Manchester Derby Memories: Hatred, Dominance, Revenge
As the Manchester Derby approaches, both United and City face unique challenges, with United aiming to rebuild under new management and City seeking to maintain their dominance despite recent struggles.
The Manchester Derby has evolved into one of Europe's most intense football rivalries, especially since the turn of the millennium. Reviewing recent encounters reveals a series of memorable moments for both sets of supporters.
Currently, both Manchester United and Manchester City are navigating turbulent times. City has secured only one victory in the past 48 days, while United, after two consecutive Premier League defeats, has slipped to 13th in the standings. Under the leadership of Rúben Amorim, United aspires to a new dawn, whereas City aims to overcome a six-week slump to retain their top position. A Derby defeat would widen the gap between the reigning champions and the league summit to 14 points, while a loss for United would confine them to the lower half of the table for weeks.
In the last five Derbies, City has triumphed four times. However, United's sole victory—a 2-1 win in the FA Cup final last season—remains vivid in fans' memories. That match was seen as Erik ten Hag's final opportunity to retain his managerial role, and he seized it with goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. Despite this success, Ten Hag's dismissal seemed inevitable.
Ten Hag would prefer to forget his first Derby, where Erling Haaland and Phil Foden each netted hat-tricks, leading City to a 6-3 victory—the highest-scoring Derby in history. This match marked Haaland's Derby debut and saw Foden reach 50 goals for City faster than any player under Pep Guardiola, even surpassing Lionel Messi.
Hat-tricks in Premier League Derbies are rare but not unprecedented. The first was by Andrei Kanchelskis in November 1994, when the Ukrainian winger scored three in 45 minutes, contributing to United's 5-0 win—their largest official victory over City. During that era, United dominated English football, and City fans seldom found joy against their formidable rivals. Between 1989 and 2002, City endured a 16-match winless streak in Derbies, which ended with a 3-1 victory at Maine Road, their final Derby at the old ground, with Shaun Goater scoring his 100th goal for the club.
Moving to the Etihad Stadium signified a new chapter for City, though their early days there were challenging. In their first 13 home games, they amassed only 13 points and 17 goals. However, in the inaugural Derby at the Etihad, Kevin Keegan's side defied expectations with a 4-1 win over United, compounding a dismal week for Sir Alex Ferguson following a Champions League exit to Porto.
Ferguson, however, has fond Derby memories, notably the 4-3 thriller in September 2009. City's aggressive transfer activity, including signing Carlos Tevez from United, led Ferguson to dub them the 'noisy neighbors.' The match's decisive goal came from Tevez's replacement, Michael Owen, in the 96th minute, shortly after Craig Bellamy had equalized for City.
City exacted revenge two years later with a commanding 6-1 victory at Old Trafford, marking Ferguson's heaviest home defeat in 725 matches. This game featured Mario Balotelli's infamous 'Why always me?' celebration. That season, United lost the title to City on goal difference, having been three points ahead before the Derby. Ferguson's defensive tactics faltered, and a header from captain Vincent Kompany propelled City to the top, setting the stage for their dramatic title win against QPR.
After Ferguson's departure, David Moyes faced a 4-1 defeat in his first Derby against Manuel Pellegrini's City, highlighting the shifting balance of power in Manchester.
