Who Scores Most in Manchester Derbies?

The first Manchester derby of the 2026-27 season was full of excitement. Erling Haaland scored the only goal, leading Manchester City to a tight win at Old Trafford.

Enzo Maresca managed City for the first time in this derby. Michael Carrick was in charge of United for his second derby, having beaten City last season.

The match was closely fought until Haaland found the net. Replays showed the goal might have been offside, but the officials allowed it. This gave City the three points and took the Norwegian closer to making history.

Haaland’s ninth goal in derby matches puts him in joint-fourth place on the all-time Manchester derby scoring list. He is now level with Sergio Agüero and Bobby Charlton. This was his first goal at Old Trafford in this match-up since 2023.

Here is the complete list of the top 10 goalscorers in Manchester derby history, as reported by Planet Football on Sunday.

1. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), 11 goals in 31 games

Rooney tops the chart with eight league goals, two in the FA Cup, and one in the EFL Cup. His most famous goal was the stunning bicycle kick in 2011.

1. Joe Hayes (Manchester City), 10 goals in 17 games

Hayes scored more goals against United than any other team. Nine of his goals came in the league, including two in City’s 5-0 triumph at Old Trafford in 1955.

1. Francis Lee (Manchester City), 10 goals in 19 games

Lee had a slow start, failing to score in his first five derbies. He later scored in five straight games, with his best showing being a hat-trick in a 4-1 win at Old Trafford in 1970.

1. Erling Haaland (Manchester City), 9 goals in 11 games

The Norwegian is quickly rising up the ranks. All nine of his goals have been in the league. His latest goal, despite the offside debate, secures his spot among the derby greats.

1. Sergio Agüero (Manchester City), 9 goals in 16 games

Agüero scored in his first derby in 2011 during City's 6-1 rout of United. He had a remarkable streak of seven goals in seven games but managed only one in his last six matches against the Reds.

1. Bobby Charlton (Manchester United), 9 goals in 27 games

Charlton had a slow start with three goals in his first 17 derbies but finished strong with six in his last 10. He scored twice at Old Trafford in 1960. His record against City was balanced: nine wins, nine draws, and nine losses.

1. Colin Bell (Manchester City), 8 goals in 21 games

The City legend was not the most prolific scorer in derbies, but his long career helped him score eight goals, including two braces.

1. Eric Cantona (Manchester United), 8 goals in 6 games

Cantona netted in five of his six derbies and scored against City more than any other team. He scored in every match after his first.

1. Brian Kidd, 8 goals in 13 games

Kidd is the only player in the top 10 to score for both clubs, netting five for United and three for City.

1. Joe Spence (Manchester United), 8 goals in 14 games

A star after World War I, Spence spent 14 years at United, making 510 appearances. He was the club's record scorer and appearance holder at that time. Eight of his goals came against City before he left for Bradford in 1933.

Haaland’s scoring ability stands out on a list filled with players who needed more games to reach similar numbers. With Haaland still at his peak, the race to catch Rooney at the top of the Manchester derby scoring list is very much alive.