This is our complete guide to Manchester United. In this article you can discover exactly what trophies the club have won, along with information on their history, players, managers, stadium, rivalries and much more. Read on to become an expert in the club and make sure you check in on SportsLens regularly for all the Manchester United news.
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Manchester United Logo & History
The club was formed in 1878 under the original name of Newton Heath LYR Football Club by the Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot at Newton Heath. In the early days they played matches against other railway departments and companies, until 1880 when they played their first recorded game against the reserves of Bolton Wanderers, losing 6-0.
By 1888 the club had become a founding member of a regional football league called The Combination, they then joined the Football Alliance a year later, which ran for three seasons before merging with the Football League. The club remained known as Newton Heath until 1902, when it ran into financial trouble and the new investors that saved the club, decided to change the name to Manchester United.
It was the Manchester City Council coat of arms that inspired the original Manchester United badge, though the only element that remains today is the sailing ship. The devil on the logo came from the club’s nickname ‘The Red Devils’. A devil began to appear on programmes and scarves in the 1960s and was incorporated into the badge in 1971.
The dawn of a new era in the early 1990s saw Man Utd become the most dominant of Premier League teams in the breakaway competition’s early years. They remain the most successful side of modern times with 13 of their 20 league titles coming since 1992.
Manchester United Kit
During the Newton Heath days the club club wore green and gold shirts, amongst various other colours and designs. Green and gold was reintroduced as Manchester United away kit colours between 1992 and 1994, while the colours have also become a symbol for the fans in their protests against their American owners the Glazer family.
When the club changed their name in 1902, the team colours also changed to a red Manchester United jersey, white shorts and black socks. These have remained the classic club home colours, though there have been occasions when black shorts or white socks have been used, while there was also a brief period when the club wore red and white hooped shirts.
The traditional away kit has been a white Manchester United shirt, with black shorts and white socks, though there have been some exceptions. For their third kit Manchester United normally have a blue shirt, but again, there have been experiments with different colours.
Club Honours
- Premier League / English Football Championship – 20 times: 1907–08, 1910–11, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
- Championship / Second Division – 2 times: 1935-36, 1974-75
- FA Cup – 12 times: 1908–09, 1947–48, 1962–63, 1976–77, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2015–16
- EFL Cup / League Cup – 5 times: 1991-92, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2016-17
- FA Community Shield / FA Charity Shield – 21 times: 1908, 1911, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1965*, 1967*, 1977*, 1983, 1990*, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016 (*shared)
- UEFA Champions League / European Cup – 3 times: 1967-68, 1998-99, 2007-08
- European Cup Winners’ Cup – once: 1990-91
- UEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup – once: 2016-17
- UEFA Super Cup / European Super Cup – 1 time: 1991
- Intercontinental Cup – once: 1999
- FIFA Club World Cup – once: 2008
Manchester United have been crowned as champions of England more often than any other club. Five of these titles were won under the management of Matt Busby, while 13 were won under Alex Ferguson. They also have a dozen FA Cup wins, half of which came with Fergie in charge.
Busby’s team became the first English club to become champions of Europe in 1968, which was a feat that Ferguson emulated in 1999 and 2008. On both of those latter two occasions, Manchester United FC took the opportunity to become world champions, also
Latest Man Utd Odds & Betting
If you fancy a bet on the current Manchester United team winning silverware this season, then you’ll want the top Premier League betting sites and best odds. Here are the biggest prices available for Manchester United to win the various competitions that they’re involved in this season.
| Competition | Best Man Utd Odds | Bookmaker |
| Premier League | 80/1 | SBK |
| FA Cup | 10/1 | 888Sport |
| Champions League | 80/1 | Betway |
Manchester United Squad
Manchester United F.C. have had some of the world’s greatest ever players in their squads over the years. In this section we’re going to remember some of those Manchester United legends and also profile the current squad options.
Manchester United Goalkeeper Options
Some of the former goalkeepers to have graced Old Trafford include Harry Gregg, Alex Stepney, Gary Bailey, Peter Schmeichel, Fabien Barthez and Edwin van der Sar. Here are the current crop of shot-stoppers.
- 1. David de Gea (Spain)
- 22. Tom Heaton (England)
- 31. Martin Dubravka (Slovakia)
Man Utd Defenders
There have been some great defenders in the Manchester United line up over the years. These include Noel Cantwell, Bill Foulkes, Tommy Dunne, Martin Buchan, Paul McGrath, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Denis Irwin, Gary Neville, Jaap Stam, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic. Here are the present defensive options.
- 2. Victor Lindelof (Sweden)
- 4. Phil Jones (England)
- 5. Harry Maguire (England)
- 6. Lisandro Martinez (Argentina)
- 12. Tyrell Malacia (Netherlands)
- 19. Raphael Varane (France)
- 20. Diogo Dalot (Portugal)
- 23. Luke Shaw (England)
- 29. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (England)
- 33. Brandon Williams (England)
- 38. Axel Tuanzebe (England)
- 43. Teden Mengi (England)
Manchester United Midfielders
Manchester United have had some magnificent talents in the middle of the park. Examples include Duncan Edwards, Nobby Stiles, Pat Crerand, Sammy McIlroy, Steve Coppell, legendary Manchester United captain Bryan Robson, Paul Ince, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick. These are the current midfielders at the club.
- 8. Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)
- 14. Christian Eriksen (Denmark)
- 17. Fred (Brazil)
- 18. Casemiro (Brazil)
- 28. Facundo Pellistri (Uruguay)
- 34. Donny van de Beek (Netherlands)
- 39. Scott McTominay (Scotland)
Manchester United Strikers
Amongst the attacking talent that have spread feat amongst Manchester United’s opponents are Tommy Taylor, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, George Best, Lou Macari, Norman Whiteside, Mark Hughes, Eric Cantona, Andy Cole, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney. The present roster of wingers and forwards are listed below.
- 7. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- 9. Anthony Martial (France)
- 10. Marcus Rashford (England)
- 11. Mason Greenwood (England)
- 21. Antony (Brazil)
- 25. Jadon Sancho (England)
- 36. Anthony Elanga (Sweden)
- 47. Shola Shoretire (England)
- 49. Alejandro Garnacho (Argentina)
Manchester United Players with Most Appearances
Manchester United football club have had some incredibly long serving players. These are the footballers that have played the most Manchester United games.
| Rank | Player Name | Years | League Games | FA Cup Games | League Cup Appearances | European Games | Other Matches | Total |
| 1 | Ryan Giggs | 1991-2014 | 672 | 74 | 41 | 157 | 19 | 963 |
| 2 | Bobby Charlton | 1956-1973 | 606 | 78 | 24 | 45 | 5 | 758 |
| 3 | Paul Scholes | 1994-2011, 2012-2013 | 499 | 49 | 21 | 134 | 15 | 718 |
| 4 | Bill Foulkes | 1952-1970 | 566 | 61 | 3 | 52 | 6 | 688 |
| 5 | Gary Neville | 1992-2011 | 400 | 47 | 25 | 117 | 13 | 602 |
| 6 | Wayne Rooney | 2004-2017 | 393 | 40 | 20 | 98 | 8 | 559 |
| 7 | Alex Stepney | 1966-1978 | 433 | 44 | 35 | 23 | 4 | 539 |
| 8 | Tony Dunne | 1960-1973 | 414 | 55 | 21 | 40 | 5 | 535 |
| 9 | Denis Irwin | 1990-2002 | 368 | 43 | 31 | 75 | 12 | 529 |
| 10 | Joe Spence | 1919-1933 | 481 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 510 |
All Time Manchester United Top Scorers
At their best Manchester United score a huge amount of goals. Here is the list of the club’s all-time top scorers.
| Rank | Player Name | Years | League Goals | FA Cup Goals | League Cup Goals | European Goals | Other Goals | Total |
| 1 | Wayne Rooney | 2004-2017 | 183 | 22 | 5 | 39 | 4 | 253 |
| 2 | Bobby Charlton | 1956-1973 | 199 | 19 | 7 | 22 | 2 | 249 |
| 3 | Denis Law | 1962-1973 | 171 | 34 | 3 | 28 | 1 | 237 |
| 4 | Jack Rowley | 1937-1955 | 182 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 211 |
| 5= | Dennis Viollet | 1952-1962 | 159 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 179 |
| 5= | George Best | 1963-1974 | 137 | 21 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 179 |
| 7= | Joe Spence | 1919-1913 | 158 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 168 |
| 7= | Ryan Giggs | 1991-2014 | 114 | 12 | 12 | 29 | 1 | 168 |
| 9 | Mark Hughes | 1983-1986, 1988-1995 | 120 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 163 |
| 10 | Paul Scholes | 1994-2011, 2012-2013 | 107 | 13 | 9 | 26 | 0 | 155 |
Biggest Man Utd Signings & Transfers
Manchester United transfer news is regularly in the heavens. The club is one of the very richest in the world and they can afford to pay vast fees for players. In this section we’re going to explore some of the biggest ever incomings and outgoings.
Most Expensive Manchester United Transfers
Manchester United signed Paul Pogba in 2016, for what was then a world record transfer fee. Rarely a summer goes by without a huge outlay on a player. Here are the club’s biggest ever signings.
| Rank | Player Name | Year Signed | Club Signed From | Reported Fee |
| 1 | Paul Pogba | 2016 | Juventus | £94,500,000 |
| 2 | Romelu Lukaku | 2017 | Everton | £90,000,000 |
| 3 | Antony | 2022 | Ajax | £86,000,000 |
| 4 | Harry Maguire | 2019 | Leicester City | £80,000,000 |
| 5 | Jadon Sancho | 2021 | Borussia Dortmund | £73,000,000 |
| 6 | Casemiro | 2022 | Real Madrid | £70,000,000 |
| 7 | Angel Di Maria | 2014 | Real Madrid | £59,700,000 |
| 8 | Lisandro Martinez | 2022 | Ajax | £57,000,000 |
| 9 | Aaron Wan-Bissaka | 2019 | Crystal Palace | £50,000,000 |
| 10 | Fred | 2018 | Shakhtar Donetsk | £47,000,000 |
| 10 | Bruno Fernandes | 2020 | Sporting Lisbon | £47,000,000 |
Club’s Most Expensive Sales
Even a club as rich as Manchester United needs to balance the books. Here are the largest transfer fees that the club has received for players.
| Rank | Player Name | Year Sold | Club Sold To | Reported Fee |
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2009 | Real Madrid | £80,000,000 |
| 2 | Romelu Lukaku | 2019 | Inter Milan | £74,000,000 |
| 3 | Angel Di Maria | 2015 | Paris St-Germain | £44,300,000 |
| 4 | Daniel James | 2021 | Leeds United | £25,000,000 |
| 5 | David Beckham | 2003 | Real Madrid | £24,500,000 |
| 6 | Morgan Schneiderlin | 2017 | Everton | £24,000,000 |
| 7= | Memphis Depay | 2017 | Lyon | £16,000,000 |
| 7= | Danny Welbeck | 2014 | Arsenal | £16,000,000 |
| 9 | Jaap Stam | 2001 | Lazio | £15,250,000 |
| 10 | Juan Sebastian Veron | 2003 | Chelsea | £15,000,000 |
Manchester United Manager List
Thanks to having had two of the most successful and long-serving managers of all-time within their ranks, Manchester United’s list of former managers is fairly small. Here is the full list of the men that have taken charge of the club.
Manchester United Stadium
Home Manchester United fixtures are played at Old Trafford. With a capacity of 74,310 it is the biggest club stadium in the UK and ranks eleventh in Europe. United fans call Old Trafford the Theatre of Dreams.
It has been Manchester United’s home ground since 1910, though due to bomb damage during World War II, the club had to share Maine Road with Manchester City between 1941 and 1949. Before moving to Old Trafford, the club had played fixtures at North Road and Bank Street.
Manchester United Rivalries
When you’re as successful as Manchester United, then you’re bound to pick up plenty of rivalries. In this section we’re going to examine Manchester United Champions League rivals and first, their domestic foes.
Liverpool vs Man United
The Manchester United vs Liverpool fixture is the biggest in England and can be compared with ‘El Clasico’ in Spain. These two clubs are the best supported and most successful teams in the country. They also happen to hail from rival cities not far from each other in North West England, so local antipathy is also part of the mix.
Manchester United have 20 English title wins, compared to Liverpool’s 19, but it is the Merseysiders that have been crowned as champions of Europe more often. Liverpool vs Manchester United is a fixture that has been seen in four domestic cup finals, with United beating their rivals in two FA Cup finals and Liverpool triumphing twice in League Cup finals. Here is the breakdown of Man United vs Liverpool results.
| Competition | Manchester United Wins | Draw | Liverpool Wins |
| League Games | 69 | 50 | 60 |
| FA Cup Matches | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| League Cup Games | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| European Matches | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Other Games | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Man Utd vs Liverpool Results | 82 | 58 | 70 |
Man City vs Man United – The Manchester Derby
Though geography plays a part in the rivalry with Liverpool, it can’t quite compare with Manchester United vs Manchester City when it comes to competing for local pride. This is a rivalry within a city and it’s the team in blue that claim to be the true team of Manchester, due to Manchester United having so many fans across the world.
For many years it was the red side of Manchester that enjoyed superiority, with Manchester United dominating the fixture and indeed, English football as a whole. That situation changed when Manchester City’s new owners made them one of the richest clubs in the world in 2008 and with the retirement of Alex Ferguson. In recent years it is City that have been the stronger team, with United in the unfamiliar position as underdogs. Here is the full breakdown of Man United vs Man City results.
| Competition | Manchester United Wins | Draw | Manchester City Wins |
| League Games | 65 | 52 | 49 |
| FA Cup Matches | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| League Cup Games | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| European Matches | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Games | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Man Utd vs Man City Results | 77 | 53 | 57 |
Chelsea vs Man United
Manchester United vs Chelsea has become a fierce rivalry over the past couple of decades. Like Manchester City, a change in ownership saw Chelsea become one of the richest clubs in the world when Roman Abramovich took over and they’ve been contenders for domestic and European honours ever since.
The most famous Chelsea vs Man Utd encounter came when the two clubs met in the 2008 Champions League final, with United winning on penalties after a 1-1 draw. They’ve battled for Premier League titles and also faced each other in three FA Cup finals, with Manchester United winning once and Chelsea twice. Here is the full breakdown of Man Utd vs Chelsea results.
| Competition | Manchester United Wins | Draw | Chelsea Wins |
| League Games | 63 | 52 | 45 |
| FA Cup Matches | 9 | 2 | 6 |
| League Cup Games | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| European Matches | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Other Games | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Man United vs Chelsea Results | 78 | 59 | 54 |
Man United vs Everton
Another rival that Manchester United have from the city of Liverpool are Everton. The rivalry was particularly fierce in the 1980s, when Everton had their great team under Howard Kendall. Having already won the First Division title in the 1984-85 season, they met Manchester United in the FA Cup Final, looking to land the Double. Instead, United won the match 1-0, despite having Kevin Moran sent off.
Everton gained revenge in 1994-95 when as massive underdogs, they beat Manchester United 1-0 in the FA Cup Final. United have signed some of Everton’s best players over the years, such as Wayne Rooney and Romelu Lukaku, adding to the rivalry. Here is the breakdown of Manchester United results against Everton.
| Competition | Manchester United Wins | Draw | Everton Wins |
| League Games | 81 | 46 | 59 |
| FA Cup Matches | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| League Cup Games | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| European Matches | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other Games | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Man Utd vs Everton Results | 90 | 47 | 71 |
Arsenal vs Man United
For some time Manchester United vs Arsenal was just about the most competitive and important fixture in England. Arsene Wenger’s arrival at Arsenal during the 1990s gave Alex Ferguson and Manchester United a worthy rival and for many years the clubs battled it out for leagues and cups.
Both teams had tough players, with Manchester United being captained by Roy Keane and the Gunners skippered by Patrick Vieira. Man United vs Arsenal encounters were often fiery, with scuffles on the pitch and in the tunnel, with the most famous encounter coming in 2004, when a slice of pizza was thrown at Ferguson. Here is the full breakdown of Manchester United match results against Arsenal.
| Competition | Manchester United Wins | Draw | Arsenal Wins |
| League Games | 85 | 49 | 73 |
| FA Cup Matches | 8 | 2 | 6 |
| League Cup Games | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| European Matches | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Games | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Man Utd vs Arsenal Results | 98 | 53 | 86 |
Man Utd vs Newcastle
Another 1990s enemy was Newcastle United. Having been promoted to the Premier League under Kevin Keegan, Newcastle quickly became one of the most successful and biggest spending sides in England.
Manchester United vs Newcastle became a real rivalry, especially in the 1995/96 season, when the Magpies had a 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League, only to let it slip and enable Manchester United to win the title. Newcastle then pipped Manchester United to the signing of Alan Shearer for a world record fee. Here is the breakdown of Man United vs Newcastle results.
| Competition | Manchester United Wins | Draw | Newcastle Wins |
| League Games | 82 | 40 | 42 |
| FA Cup Matches | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| League Cup Games | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| European Matches | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Games | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Newcastle vs Man United Results | 90 | 40 | 43 |
Man United vs Aston Villa
Manchester and Birmingham are two of the biggest cities in England, separated by just 86 miles, making the Manchester United vs Aston Villa fixture a spicy one. They battled for the first ever Premier League title in 1992-93, with Villa managed by Alex Ferguson’s Old Trafford predecessor Ron Atkinson and United ultimately coming out on top.
Villa challenged for the title again in 1998-99, before falling away and allowing Manchester United to surpass them and win the Premier League and ultimately the Treble. Here is the full breakdown of Aston Villa vs Man United results.
| Competition | Manchester United Wins | Draw | Aston Villa Wins |
| League Games | 88 | 40 | 44 |
| FA Cup Matches | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| League Cup Games | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| European Matches | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Games | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Man Utd vs Aston Villa Results | 102 | 41 | 50 |
Tottenham vs Man United
The Man United vs Tottenham goes back to the 1950-51 season when the two clubs battled for the First Division title and Spurs ultimately prevailed. They continued to fight it out for trophies in the sixties and early seventies, with the two clubs perhaps the most glamorous in England at the time.
After years of United dominance under Alex Ferguson, the fixture has become more competitive in recent seasons, as Spurs have improved. Here is the complete breakdown of Manchester United game results against Tottenham.
| Competition | Manchester United Wins | Draw | Spurs Wins |
| League Games | 85 | 43 | 42 |
| FA Cup Matches | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| League Cup Games | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| European Matches | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Other Games | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Man Utd vs Tottenham Results | 95 | 49 | 53 |
West Ham vs Man United
Manchester United vs West Ham is an intriguing fixture these days, with the former United manager David Moyes taking charge of the Hammers. West Ham have been fighting with Manchester United for European places in recent seasons.
In the past it’s Manchester United that have been dominant, but the Londoners have upset the odds on a number of occasions. Here is the breakdown of Man United vs West Ham results.
| Competition | Manchester United Wins | Draw | West Ham Wins |
| League Games | 63 | 29 | 40 |
| FA Cup Matches | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| League Cup Games | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| European Matches | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Games | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Man Utd vs West Ham Results | 71 | 32 | 46 |
Man Utd vs Leeds
One of the bitterest rivalries in English football is Manchester United vs Leeds. It’s built upon the rivalry that exists between Lancashire and Yorkshire that goes back to the War of the Roses, along with the great Leeds side built by Don Revie, that became one of the best teams in England in the 1960s and early 1970s.
The Man United vs Leeds United fixture became relevant again in the 1991-92 season, when the two clubs battled for the First Division title, with Leeds stopping Alex Ferguson from landing his first league crown at Manchester United. Whenever these clubs are in the top flight together, there will be fireworks, with Leeds considering Manchester United to be their biggest rivals. Here is the complete breakdown of Leeds vs Man Utd results.
| Competition | Manchester United Wins | Draw | Leeds United Wins |
| League Games | 39 | 33 | 26 |
| FA Cup Matches | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| League Cup Games | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| European Matches | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Games | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Man United vs Leeds Results | 49 | 36 | 29 |
European Rivalries
With Manchester United something of a permanent fixture in European competition, rivalries have built up with foreign clubs. United famously staged a late comeback to defeat Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final and land the Treble, while there have also been memorable encounters with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus. Here are some of the rivalries that have built up in recent years.
Man United vs Villarreal
The group stage of the 2021-22 Champions League saw Manchester United vs Villarreal. United won both games, with the match at Old Trafford being particularly memorable, as they came back from 1-0 down to win 2-1, thanks to a 95th minute winner from Cristiano Ronaldo.
These games gave the chance for the club to take some swift revenge, after the Man Utd vs Villarreal Europa League final of 2021, which the Yellow Submarine won on penalties. They had previously faced each other four times, all in the Champions League and with all finishing 0-0.
Man Utd vs Atletico Madrid
Another fixture that we saw in the 2021-22 Champions League was Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United. It was Atletico that triumphed, knocking Manchester United out of the competition in the last-16, with a 2-1 aggregate victory.
The only other time that the Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid fixture has been played, was in the 1991-92 European Cup Winners’ Cup. Manchester United were the defending champions, but once again it was Atletico that triumphed over two-legs, winning 4-1 on aggregate in the second-leg.
