Season

1980-81

Manchester UnitedDave Sexton

8thleague finish

of 22 in the First Division

+0.3
goal difference
1.1 scored · 0.9 conceded
49
Played
33%
Win rate

Season in brief

8th of 22 in the First Division, down from 2nd the year before. Joe Jordan led the scoring with 15 goals (scorer data covers 100% of the 56 United scored).

The First Division table

Final standings · 22 clubs · United and the clubs around them

  1. 1Aston Villa42P · 26W 8D 8L · GD +3260
  3. 6Southampton42P · 20W 10D 12L · GD +2050
  4. 7Nottingham Forest42P · 19W 12D 11L · GD +1850
  5. 8Manchester United42P · 15W 18D 9L · GD +1548
  6. 9Leeds United42P · 17W 10D 15L · GD -844
  7. 10Tottenham Hotspur42P · 14W 15D 13L · GD +243
  9. 21Leicester City42P · 13W 6D 23L · GD -2732
  10. 22Crystal Palace42P · 6W 7D 29L · GD -3619

Slice: the final First Division table for 1980-81, every club computed from the full league results.

Coverage: complete — all results known.

Points follow the era’s rule (two then three for a win); the order uses goal average before 1976–77 and goal difference after. The faint foot marks the lower reaches — exact relegation places varied by era.

The season, match by match

49 matches
16 Aug 1980 v Middlesbrough: 3–019 Aug 1980 @ Wolverhampton Wanderers: 0–123 Aug 1980 @ Birmingham City: 0–027 Aug 1980 v Coventry City: 0–130 Aug 1980 v Sunderland: 1–12 Sep 1980 @ Coventry City: 0–16 Sep 1980 @ Tottenham Hotspur: 0–013 Sep 1980 v Leicester City: 5–017 Sep 1980 v Widzew Łódź: 1–120 Sep 1980 @ Leeds United: 0–027 Sep 1980 v Manchester City: 2–21 Oct 1980 @ Widzew Łódź: 0–04 Oct 1980 @ Nottingham Forest: 2–18 Oct 1980 v Aston Villa: 3–311 Oct 1980 v Arsenal: 0–018 Oct 1980 @ Ipswich Town: 1–122 Oct 1980 @ Stoke City: 2–125 Oct 1980 v Everton: 2–01 Nov 1980 @ Crystal Palace: 0–18 Nov 1980 v Coventry City: 0–012 Nov 1980 v Wolverhampton Wanderers: 0–015 Nov 1980 @ Middlesbrough: 1–122 Nov 1980 @ Brighton & Hove Albion: 4–129 Nov 1980 v Southampton: 1–16 Dec 1980 @ Norwich City: 2–213 Dec 1980 v Stoke City: 2–220 Dec 1980 @ Arsenal: 1–226 Dec 1980 v Liverpool: 0–027 Dec 1980 @ West Bromwich Albion: 1–33 Jan 1981 v Brighton & Hove Albion: 2–27 Jan 1981 @ Brighton & Hove Albion: 2–010 Jan 1981 v Brighton & Hove Albion: 2–124 Jan 1981 @ Nottingham Forest: 0–128 Jan 1981 @ Sunderland: 0–231 Jan 1981 v Birmingham City: 2–07 Feb 1981 @ Leicester City: 0–117 Feb 1981 v Tottenham Hotspur: 0–021 Feb 1981 @ Manchester City: 0–128 Feb 1981 v Leeds United: 0–17 Mar 1981 @ Southampton: 0–114 Mar 1981 @ Aston Villa: 3–318 Mar 1981 v Nottingham Forest: 1–121 Mar 1981 v Ipswich Town: 2–128 Mar 1981 @ Everton: 1–04 Apr 1981 v Crystal Palace: 1–011 Apr 1981 @ Coventry City: 2–014 Apr 1981 @ Liverpool: 1–018 Apr 1981 v West Bromwich Albion: 2–125 Apr 1981 v Norwich City: 1–0
198019801980198119811981

Every match in order — wins above the line, losses below, bar height the goal margin.