Danny Welbeck Has a Better Scoring Record Against Man United Than He Did for Them

Danny Welbeck scored against Manchester United yet again as Brighton & Hove Albion won 2-1 away at Old Trafford in the FA Cup’s third round at the weekend.

Welbeck, who captained Brighton on his latest return to Old Trafford, found the net 64 minutes into Sunday’s game when he smashed a superb left-footed shot past Senne Lammens and into the top corner from just inside the 18-yard box.

This was Welbeck’s eighth goal against Man United since he left the club to join Arsenal in 2014.

Welbeck scored against the Red Devils three times for Arsenal and has since netted five for Brighton against his boyhood club.

Man United looked into the possibility of re-signing Welbeck in each of the past two summers.

Full list of Danny Welbeck’s games and goals against Manchester United

Season	Result	Comp	Mins	Goals
2014/15	ARSENAL 1-2 Man Utd	PL	90	0
2014/15	Man Utd 1-2 ARSENAL	FAC	74	1
2015/16	Man Utd 3-2 ARSENAL	PL	83	1
2016/17	ARSENAL 2-0 Man Utd	PL	84	1
2017/18	ARSENAL 1-3 Man Utd	PL	20	0
2017/18	Man Utd 2-1 ARSENAL	PL	26	0
2019/20	Man Utd 3-0 WATFORD	PL	14	0
2020/21	Man Utd 2-1 BRIGHTON	PL	90	1
2021/22	Man Utd 2-0 BRIGHTON	PL	20	0
2021/22	BRIGHTON 4-0 Man Utd	PL	90	0
2022/23	Man Utd 1-2 BRIGHTON	PL	90	0
2022/23	BRIGHTON 1-0 Man Utd	PL	75	0
2022/23	BRIGHTON 0-0 Man Utd (United won on pens)	FAC	75	0
2023/24	Man Utd 1-3 BRIGHTON	PL	64	1
2023/24	BRIGHTON 0-0 Man Utd	PL	90	0
2024/25	BRIGHTON 2-1 Man Utd	PL	79	1
2024/25	Man Utd 1-3 BRIGHTON	PL	69	0
2025/26	Man Utd 4-2 BRIGHTON	PL	90	1
2025/26	Man Utd 1-2 BRIGHTON	FAC	78	1

How Danny Welbeck’s record against Man United compares to his record for them

Welbeck has scored in 42.11% of his 19 games against Man United following his departure in 2014.

He currently averages one goal every 2.38 games when facing the Red Devils.

Meanwhile, he has been on the winning team against United on nine occasions — giving him a win-rate of 47.37%.

Welbeck previously scored 29 goals in 142 appearances for United between 2008 and 2014. He averaged a goal every 4.90 games for United.

Therefore, Welbeck is statistically 2.06 times more prolific when playing against United than he was playing for them.

Man United would take Danny Welbeck back “in a heartbeat”

It has been well over a decade since Welbeck left Man United. He is now 35 years old, but proved on Sunday that he still has plenty to offer at the top level.

As well as scoring against United for the eighth time in his career, Welbeck played a key role in the build-up to Brighton’s opening goal by Brajan Gruda.

Reacting to Sunday’s game on BBC Sport, Phil Jones spoke highly of Welbeck.

The fellow ex-United player said: “I remember Welbz when he first joined United and he was a terrific talent then.

“Should he have left Old Trafford? I think a lot of fans were sad to see him leave. You look now and I think they’d take him back in a heartbeat.”

Jones added: “Today he was incredible. The way he handles himself, the way he carries himself, the way he lives his life right and dedicates himself to football.

“He epitomises that for any young kid watching, the way he goes about his work.”

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler was also full of praise for Welbeck. He told TNT Sports: “To describe him best is to say that he is a role model on the pitch, beside it, a great connector.

“He is a great goalscorer, he is there in the right moment. He missed a big chance but good goalscorers never give up, they are always ready.”

Brighton won nine points more than Man United in 2025 and finished four places above them in the Premier League’s calendar year table.