk from a Celtic perspective, is an absolutely massive club worldwide," Celtic boss Rodgers told talkSPORT in 2024.

"There’s no doubt if Celtic was in the Premier League it would be up there, minimum, in that top six bracket.

"Wherever you go in the world, you will meet Celtic supporters. The fan base, the history of the club, that’s what makes it a truly, truly massive club."

Rodgers, 51, came close to winning the Premier League when he led Liverpool to a second-place finish in the 2013/14 season. However, he has since enjoyed success in Scotland with Celtic, having secured three league titles, four Scottish League Cups and three Scottish Cups.