West Ham United and Manchester United have faced off in English football for more than a century, dating back to a 1911 FA Cup tie. While Manchester United have dominated the overall record — a reflection of their status as one of the country’s most successful clubs — the fixture has still produced its share of shocks, thrillers and memorable Upton Park (and London Stadium) nights for the Hammers.
Full head-to-head record: Manchester United 74 wins, West Ham United 50 wins, 34 draws (158 meetings). The clubs have met in the First Division, Second Division, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup.
The early years (1911–1930s)
The very first meeting between the sides came in the FA Cup on 25 February 1911, with West Ham winning 2-1. The two clubs spent long stretches of the interwar years in different divisions, but when they did meet, West Ham held their own — beating Manchester United 4-0 in October 1926 and 5-1 in October 1930, both at Upton Park.
Post-war rivalry and the Bobby Moore era (1950s–1970s)
As both clubs became fixtures of the top flight, the rivalry intensified. Manchester United’s Busby Babes-era side handed West Ham some heavy defeats, including a 6-1 win in September 1960, but West Ham responded with wins of their own, such as a 3-1 victory in August 1964. Games during the Bobby Moore and George Best era were frequently high-scoring and unpredictable, epitomised by a 3-2 West Ham win in April 1966 and a 5-2 defeat suffered at Old Trafford in September 1969.
The 1980s and the FA Cup era
The 1980s brought several cup meetings, including a run of three FA Cup ties between 1983 and 1986 alone. West Ham memorably knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup in March 1986, winning 2-0 at Old Trafford after a 1-1 first-leg-style replay draw at home, while also enjoying league wins including a 5-1 thrashing at Old Trafford in October 1984.
The Premier League era
Since the Premier League’s inception in 1992, Manchester United have generally had the upper hand, highlighted by a 7-1 demolition of West Ham at Old Trafford in April 2000 and a 6-0 FA Cup win in January 2003. But West Ham have landed their own significant blows, including a 4-0 League Cup win at Upton Park in November 2010 and back-to-back Premier League wins over Manchester United in December 2023 (2-0) and October 2024 (2-1).
Recent meetings
The most recent fixtures have been tightly contested. West Ham won 1-0 at Old Trafford in May 2023, before beating United twice more across the following two seasons. The reverse fixture in May 2025 saw Manchester United win 2-0 away at West Ham, before the sides played out back-to-back 1-1 draws in December 2025 and February 2026.
Key stats at a glance
- Total meetings: 158
- Manchester United wins: 74
- West Ham United wins: 50
- Draws: 34
- First meeting: 25 February 1911 (West Ham United 2-1 Manchester United, FA Cup)
- Manchester United’s biggest win: 7-1 (April 2000)
- West Ham’s biggest win: 6-1 margin swing aside, their largest was a 5-1 win at Old Trafford (October 1984)
- Most recent meeting: February 2026, Premier League, 1-1 draw
Why the rivalry endures
Although Manchester United hold a clear overall edge, the fixture has rarely felt one-sided in the moment — West Ham have a habit of producing their best performances against the Red Devils, from cup shocks in the 1980s to a string of Premier League wins in the 2020s. With both clubs long-standing members of the English top flight, this is a fixture with more than a century of history still adding fresh chapters every season.
