Title deciders, relegation battles and right hammerings: Old Trafford has witnessed its fair share of Manchester derby day drama in its 104-year history.
Tuesday will see Manchester’s big two go head to head and, for the first time in a long time, Manchester City are the overwhelming favourites.
The blue side of Manchester have enjoyed a good record at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ in recent years and go in search of a third Old Trafford win in a row for the first time since the 1970s.
|
United OT Wins |
OT Draws |
City OT Wins |
|
36 |
25 |
17 |
Yet United still have the better record at home and will be determined not to be humiliated again by another arch-rival this season.
What is certain is we could be in for yet another Old Trafford cracker and to whet your appetite MM looks back at some of the best clashes at the famous old ground from down the years.
Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City First Division 1910-11
The first of the 72 derbies to be played at Old Trafford was watched by an estimated 60,000 supporters.
Goals from Enoch West and Sandy Turnbull were enough to give United a 2-1 victory despite City scoring through Billy Jones.
Ernest Mangnall’s side went on to win their second First Division title in their first full season at Old Trafford.
City, on the other hand, struggled but managed to avoid relegation to the Second Division finishing four points above relegated Bristol City.
Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City First Division 1925-26
No there is no typo: 2011 was not the first time City thrashed United 6-1 at Old Trafford.
The blue half of Manchester ran riot over their rivals in their own back garden as Sam Austin and Frank Roberts bagged a brace while Tommy Johnson and George Hicks added to United’s misery.
Clatworthy Rennox pulled one back for United but in all it was an embarrassing day for the home side.
However, unlike in 2011, United had the last laugh.
City, remarkably, ended up getting relegated from the First Division as they finished in nineteenth place and going down by just one point.
Manchester United 0-5 Manchester City First Division 1954-55
City are no strangers to big victories at Old Trafford and, in February 1955, they recorded a 5-0 victory over their bitter rivals.
The United side that day contained many of the Busby Babes which would go on to win back-to-back titles over the next two seasons.
But, on this day, they were taught a footballing lesson as a Don Revie-inspired City side made short work of Matt Busby’s rising stars.
John Hart and two each from Fionan Fagan and Joe Hayes secured the rout but, once again, United would finish above their neighbours at the end of the season.
Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City First Division 1973-74
A dark day for United but, arguably, City fans’ favourite victory at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’.
This was the game where former United hero Denis Law’s backheeled was enough to secure City a 1-0 win which confirmed the Reds’ relegation from the First Division.
In fact, due to results elsewhere, United were already relegated but the goal has gone down in history as the goal which sent his old side into the depths of the lower leagues.
Tommy Docherty’s side ended up bouncing straight back up to the top division but United fans from that era will always remember the day City sent them down.
Manchester United 5-0 Manchester City Premier League 1994-95
United’s biggest win over City at Old Trafford was delivered by Alex Ferguson’s talented early nineties side.
Ukrainian Andrei Kanchelskis ran riot and grabbed a hat-trick while Eric Cantona and Mark Hughes added to City’s misery.
United ended up losing the title to Blackburn Rovers and Kanchelskis along with many of that side moved on as they were replaced by Ferguson’s ‘class of 92’ youngsters.
City began to go into freefall surviving relegation by the skin of their teeth but they were not so fortunate the following year and ended up in the third tier of English football.
Manchester United 4-2 Manchester City FA Cup Fifth Round 2003-04
A fiery FA Cup tie which had everything.
United, despite being down to ten men for the majority of the game after Gary Neville was dismissed for a headbutt on Steve McManaman, overcame their neighbours on their way to an eleventh FA Cup success.
Paul Scholes opened the scoring for United before hectic ten second-half minutes saw four goals between the two sides.
Fortunately for United, three of those goals were for for them.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal was sandwiched between two for Ruud van Nistelrooy while Michael Tarnat scored for City.
Robbie Fowler pulled another back towards the end to keep United on their toes but they held on to maintain their record of never losing to City in an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford.
Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City Premier League 2007-08
An emotional fixture which fell on the 50th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster saw City run out 2-1 winners.
Both clubs played their part in the pre-match tributes to mark the 23 men who died in the crash in 1958 as City also lost a club legend in the disaster.
Journalist Frank Swift had previously played in goal for City and also perished in the tragedy.
Darius Vassell and Benjani’s goals gave City victory as United’s players struggled with the emotional occasion.
Manchester United 4-3 Manchester City Premier League 2009-10
Possibly the most dramatic Manchester derby witnessed at Old Trafford.
Oil-rich ‘noisy neighbours’ City were aiming to knock United off their perch to become the biggest club in Manchester.
In a topsy-turvy game, United took the lead on three occasions thanks to goals from Wayne Rooney and two Darren Fletcher headers.
City pegged them back three times through Gareth Barry and two goals from Craig Bellamy.
Bellamy’s second moments before the end of normal time seemed to be enough to earn a point but seven minutes of stoppage time – famously dubbed ‘Fergie time’ – allowed Michael Owen to snatch a last-minute winner.
Manchester United 3-1 Manchester City League Cup Semi-Final Second Leg 2009-10
After the drama of the league fixture earlier in the season, this always promised to be a classic.
City led 2-1 after the first leg at The Etihad and went to Old Trafford in confident mood of returning to Wembley for the first time since 1999.
A cagey first-half saw the teams go in level at the break but two quick goals from Scholes and Michael Carrick meant United led on aggregate.
Former United man Carlos Tevez then struck to level the scores on aggregate as the game looked to be heading into extra time.
Wayne Rooney grabbed a late winner and United beat Aston Villa 2-1in the final to secure the first silverware of the season.
Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City Premier League 2011-12
Two seasons on from their takeover, City had built a squad which was able to challenge for the Premier League title and only their cross-city rivals could stop them.
However, they laid down a marker in this early season clash thrashing Ferguson’s side 6-1 on their own ground.
Mario Ballotelli – famously unleashing his ‘Why Always Me?’ shirt on the world – and Edin Dzeko scored twice along with Sergio Aguero and David Silva as United lost Jonny Evans to a red card.
The victory gave City a huge confidence boost and, unlike in 1925-26, Roberto Mancini’s men finished above United on goal difference in dramatic fashion to win their first top flight title since 1968.
Image courtesy of dullhunk with thanks
