diff --git a/pandas/core/internals/array_manager.py b/pandas/core/internals/array_manager.py
index e0447378c4542..8585dc5ebcdd4 100644
--- a/pandas/core/internals/array_manager.py
+++ b/pandas/core/internals/array_manager.py
@@ -452,7 +452,13 @@ def putmask(self, mask, new, align: bool = True):
         )
 
     def diff(self, n: int, axis: int) -> ArrayManager:
-        return self.apply_with_block("diff", n=n, axis=axis)
+        axis = self._normalize_axis(axis)
+        if axis == 1:
+            # DataFrame only calls this for n=0, in which case performing it
+            # with axis=0 is equivalent
+            assert n == 0
+            axis = 0
+        return self.apply(algos.diff, n=n, axis=axis)
 
     def interpolate(self, **kwargs) -> ArrayManager:
         return self.apply_with_block("interpolate", **kwargs)