Man Utd top scorers 2025/26: Derby defeat extends early season woe

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 14 Sept 2025 18:59 BST
• 9 min read

Feature

Manchester United entered the 2025/26 season under significant pressure, hoping to see a substantial improvement from their misfiring attack.

The Red Devils finished in 15th place last season, their worst finish in the Premier League era, scoring just 44 goals in 38 top-flight matches.

They also suffered a heart-breaking defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final to conclude the campaign without any silverware.

It was a rocky start for new head coach Ruben Amorim after replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag early in the season. So the Portuguese coach now needs to oversee a rapid improvement in the main domestic competitions, with the lack of European football reducing the burden on Man Utd’s fixture list this season and giving him much-needed time on the training ground.

Even the most optimistic Man Utd fans are likely not demanding that the club’s 12-year title drought must to come to an immediate end, but Amorim has been backed in the transfer market and must swiftly turn the trajectory of the club around.

United are going to need more goals if that is to happen. Captain Bruno Fernandes was the Man Utd top scorer in 2024/25 with 19 goals overall, though just eight of those strikes came in the Premier League.

The season before it was Rasmus Hojlund who finished as the leading Man Utd goalscorer with just 16 goals, 10 of which came in the top flight. Marcus Rashford – now with Barcelona – is the last player to have topped the 20-goal mark for the club when he stunningly netted 30 times in 2022/23.

As the incumbent number nine when multiple new attacking stars arrived, it looked like Hojlund would be under increased pressure to deliver this season, but the Denmark international, who had initially wanted to stay and fight for his place, has now the club to join Napoli.

READ MORE: Premier League Assists Standings

It is Portugal star Fernandes who therefore faces some competition from those new arrivals in the race to score the most goals for Man Utd in the 2025/26 season.

Matheus Cunha signed from Wolves and Bryan Mbeumo arrived from Brentford, with both of those attackers hoping to make an immediate impact on the club’s scoring standings after producing impressive Premier League campaigns last year.

READ MORE: Premier League 2025/26 Top Scorers

But perhaps most intriguing is new striker Benjamin Sesko after he signed for Man Utd on a five-year contract in a big-money move from RB Leipzig. That transfer was concluded on August 9, just a week before the new season, and ultimately appears to have been the move that sealed Hojlund's departure from the club.

Aside from Fernandes, Joshua Zirkzee, Amad Diallo and youngster Chido Obi will be among the other returning players hoping to make a big impression, but if the captain triumphs again he will become the first Man Utd player since Wayne Rooney (2013/14 to 2014/15) to finish as their top goalscorer for two consecutive seasons.

READ MORE: European Golden Shoe 2025/26 Standings

This page will be updated with Manchester United’s top scorers in the Premier League and all competitions after every matchday this season.

Man Utd: Premier League top scorers 2025/26

Manchester United have now completed their pre-season fixtures and played their first four top-flight games of the 2025/26 campaign.

They have scored four goals, although two of those have been own goals.

They began their Premier League season with a huge match at home to Arsenal on Sunday August 17.

United ultimately lost 1-0 at Old Trafford despite putting in an encouraging performance.

Ahead of the game, many predicted line-ups had suggested Amorim could opt to start with all three of his new attacking signings, with Fernandes playing in a deeper midfield role.

Instead, having only recently joined the club, Sesko had to settle for a second-half appearance from the substitutes' bench, with Mason Mount instead playing in one of the three most advanced positions.

Mbeumo and Cunha made impressive starts, both forcing David Raya into key saves, and despite United failing to net in a huge early test for the new-look forward line, they would have been confident of getting up and running on MD2 at Fulham, particularly if Sesko was deemed ready to make his first start.

Arsenal over recent seasons have been one of the meanest defences in the Premier League, so were always likely to prove tough to break down, but the summer arrivals were desperate to make an early impression in the other August matches.

Sesko had looked set to lead the line at Craven Cottage, with Cunha and Mbeumo playing behind him. United have had a good record against Fulham over recent seasons, but have otherwise struggled when playing in London. They were already in need of a positive result as they did not want to fall further behind the leading teams.

Surprisingly, Sesko was again left on the bench and Man Utd turned in a more disappointing performance, drawing 1-1 despite taking the lead through an own goal. Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty in the first half, firing it well over the bar.

That meant no United players had yet managed to score in EPL play after two games.

Fortunately for Man Utd that situation changed in MD3 against Burnley. Fernandes atoned for his previous penalty miss by scoring a stoppage-time winner from 12 yards to settle a 3-2 win.

Mbeumo was also on target in the second half for his first league goal for United, having previously scored in the EFL Cup.

But the opening goal for United was another own goal, meaning they benefited from two in their first three matches and 'own goals' remains their top league goalscorer.

Having got a much-needed win against Burnley, spirits were higher for Amorim's squad going into the international break.

But a comprehensive 3-0 derby defeat to rivals Manchester City on September 14 brought United crashing back down to earth, with Sesko unable to make much of an impact despite starting his first EPL game.

Man Utd top scorers in all competitions 2025/26

As well as the Premier League, a crucial season for Man Utd will include them playing in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

However, the lack of European football and a very early Carabao Cup exit means there is a much lighter fixture list for United compared to a typical season.

United, are already out of the EFL Cup after being stunned by League Two side Grimsby Town.

Despite naming a strong side they fell two goals down in the first half. Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire hauled the club level late in the match, but they still ended up losing the tie an epic penalty shoot-out.

In a 12-11 defeat from the penalty spot, Matheus Cunha and Mbeumo were the United players to miss.

Man Utd next fixtures

Going into the Burnley match on August 30 there was huge pressure on the Red Devils after their shocking defeat to Grimsby last time out.

Having won against Burnley, the club went into the international break in a slightly better situation.

But the defeat to Man City on Sunday leaves United under massive pressure once again going into their next games.

Man Utd fixtures for 2025/26 include their next match, which will be played at home against Chelsea on Saturday September 20, the fifth Premier League match of this season.

That is the second part of a huge back-to-back scheduled for after the international break, with Man Utd having first played Man City and then taking on the Blues in the space of six days.

After that, Man Utd are away to Brentford on September 27.

And their last match before the October international break will come at home to promoted side Sunderland.

In topping the Man Utd goal rankings for a second time last season, Bruno Fernandes' tally was only marginally ahead of what Rasmus Hojlund had produced to finish first a campaign earlier.

A winning total of 16 goals for Hojlund in the 2023/24 Man Utd scoring standings was the lowest since Paul Pogba also topped the charts with 16 strikes in 2018/19.

United captain Fernandes had been named the club's top scorer once before, with his previous success coming in 2020/21. That time he scored 28 goals.

The last Man Utd player to score more than Marcus Rashford's huge total (30 goals) from 2022/23 was Wayne Rooney, who netted a staggering 34 times in the 2011/12 season.

READ MORE: Most Assists In Europe 2025/26

Cristiano Ronaldo is the previous Man Utd attacker to have scored more than 40 goals in a season. He netted 42 in 2007/08 as the club won the Premier League and Champions League trophies. Ronaldo had 31 EPL goals that year, which is the club record in that competition.

Ruud van Nistelrooy scored a stunning 44 goals in 2002/03.

But the all-time single-season record is held by Denis Law, who scored 46 goals in 1963/64.

Even though his time at Man Utd was heavily impacted by injuries, Anthony Martial has been the top scorer twice.

The prolific Van Nistelrooy was top of the Man Utd scoring charts in four separate seasons, which is the same total achieved by Ronaldo.

READ MORE: Champions League 2025/26 Top Scorers

CR7 did it three times in his first spell at the club, and was then top scorer in 2021/22 after returning to Old Trafford, although his second period with the club ultimately ended abruptly prior to the Portugal great joining Al-Nassr.

But it is Rooney who fares best. He topped the Manchester United scoring charts six times in a magnificent career at Old Trafford.

Which Man Utd players have won the Premier League Golden Boot?

Manchester United players have won the Premier League Golden Boot on five separate occasions, though the club have not had a winner since 2013, which is also the last time they won the title.

Robin van Persie was the previous Man Utd winner in that 2012/13 title-winning season. It was his second Golden Boot in a row, but his first had come with Arsenal.

Dimitar Berbatov, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Dwight Yorke are the other Manchester United players who have won the Premier League Golden Boot.

When Berbatov won, he shared the award with former Man Utd striker Carlos Tevez, while Yorke’s success during the club's famous treble season was shared with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Michael Owen.

Van Persie, Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy all won the scoring title outright.

Despite being a prolific forward for Man Utd, Wayne Rooney never won the EPL Golden Boot.

Wayne Rooney is the all-time Man Utd top scorer with 253 goals. He netted 183 times in the Premier League and on 70 occasions across other competitions.

He beat the previous record held by club legend Bobby Charlton (249 goals), while Denis Law is in third place with 237 goals.