Top five players to score most goals under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United

Sir Alex Ferguson managed the club for 26 years. He is the original special one in British football. During his reign in the Premier League he was one of the most feared managers in the world as he had the ability to turn a talented pool of players into multiple title and treble winning juggernauts whether it is the League Title, Domestic Cups or Continental glory for that matter. Sir Alex had that Midas touch and it was no different for the strikers  he has worked under who have gone on to become club legends as well as being recognized as greats of the game.  

Sir Alex Ferguson had an aura unmatched  and only a few could match up to his stature. The only thing more lethal than forwards under his watchful eyes were those on the receiving end of the not so famous hair-dryer treatment.  

During Ferguson’s almost three decades long stay, Manchester United claimed an impressive thirteen Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League trophies. The winning mentality instilled by the manager is mirrored by these prolific goal-scorers  and it shows as those strikers were always hungry for more, wanting to outperform their previous best and never fully satisfied and resting on their laurels. 

In this article, we talk about the top five players with the most goals under Sir Alex Ferguson’s management, who cemented their legacy in Premier League folklore. Thanks to these talents being fully pushed to their limits under sir Alex at the Theatre of Dreams. .

5. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Total Goals: 126

Former Norway STriker and Man United boss  Ole Gunnar Solskjaer come in at number five with 126 goals. Fondly addressed as the “Baby-Faced Assassin,” Solskjaer was known to be a fox in the box kind of player and his uncanny ability to deliver crucial strikes as a super-sub. His iconic injury-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich remains etched in football history.

4. Ruud van Nistelrooy

Total Goals: 150

Legendary Dutch frontman Ruud van Nistelrooy ranks fourth in this list, having scored 150 goals for Manchester United. His predatory instincts in the penalty box and clinical finishing ensured many sleepless nights to opposing defenders. Van Nistelrooy’s goal-scoring prowess was a key part of the team’s success during his tenure, and he remains one of the Premier League’s all-time great strikers to this day.

3. Paul Scholes

Total Goals: 155

Paul Scholes, tone of the most skillful yet simple midfielders, secures the third spot with 155 goals to his name. Scholes was a live masterclass of precision and finesse when it came to long range strikes. His ability to dictate the tempo of the game was video game like and a knack to contribute crucial goals made him an invaluable asset under Ferguson’s management. Scholes was a shining example of a complete midfielder, acknowledged  for his vision and incredible passing range by fans, experts and peers alike.

2. Ryan Giggs

Total Goals: 168

Welsh legend Ryan Giggs sits pretty on second spot with an impressive 168 goals. Known for his blistering pace, dribbling skills during his initial years and then for his workhorse like longevity during the latter half of a very long and decorated career. Giggs was a vital cog in the wheel for Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad. He was not only a prolific goal-scorer but also  created plenty of chances along with being a goal threat too, providing innumerable assists to his teammates. Giggs may not have been an out and out striker but his ability to adapt and consistently be a threat ensured that he would forever be a topic of discussion pertaining to anything united.

1. Wayne Rooney

Total Goals: 197

197 goals places him at the top of the list but numbers do not do justice to how important Rooney who has also been bestowed upon with the title of The White Pele has been for Manchester United and British football in general for almost two decades. The best of both worlds, he was a teenage sensation who was a physical beast as well as possessed the technical skills which were on par with the best ever. Gazza during his later years dropped down to midfield but he always had that touch of class  and was the poster boy of their glory years during the final decade of Sir Alex tenure at United.

Cover Credits - Sky Sports