Manchester United have had no shortage of elite goalscorers since the Premier League began in 1992. From the early dominance of Eric Cantona and Andy Cole to the goalscoring records of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, some of the biggest names in English football have found the net for the Reds.
According to the Premier League’s official statistics, five players stand above the rest when it comes to league goals for Manchester United:
Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
1. Wayne Rooney – 183 goals
There is a sizeable gap between Wayne Rooney and everyone else. The former England striker scored 183 Premier League goals for Manchester United, making him the club’s record scorer in the competition. The Premier League also lists Rooney’s 183 goals as the most scored by any player for a single club in the competition.
Rooney arrived from Everton in 2004 and became one of United’s most important players during Sir Alex Ferguson’s final years as manager. His league record included 12 seasons in which he reached double figures, while he also scored 101 Premier League goals at Old Trafford.
2. Ryan Giggs – 109 goals
Ryan Giggs sits second with 109 Premier League goals, an impressive figure for a player whose career was built around the left wing and later midfield. He made 632 Premier League appearances and holds the competition’s all-time assist record with 162.
The Welshman spent his entire Premier League career at United and won a record 13 league titles. His longevity was remarkable, with his Premier League career stretching from the competition’s inaugural season through to 2014.
3. Paul Scholes – 107 goals
Just two goals separate Giggs and Paul Scholes. The Class of 92 midfielder finished his Premier League career with 107 goals from 499 appearances.
Scholes was particularly dangerous from distance and regularly produced spectacular strikes despite playing in midfield. The Premier League records him with 55 assists as well as 107 goals, while he won 11 league titles with United.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo – 103 goals
Cristiano Ronaldo is fourth on United’s Premier League scoring list with 103 goals. The Portuguese forward scored those goals across his two spells at Old Trafford, having initially joined United from Sporting CP in 2003.
His first spell produced three Premier League titles and included his remarkable 2007/08 campaign, when he scored 31 league goals. He joined United again from Juventus and went on to add a few more to his name.
5. Ruud van Nistelrooy – 95 goals
Ruud Van Nistelrooy completes the top five with 95 Premier League goals for United. The Dutch striker was one of the most prolific finishers of the early 2000s and scored 95 times in 150 league appearances for the club.
His tally places him ahead of Andy Cole, who scored 93 Premier League goals for United, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who finished with 91.
The stats has been taken from Premier League official statistics and Manchester United official records.
