Manchester United’s improvement in 2025/26 can be neatly measured by the club’s improved Goal Difference.
There is no doubt that 2024/25 was a horrendous season for Manchester United, and Ruben Amorim was not entirely to blame.
Amorim attempted to pick up the pieces left by Erik ten Hag, and while he made it worse, the Dutchman was fired for good reason.
Ten Hag presided over a very poor 2023/24 campaign in which United scored only 57 goals. This got worse in 2024/25, with only 44 goals scored.
United made the decision in summer 2025 to invest heavily in the attack, recruiting Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, while keeping hold of Bruno Fernandes.
In 2025/26, United have already scored 47 goals, with the recruitment paying off. This has had a beneficial impact on the team’s league position, and the Goal Difference which is currently +10.
Putting this in the context of previous seasons is very eye-opening…
Should Manchester United have sacked Ruben Amorim earlier this season?
Could we really have been title contenders?
Looking at United’s time in positive Goal Difference
Manchester United’s 2-0 victory at home to Tottenham last weekend lifted the team to a Goal Difference of +10. This was maintained with the draw at West Ham.
Manchester United’s season is not over, but we should be confident that the positive Goal Difference is very sustainable.
| Season | % in Positive GD | Matchweeks | Weeks Positive | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (Current) | 92% | 26 | 24 | +10 |
| 2024/25 | 13% | 38 | 5 | -10 |
| 2023/24 | 26% | 38 | 10 | -1 |
| 2022/23 | 84% | 38 | 32 | +15 |
| 2021/22 | 71% | 38 | 27 | 0 |
Data shows that United have spent 92 per cent of this current season in a positive Goal Difference, 24 gameweeks out of 26.
By comparison, United spent only 13 per cent of last season with a positive GD, and 26 per cent of 2023/24.
United are even tracking to be more consistent this season than the campaign in 2022/23 when we ended up with a positive GD of +15.
Fans are divided on how much credit former boss Ruben Amorim deserves for Michael Carrick’s excellent start as head coach.
But it is fair to say Amorim warrants some credit for keeping United steadily placed this season, in a decent league position with positive Goal Difference for much of the campaign.
Michael Carrick has pushed United on to a new level, with the Red Devils +5 in Goal Difference from his five matches in charge, having been +5 when he took over.
How many points will Man Utd get from the next five games? Let’s hear your predictions/hopes…
Michael Carrick took 13 points from his first five…
Manchester United’s goal difference struggles, a 986 day wait
The climb to double-figures Goal Difference should be routine for a club of Manchester United’s magnitude and ambition, but it is very rare in recent context.
This ended a 986 day run since the last time Manchester United had a +10 Goal Difference or above.
United last achieved this with a +15 GD at the end of the 2022/23 season, despite the 7-0 loss to Liverpool.
| Milestone Date | GD Status | Manager | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 28, 2023 | +15 | Erik ten Hag | Last season finish in double digits |
| Aug 19, 2023 | -1 | Erik ten Hag | Dropped out of positive GD vs Spurs |
| May 19, 2024 | -1 | Erik ten Hag | Finished 23/24 season in negative GD |
| May 25, 2025 | -10 | Ruben Amorim | Season end record low (15th place) |
| Jan 13, 2026 | +1 | Michael Carrick | Carrick appointed with GD at +1 |
| Feb 7, 2026 | +10 | Michael Carrick | Wait ends amid unbeaten run |
The team ended 2023/24 with a GD of -1, the first time in the Premier League era United had not been in positive, ending a 31-year streak.
Last season was even more humiliating, ending the campaign with a GD of -10, not helped by striker Rasmus Hojlund scoring only four goals in 32 Premier League games.
It was clear that new investment was needed, and we have seen Cunha, Mbeumo and Sesko all contribute towards United’s positive GD this current season.
| Season | Final/Current GD | High Point | Low Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (Current) | +10 | +10 (Feb 2026) | -2 (Oct 2025) |
| 2024/25 | -10 | +4 (Aug 2024) | -14 (April 2025) |
| 2023/24 | -1 | +5 (Feb 2024) | -1 (May 2024) |
| 2022/23 | +15 | +16 (Feb 2023) | -5 (Aug 2022) |
| 2021/22 | 0 | +4 (Aug 2021) | -1 (May 2022) |
Ruben Amorim deserves ___ % credit for Michael Carrick’s BRILLIANT start at Man Utd
Fill in the blank. Did Amorim lay the foundation for success at Old Trafford?
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
