Season

1986-87

Manchester UnitedRon Atkinson, Sir Alex Ferguson

11thleague finish

of 22 in the First Division

+0.2
goal difference
1.3 scored · 1.1 conceded
48
Played
35%
Win rate

Season in brief

11th of 22 in the First Division, down from 4th the year before. Home form carried the season — 60% of home matches won against 9% away. Peter Davenport led the scoring with 16 goals (scorer data covers 100% of the 61 United scored). Two managers shared the season: Ron Atkinson, then Sir Alex Ferguson.

The First Division table

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

  1. 1Everton42P · 26W 8D 8L · GD +4586
  3. 9Watford42P · 18W 9D 15L · GD +1363
  4. 10Coventry City42P · 17W 12D 13L · GD +563
  5. 11Manchester United42P · 14W 14D 14L · GD +756
  6. 12Southampton42P · 14W 10D 18L · GD +152
  7. 13Sheffield Wednesday42P · 13W 13D 16L · GD -152
  9. 21Manchester City42P · 8W 15D 19L · GD -2139
  10. 22Aston Villa42P · 8W 12D 22L · GD -3436

Slice: the final First Division table for 1986-87, 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

48 matches
23 Aug 1986 @ Arsenal: 0–125 Aug 1986 v West Ham United: 2–330 Aug 1986 v Charlton Athletic: 0–16 Sep 1986 @ Leicester City: 1–113 Sep 1986 v Southampton: 5–116 Sep 1986 @ Watford: 0–121 Sep 1986 @ Everton: 1–324 Sep 1986 v Port Vale: 2–028 Sep 1986 v Chelsea: 0–14 Oct 1986 @ Nottingham Forest: 1–17 Oct 1986 @ Port Vale: 5–211 Oct 1986 v Sheffield Wednesday: 3–118 Oct 1986 v Luton Town: 1–026 Oct 1986 @ Manchester City: 1–129 Oct 1986 v Southampton: 0–01 Nov 1986 v Coventry City: 1–14 Nov 1986 @ Southampton: 1–48 Nov 1986 @ Oxford United: 0–215 Nov 1986 @ Norwich City: 0–022 Nov 1986 v Queens Park Rangers: 1–029 Nov 1986 @ Wimbledon: 0–17 Dec 1986 v Tottenham Hotspur: 3–313 Dec 1986 @ Aston Villa: 3–320 Dec 1986 v Leicester City: 2–026 Dec 1986 @ Liverpool: 1–027 Dec 1986 v Norwich City: 0–11 Jan 1987 v Newcastle United: 4–13 Jan 1987 @ Southampton: 1–110 Jan 1987 v Manchester City: 1–024 Jan 1987 v Arsenal: 2–031 Jan 1987 v Coventry City: 0–17 Feb 1987 @ Charlton Athletic: 0–014 Feb 1987 v Watford: 3–121 Feb 1987 @ Chelsea: 1–128 Feb 1987 v Everton: 0–07 Mar 1987 v Manchester City: 2–014 Mar 1987 @ Luton Town: 1–221 Mar 1987 @ Sheffield Wednesday: 0–128 Mar 1987 v Nottingham Forest: 2–04 Apr 1987 v Oxford United: 3–214 Apr 1987 @ West Ham United: 0–018 Apr 1987 @ Newcastle United: 1–220 Apr 1987 v Liverpool: 1–025 Apr 1987 @ Queens Park Rangers: 1–12 May 1987 v Wimbledon: 0–14 May 1987 @ Tottenham Hotspur: 0–46 May 1987 @ Coventry City: 1–19 May 1987 v Aston Villa: 3–1
198619861986198719871987

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