Who has scored the most own goals for Manchester United in the Premier League?

Eric Bailly scored Manchester United’s most recent Premier League own-goal. Credit: Getty.Eric Bailly scored Manchester United’s most recent Premier League own-goal. Credit: Getty.
Eric Bailly scored Manchester United’s most recent Premier League own-goal. Credit: Getty. | AFP via Getty Images
We’ve poured over the numbers to see which Red Devils past and present have an unwanted record.

In the Premier League era, Manchester United have forged a deserved reputation for their offensive play and goal-hungry style.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But even the most successful side in the division’s history have had a few moments to forget over the previous decades, and some of the greatest players to ever represent the Red Devils have committed the most embarrassing act in football: scoring an own goal.

United fans may have their own personal traumas they’d rather forget, but we’ve had a look through the club’s own-goal history in the Premier League.

How many Premier League own goals have Manchester United scored?

In 29-and-a-bit seasons, United have scored 42 own goals, while they’ve had 69 scored in their favour.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Red Devils’ first own goal was scored by Gary Pallister in 1994, during 39th Premier League game, and the most recent came in that humiliating 2-0 loss to Manchester City in November, when Eric Bailly inadvertently prodded the ball into his own net.

Which player has scored the most own goals for Manchester United?

No player has scored more Premier League own goals for United than Henning Berg, John O’Shea or Jonny Evans, all of whom have netted three respectively.

Eight players have scored two own goals in United’s history, all of whom are defenders.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Only two players who wouldn’t traditionally be considered defenders or midfielders have scored own goals for United: Wayne Rooney and David De Gea.

Jonny Evans scored three Premier League own-goals for United. Credit: Getty.Jonny Evans scored three Premier League own-goals for United. Credit: Getty.
Jonny Evans scored three Premier League own-goals for United. Credit: Getty. | Getty Images

Which side have Manchester United scored the most own goals against?

The Red Devils have accidentally scored four own goals against four different teams in the Premier League: Liverpool, Southampton, Everton and Newcastle United.

However, with Southampton spending the least number of seasons in the league, it means United’s worst record comes against the Saints, with Fred adding to the tally earlier this term when he accidentally scored an own goal at St Mary’s.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Fred added another own-goal against Southampton earlier this season. Credit: Getty.Fred added another own-goal against Southampton earlier this season. Credit: Getty.
Fred added another own-goal against Southampton earlier this season. Credit: Getty. | Getty Images

What’s the highest number of own goals Manchester United have scored in a season?

The highest number of own goals United have ever scored in a single season is four, a tally they’ve twice registered.

Oddly, these have come in two of the club’s most successful seasons, the first being the 1999/00 campaign, when they were reigning European champions. However, by late October of that campaign they’d already scored four own goals, a tally they managed to avoid increasing.

Meanwhile, in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge, 2012/13, the team put past their own keeper four times, the last of which came on Boxing Day.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With two own-goals so far this season, that unwanted record could still be overtaken.

Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge for 28 of those own-goals. Credit: Getty.Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge for 28 of those own-goals. Credit: Getty.
Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge for 28 of those own-goals. Credit: Getty. | Getty Images

Full list of Manchester United Premier League own-goals

  1. Gary Pallister- Arsenal 2-2 Manchester United (22/03/94)
  2. Steve Bruce- Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United (19/03/95)
  3. Steve Bruce- Manchester United 2-1 West Ham United (23/08/95)
  4. Denis Irwin- Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Manchester United (16/03/96)
  5. Phil Neville- Southampton 6-3 Manchester United (26/10/96)
  6. Henning Berg- Manchester United 2-2 Chelsea (24/09/97)
  7. Jaap Stam- Everton 1-1 Manchester United (08/08/99)
  8. Henning Berg- Manchester United 5-1 Newcastle United (30/08/99)
  9. Henning Berg- Chelsea 5-0 Manchester United (03/10/99)
  10. Paul Scholes- Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Manchester United (23/10/99)
  11. Wes Brown- Southampton 2-1 Manchester United (13/05/01)
  12. David Beckham- Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Manchester United (22/08/01)
  13. Juan Sebastian Veron- Manchester United 2-1 Sunderland (01/01/03)
  14. Gary Neville- Manchester United 3-2 Everton (26/12/03)
  15. Gary Neville- Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Manchester United (07/01/04)
  16. John O’Shea- Everton 3-4 Manchester United (07/02/04)
  17. John O’Shea- Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool (20/09/04)
  18. John O’Shea- Southampton 1-2 Manchester United (15/05/05)
  19. Rio Ferdinand- Portsmouth 2-1 Manchester United (07/04/07)
  20. Wes Brown- Liverpool 2-1 Manchester United (13/09/08)
  21. Patrice Evra- Manchester United 2-2 West Bromwich Albion (16/10/10)
  22. Phil Jones- Newcastle United 3-0 Manchester United (04/01/12)
  23. Jonny Evans- Chelsea 3-3 Manchester United (05/02/12)
  24. Nemanja Vidic- Manchester United 3-2 Fulham (25/08/12)
  25. Jonny Evans- Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 Manchester United (29/09/12)
  26. Wayne Rooney- Manchester United 4-2 Stoke City (20/10/12)
  27. Jonny Evans- Manchester United 4-3 Newcastle United (26/12/12)
  28. Michael Carrick- Stoke City 2-1 Manchester United (01/02/14)
  29. Tyler Blackett- Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal (17/05/15)
  30. David De Gea- Sunderland 2-1 Manchester United (13/02/16)
  31. Chris Smalling- Manchester United 3-1 Bournemouth (17/05/16)
  32. Juan Mata- Stoke City 1-1 Manchester United (21/01/17)
  33. Phil Jones- Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Manchester United (31/01/18)
  34. Eric Bailly- Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool (10/03/18)
  35. Victor Lindelof- West Ham United 3-1 Manchester United (29/09/18)
  36. Marcos Rojo- Manchester United 2-2 Arsenal (05/12/18)
  37. Chris Smalling- Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 Manchester United (02/04/19)
  38. Victor Lindelof- Manchester United 1-1 Everton (15/12/19)
  39. Luke Shaw- Newcastle United 4-1 Manchester United (17/10/20)
  40. Axel Tuanzebe- Leicester City 2-2 Manchester United (26/12/20)
  41. Fred- Southampton 1-1 Manchester United (22/08/21)
  42. Eric Bailly- Manchester United 0-2 Manchester City (06/11/21)

Information provided by mufcinfo and the Premier League.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.