Rampant Reds
The goals haven’t exactly been flying in for Manchester United this season, but Scott McTominay’s opener against Norwich on Sunday marked a historic moment.
It was the club’s 2,000th league goal since 1992/93, making them the first team to reach that target, and sent them 142 goals clear of Arsenal. The following players have scored at least 10 times in the Premier League for United and made a significant contribution to racking up that tally over the years...
John O’Shea (10 goals)
It's perhaps not the first name you’d expect to see on this list, but the Irish defender made his contribution in an attacking sense over 12 years at Old Trafford.
Diego Forlan (10 goals)
The Uruguayan never made the impact in Manchester that he did elsewhere, but he at least did enough during his ill-fated spell in a red shirt to make this list.
Steve Bruce (11 goals)
Another player who perhaps doesn’t bring a rush of goalscoring memories to mind, but Brucey made his presence felt in the opposition box and would’ve been higher up this list if the pre-Premier League era was included.
Chris Smalling (12 goals)
Maybe United shouldn’t have let Smalling head to Roma on loan for the season after all, considering their current issues when it comes to sticking the ball in the net…
Ander Herrera (12 goals)
Goal-getting was never really Herrera’s game, but the midfielder still chipped in with 12 strikes over five seasons before heading to PSG in summer 2019.
Marouane Fellaini (12 goals)
It’s surprising that the big-haired Belgian didn’t score more than this over five-and-a-half years at Old Trafford, considering his size and penchant for a goal at international level.
Ashley Young (15 goals)
Yes kids, Young used to be a winger. And a pretty good one at that – even if he never managed to find the net as consistently in a red shirt as he did while at Aston Villa.
Nemanja Vidic (15 goals)
Another centre-back to make the list, the Serbian was more about bone-crunching tackles than daisy-cutters, but nevertheless made his mark.
Antonio Valencia (17 goals)
The Ecuadorian departed Old Trafford after 10 years over the summer, and although he was deployed as a right-back in his latter years, his early seasons playing on the wing saw him contribute a commendable number of goals.
Lee Sharpe (17 goals)
Sharpe running about in a United shirt with ‘Sharp’ on the front is a classic ‘90s Premier League image, but the three-time Premier League winner knew how to find the net from midfield too.
Jesse Lingard (17 goals)
He’s yet to find the net this season, but Lingard has time on his side to climb further up this list.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (17 goals)
Ibrahimovic made a mockery of the notion that he wouldn’t be able to hack life in the Premier League when he smashed in 17 strikes in a season-and-a-half at Old Trafford. Just imagine the damage he might’ve done if he’d arrived in his 20s…
Michael Carrick (17 goals)
Carrick’s style was more measured than explosive, but he still contributed a handy 17 goals in his hugely successful spell at the heart of the Reds' midfield.
Brian McClair (18 goals)
The Scot would’ve been higher on this list if pre-Premier League era goals counted, as his most devastating form in front of goal came in the old First Division days. Still, 18 goals isn’t to be sniffed at.
Denis Irwin (18 goals)
This might seem like quite a lot for a full-back, but the Irishman’s eye for a penalty undoubtedly helped his cause. In fact, eight of his 18 goals came from the spot.
Darren Fletcher (18 goals)
A dynamic box-to-box midfielder, Alex Ferguson’s protegee made an important contribution in front of goal.
Carlos Tevez (19 goals)
He might not be the most popular man among United fans since his move to rivals City, but Tevez hit some impressive form during his time on the red half of town.
Park Ji-sung (19 goals)
Fergie’s dream. Park’s work rate and versatility were an important part of Ferguson’s side and, as the numbers suggest, he was more than simply a workhorse too.
Paul Ince (19 goals)
Ince joined United in 1989 and only played half of his six seasons at the club in the Premier League era, but they happened to be his most prolific as he netted six, eight and five goals from midfield between the 1992/93 and 1994/95 seasons respectively.
Danny Welbeck (20 goals)
Welbeck struggled to find prolific form at United, although he did hit nine goals in the 2011/12 and 2013/14 seasons – his best returns for the club.
Nicky Butt (21 goals)
In twelve years at Old Trafford, Butt won about everything it was possible to win in the club game – and contributed a steady stream of goals in the process.
Andrei Kanchelskis (23 goals)
The flying winger helped the Red Devils win back-to-back Premier League titles in the first two years of the competition, before becoming the club’s top scorer with 14 league strikes in 1994/95.
Paul Pogba (24 goals)
Debate rages on about how successful Pogba’s return to United has been, but a 24-goal haul is not to be sniffed at and is one that the Frenchman is likely to improve on.
Nani (26 goals)
Unplayable on his day, invisible on others, the Portuguese winger contributed some memorable moments to United’s late successes under Ferguson –even earning a Ballon d’Or nomination in 2011.
Louis Saha (28 goals)
The Frenchman made his mark over four years in Manchester, plundering 28 Premier League goals despite struggles with injuries.
Romelu Lukaku (28 goals)
He may have become a scapegoat towards the end of his time at United, but the Belgian knows his way to goal and has continued to find the net with regularity at Inter Milan, after bagging 28 goals in just two seasons with the Red Devils.
Teddy Sheringham (31 goals)
Sheringham had big boots to fill in 1997 when he was brought in as the successor to Eric Cantona, and his contribution to the squad effort in the late ‘90s was a key factor in a period of enormous success for the club.
Marcus Rashford (32 goals)
It’s easy to forget Rashford is still just 21 years old, but the youngster has already fired his way up into the top end of this list and has plenty of seasons ahead to fulfil his massive potential.
Juan Mata (33 goals)
The Spanish midfield maestro looked like he may be on the way out of Manchester before penning a new two-year deal in the summer, but now he has time to climb further up the standings.
Roy Keane (33 goals)
This may come as a surprise to some, given Keane has more of a reputation for crunching challenges than long-range screamers, but the Irishman contributed his fair share of goals during a trophy-laden spell in Fergie’s midfield.
Mark Hughes (35 goals)
Sparky is another player who would be higher up this list if it wasn’t just for the Premier League era, as he scored his fair share of goals in his first spell with the club up until 1987, before adding 35 strikes in the Premier League during his second spell.
Anthony Martial (37 goals)
The Frenchman has flattered to deceive too often for many United fans, but he undoubtedly has an eye for goal and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hopeful the Frenchman can fire his way further up these standings sooner rather than later.
Javier Hernandez (37 goals)
Chicharito was the ultimate goal-getter, seemingly capable of scoring with any body part from any position. One of Fergie’s greatest bargains? Quite possibly.
Dwight Yorke (48 goals)
A bit of a jump takes us to Yorke, as we enter the pantheon of true United greats. The striker is surely among them thanks to his efforts in their treble-winning season and beyond.
Robin van Persie (48 goals)
Van Persie won the Premier League Golden Boot in his debut season at Old Trafford – his second in a row – before hitting double figures in each of his next two seasons at the club. A natural finisher.
Dimitar Berbatov (48 goals)
A pricey purchase for United from Tottenham at £30.75m, Berbatov repaid his new employers in the currency of goals – particularly when he hit 20 Premier League strikes in the 2010/11 campaign.
David Beckham (62 goals)
A free-kick wizard with a wand of a right foot, it’s no surprise that Beckham’s free-scoring form at Old Trafford soon caught the attention of Real Madrid.
Eric Cantona (64 goals)
If you’re going to play with the swagger and the popped collar of Cantona, you'd at least better put in the performances to justify it. And that’s exactly what the Frenchman did.
Cristiano Ronaldo (84 goals)
Ronaldo took his first big steps on the road to becoming one of the greats of the modern game at Old Trafford, dazzling English audiences and turning Premier League defenders inside out.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (91 goals)
How the Norwegian could do with a player like, er, himself right now. The baby-faced assassin knew where the goal was and rarely needed much time to find it – unlike some of the players he now manages.
Andrew Cole (93 goals)
Cole was prolific for United, hitting double figures in the Premier League in five separate seasons and firing them to five league titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League.
Ruud van Nistelrooy (95 goals)
Few players can boast as prolific a record at one club as the Dutchman at Old Trafford; in five seasons, Van Nistelrooy hit more than 20 goals in four campaigns and probably would’ve done the same in the fifth if it wasn’t for injury.
Paul Scholes (107 goals)
The first player on this list to hit a century, Scholes was a regular source of goals for United – and more often than not, they were worth watching too.
Ryan Giggs (109 goals)
Giggs just pipped his long-time team-mate Scholes into second place on this list, providing a remarkably consistent return of strikes for a midfielder over 24 years at the club.
Wayne Rooney (183 goals)
It’s not even a contest. Rooney is United’s top scorer by a country mile and won everything the club game has to offer over 13 years at Old Trafford. Some of his goals bordered on the ridiculous, too.
