On Sunday, Manchester United and City will renew unpleasantries in the 169th Manchester Derby. This is one of Britain's fieriest, feistiest derbies, and has had its share of ups and downs over the years. These two were pretty evenly matched until the 1990s, when United began their ascent to the top of world football. The red half of Manchester dominated the derby throughout the 90s and 2000s, but the pendulum has swung in recent years.
Since being taken over by the Abu Dhabi consortium in 2008, they have arguably been the dominant force in these matches. They did the double over their crosstown rivals in the 2007-08 season. Although United responded from that to win five of the next six league meetings, since the 2011-12 season City have dominated this fixture.
That domination began with their 6-1 demolition of United at Old Trafford on October 23rd of 2011. The following spring they defeated United at the Etihad to all but win the Barclays Premier League title. City have now won six of the last seven Manchester derbies and the last three at Old Trafford.
After United's struggles last season under David Moyes were coupled with City winning the title, it seemed as if there could be a permanent shift in the balance of power. However, this season United have righted the ship under Louis Van Gaal while the champions have struggled. United will enter this fixture in 3rd place with 62 points while City have lost five of their last seven matches in all competitions and have fallen to 4th in the table with 61 points.
With all of that taken into account, let's take a look at the history of this fixture in the Barclays Premier League by following the best matches they've played in the Premier League era...
Manchester United 3 Manchester City 2 November 1993
United entered this match as defending champions and sat at the top of the table. This was the first of their double years in the 90s, and this match was an indicator of what the team would go on to do. After Roy Keane and Mark Hughes both failed to put away golden chances in the first half, Niall Quinn opened the scoring for City with a peach of a header partway through the first half.
He would have himself a brace just moments later with another header, making it 2-0 to City at the break. As the match wore on, City supporters delighted in singing, "2-nil, and you f***** it up" to their red counterparts in regards to United's recent struggles against Galatasaray in European competition. However, the tables were soon turned after a brace from Eric Cantona and a 90th minute strike from Keane won it for the Reds.
Manchester United 5 Manchester City 0 November 1994
Heading into this fixture, City decided to do something which they didn't ordinarily do against United: set up in an attacking formation and look to get on the front foot at Old Trafford. It didn't work.
Eric Cantona opened the scoring almost immediately from the off, and United completely trounced their crosstown rivals. The Frenchman had been played in for the opener by Andrei Kanchelskis, but it would be the Ukrainian who would steal the show. The twinkle-toed winner went on to finish with a hat trick as the Reds reiterated their superiority.
Manchester United 1 Manchester City 1 April 2001
Next up in our list is a match which is not really remembered for the football. No, this one is remembered for Roy Keane's attack on Alf-Inge Håland. Keane, still seething over Håland's 1997 tackle which left the Irishman with a torn cruciate ligament, took out his revenge and it is widely believed that Håland's career was ended by the incident. However, he played out the rest of the match and didn't retire until after the 2003 season.
The draw was practically inconsequential for United; they'd already wrapped up another Premier League crown. However, it all but sealed relegation for City and the blue half of Manchester was sent back to the Championship yet again.
Manchester United 1 Manchester City 3 November 2002
The final derby at Maine Road was a classic, and one which City fans will never forget. Shaun Goater, the man known simply as "The Goat", was on target twice after then-club record signing Nicholas Anelka and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer traded goals in the opening eight minutes.
It didn't stop United from going on to win another league title that season, but it was City's first victory over their great rivals since the famous 5-1 thrashing of 1989. They would go on to seal a point at Old Trafford, with Goater again scoring. He also had a second goal disallowed for a hand ball, sparing United the ignominy of their rivals doing their first double since 1974.
Manchester United 1 Manchester City 4 March 2004
The first derby played at the sparkling new City of Manchester Stadium, now the Etihad, saw City pull off a shock victory over United. The Reds were still defending champions, but were 12 points behind Arsene Wenger's Invincibles and needed points to maintain any hopes of a title challenge. They wouldn't get them.
City went on to thrash United, as Robbie Fowler and Jon Macken put the Blues ahead early. Paul Scholes managed to pull one back for United before Trevor Sinclair and Shaun Wright-Phillips scored two more to settle it. The victory was vital for City, who entered the match in 16th place and just three points off the relegation places.
Manchester United 1 Manchester City 2 February 2008
This match will be remembered not for the football but for what the match represented. While City would go on to win 2-1 and seal their first league double over United since 1974, it didn't stop United from winning both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. No, this match will be remembered for the commemorations of the Munich Air Disaster. The match was held just four days after the 50th anniversary, and although there were fears City fans would ruin the moment of silence before the match, all fans held up their commemorative scarves for a wonderful moment.
It was obvious that the occasion had affected United, and the players were not up for a match of that magnitude on that day. Darius Vassell and Benjani Mwaruwari scored in the first half for City before Michael Carrick pulled back a stoppage time consolation goal for United.
Manchester United 4 Manchester City 3 Sept. 2009
Now this is a match which will be remembered for the football. For so long, Michael Owen had earned villain status at Old Trafford. Therefore, it was shocking that Sir Alex Ferguson would sign him up for the 2009-10 season. However, he quickly earned not just the status of "hero" but a place in the heart of every Red when he scored the winner in the sixth minute of injury time against City.
Four times United took the lead, and the first three times City pegged them back. Wayne Rooney opened the scoring just two minutes into the encounter before Gareth Barry equalized. After the break, Darren Fletcher headed home only for Craig Bellamy to equalize. Fletcher seemed to have won the match ten minutes from time with another header only for Bellamy to equalize in the last minute of normal time after a horrendous error from Rio Ferdinand. However, Owen was on hand to score the vital winner.
Manchester United 1 Manchester City 6 Sept. 2011
6-1, a day which will live in infamy for the rest of every Red's life. This was the match which really showed that City were for real, and it was the match which they used as a springboard to their first title in 44 years.
Mario Balotelli earned the nickname "Why Me Mario" just 22 minutes into the match when he opened the scoring, but the match was far from over. Jonny Evans was soon sent off, and City proceeded to take control. Balotelli soon completed his brace before Sergio Aguero notched the third of the day. United received some brief consolation when Darren Fletcher made it 3-1 with just under 10 minutes remaining, but as they pushed forward for a famous comeback Edin Dzeko scored twice, either side of a David Silva goal to make it 6-1 and Sir Alex Ferguson's "worst ever day".
Manchester United 3 Manchester City 2 December 2012
Now for a match which signalled a regression to the mean. Ferguson had made a statement of intent over the summer when he signed Robin Van Persie, and he would ride the Dutchman to United's 20th league title that season. Chances are, they wouldn't have won it were it not for Van Persie's injury time winner over City in December of 2012.
Wayne Rooney had opened the scoring with a first half brace, and it looked like United were on their way to a rout when Van Persie incorrectly had a goal chalked off that would have made it 3-0 early in the second period. City hit back straightaway, as Yaya Toure pulled a goal back on the hour mark. The Blues turned the screw as the clock ticked down, and they finally found their equalizer in the 86th minute when Pablo Zabaleta smashed a shot into the back of the net. It seemed odds on that they would soon find a winner, but a United free kick at the other end of the pitch offered the Reds a chance for a last gasp winner. Van Persie's strike took the slightest deflection as it went in off of Joe Hart's post and sealed United's best derby day since Owen's 2009 winner.