On Sunday evening, Manchester City travel across the Republik of Mancunia to play Manchester United at Old Trafford in the most important Premier League game of the season so far.
Stakes could scarcely be higher
City enter the game at the top of the table, eight points ahead of United in second. The blue half of Manchester has experienced a flying start to the season; with 14 wins and one draw in their opening 15 matches, the Blues are on a record-breaking pace. On Sunday, they stand on the brink of equaling English football’s consecutive wins record of 14, knowing that by making history they could all but eliminate their bitter rivals and go 11 points clear of United.
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United enter Sunday’s game with a chance to make history of their own by extending their unbeaten run at Old Trafford to 40 matches. The Reds have not fallen at home since losing 2-1 to Manchester City last September. While United would undoubtedly enjoy setting a record for home matches unbeaten, reeling Manchester City back in is far more important. Sunday’s match is the biggest six-pointer of the season thus far; should United win, and find themselves only five points back of their crosstown rivals, the title race would feel well and truly on.
While the respective sets of supporters will approach Sunday’s game with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, neutrals simply hope for a classic encounter between these two teams. No matter what happens on Sunday, it will be difficult for the game to live up to one of the best matches these two sides ever contested.
Maine Road revisited
On 7 November, Manchester United beat City 3-2 at Maine Road in one of the best Manchester derbies ever. United entered the match after collecting 34 of a possible 39 points to start the season, while City had a meagre 14 from a possible 39. United had one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest ever teams; before the season drew to a close, United were crowned league champions and won the FA Cup. The disparity between the teams meant that the Reds entered the game as massive favorites. Yet, as so often happens in rivalry matches, both teams threw out the form calendar.
United got off to a strong start and had the better of the opening chances. A one-touch passing move set Roy Keane away down the right wing before he sent a dangerous ball into the box that Mark Hughes could not get on the end of. The chances came thick and fast for United early, with Keane at the center of everything going forward. He should have opened the scoring soon after setting up Hughes when Denis Irwin played him in on goal, but he could find no way past Tony Coton in goal.
City hit the front
In the 22nd minute, the Reds found themselves ruing their missed chances. After throwing numbers forward, a City counter-attack left United exposed at the back, with Niall Quinn all alone at the back post. A great ball into the box found the Irishman’s forehead, and Peter Schmeichel had no chance of keeping it out. Ten minutes later, a similar counter-attack found United wanting at the back once again. The result was the same, and Quinn made it 2-0 to the Cityzens.
Heading into the break, it looked like the blue half of Manchester would be celebrating a thoroughly unexpected victory.
Lifeline for United
Once the second half started, the United pressure began to build again. A cross from Eric Cantona found Gary Pallister who headed just over the bar before a defensive mistake from Michel Vonk handed Cantona a golden opportunity. The Dutchman attempted to head the ball back to Coton but got nowhere near enough weight on his pass, as Cantona sensed the opportunity and latched onto the ball. Coton never had a prayer of keeping out his finish, and the Reds had the lifeline their dominance deserved 52 minutes in.
Chances came and went for Pallister and Irwin before Andrei Kanchelskis was played in alone on goal. Once again, Coton stood tall, and United could not find an equalizer. Moments later, Schmeichel was forced into action again and kept the Reds in the game. Finally, in the 78th minute, United leveled proceedings. Cantona instigated a lovely attacking move, and the ball eventually found Ryan Giggs on the right wing. The Welshman hit a brilliant first time cross between the defensive line and Coton’s goal. No one beat Cantona to the ball, and he made no mistake with his finish.
Keane finds the winner
United were far from finished. Ten minutes later, Lee Sharpe and Irwin combined down the left wing to set the Irishman in behind the defense. He made no mistake with his cross, rifling in a bullet towards the back post that evaded everyone but Roy Keane, who got the goal his play all afternoon had deserved.
Moments later, the final whistle blew with United deserved winners 3-2. United built on the thrilling comeback and did not lose until March. They went on to win the title by eight points and completed the domestic double by beating Chelsea in the FA Cup Final. Meanwhile, City required a seven-match unbeaten run in March and April to stave off the drop, and although they finished 16th were only three points out of the relegation zone.
Since then, the football world has changed. City are now one of the best teams in Europe, and United face an uphill task to catch them in the league. They will hope it starts on Sunday when these two meet.