The Manchester derby. A game steeped in history. I'm not going to get into the 'which is the greatest derby' debate - around where I'm from, there is no debate, and I'm sure that's the same argument in Liverpool, Athens, Milan or Madrid. This post is very much about the most iconic moments (in my lifetime) of the Manchester derby. I have said this in a number of my previous posts, but I am a lifelong City fan, and as such, the list below is unashamedly weighted in favour of the Blues.
I will say one thing in my defence, however. In my lifetime (23 years and counting), my early experiences of Manchester derbies were negative from my perspective. However, this was always the expected outcome, and as a result, I would not consider many of those games 'iconic' in the relationship. As I got older, I found that United began to struggle more and more against City, perhaps underestimating their local rivals. Since 2008, the dynamic has shifted, and we have seen many more dramatic moments, and these dominate my list.
1. Manchester City 1-1 Manchester United (Maine Road, April 21, 2001)
As I mentioned, the majority of my earliest memories of the Manchester derby are negative, and as a result, perhaps I have willingly forgotten most of them. However, one moment that does stand out in my early years is 'that tackle'. And by tackle, I mean violent assault. A moment completely out of keeping with the rest of the game, petering out towards a dull 1-1 draw. However, Roy Keane's long-standing personal rivalry with Alf-Inge Haaland boiled over in stoppage time with a quite disgraceful kick to the knee. In my opinion, the United man was lucky to escape prison for assault (not being melodramatic - look at the law) and Haaland was never the same player.
2. Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United (Maine Road, November 9, 2002)
My first positive memory. The final Manchester derby to take place at Maine Road was all about one man: Shaun Goater. The legendary City striker followed an early strike from Nicolas Anelka to turn the game decisively in the Blues favour. Capitalising on a Gary Neville mistake that few City fans will let him forget, Goater put City back in front before half time, before lifting a neat finish over Fabien Barthez after an hour to secure the points and claim his 100th goal in City colours.
3. Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City (Old Trafford, February 10, 2008)
With the controversial Thaksin Shinawatra in control of affairs at City, the Blues had spent over £25m on talent including Elano, Bianchi, Corluka and most recently Benjani. It was the latter that would have the biggest impact in this game. However, with a United side including Rooney, Ronaldo, Vidic and Tevez, especially on the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster, no-one gave City a hope of a result. However, goals from Darius Vassell and a debut strike from Benjani meant that Joe Hart's superb rearguard action meant that City claimed their first league double over their rivals for 38 years.
4. Manchester United 4-3 Manchester City (Old Trafford, September 20, 2009)
Arguably the most dramatic and thrilling Manchester derby of all time. Heartbreaking from my perspective (along with being a little more than suspect timekeeping), but Michael Owen's 96th minute killed the 'noisy neighbours' challenge. A match with more than a few sub-plots, including Carlos Tevez returning to the home of his former side, but it was Mark Hughes who was left fuming at the final whistle. The prime example of 'Fergie Time' handed United the points and ended City's unbeaten league start.
5. Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United (City of Manchester Stadium, January 19, 2010)
Further to the earlier sub-plot, Tevez had a point to prove in the Carling Cup Semi Final First Leg at home to United. Having been disappointing at the classic at Old Trafford, Tevez got his opportunity to shove United chants back down their throats, stepping up to take a 40th minute penalty after City had fallen behind. After a few words from Wayne Rooney, Tevez almost took the net off with his spot kick before turning the match in the Blues' favour, nodding in on the hour mark. Though United went on to win the two-legged tie, Tevez had made his point to his former employers.
6. Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City (Old Trafford, February 12, 2011)
The Goal of the Premier League - apparently. With the match delicately poised at 1-1 going into the final 15 minutes, Wayne Rooney came up with a brilliant piece of shin-work to claim all three points. Despite my jokes, Rooney as the leading goal scorer in Manchester derby history must have done something right! And the technique has to be appreciated, even if it doesn't come firmly off his boot. Who would have thought that that would have been United's last victory against City at Old Trafford?
7. Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United (Wembley, April 16, 2011)
Without any doubt from my perspective, the kick starter for Manchester City's recent success was the victory against United at Wembley in the FA Cup. After being under the cosh for the majority of the first half, an error from Michael Carrick handed Yaya Toure the chance to slide the ball under van der Sar and hand City a return trip to Wembley. Another memory of mine was a disgraceful high challenge by Paul Scholes on Pablo Zabaleta that was slightly reminiscent of the Roy Keane GBH (though without the same intent).
8. Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City (Old Trafford, October 23, 2011)
The greatest derby of my lifetime (although of course I would say that!). One of the only moments that enigmatic striker Mario Balotelli came to the party, with his 'Why Always Me' shirt already an iconic moment in Premier League history. The match that Sir Alex Ferguson claimed was his 'worst moment in football', and the heaviest home defeat for Manchester United since 1955. The final few minutes were quite incredible, with 10-man United ripped apart on multiple occasions, resulting in three injury time goals.
9. Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United (Etihad Stadium, April 30, 2012)
If the 6-1 win at Old Trafford was a statement to the champions at the time, the game in April at the Etihad was the hammer blow. City had been roaring back in the league to bring the eight point gap back to three before the derby just three games from the end, putting huge emphasis on the game. As it was, a thunderous header from Vincent Kompany handed City the inertia and momentum going into the final two games. This goal was possibly just as important as that late late strike from Sergio Aguero against QPR.
10. Manchester City 4-1 Manchester United (Etihad Stadium, September 22, 2013)
With both teams having changed managers going into the new season, this was an entirely different dynamic, particularly for United. And so it proved. This game simply demonstrated the changing dynamic of the relationship between the two clubs, with City firmly on the up and United taking a downward trajectory. The emphatic defeat put further pressure on David Moyes and instantly lifted Manuel Pellegrini to hero status.
The relationship between the two clubs has changed dramatically in my lifetime. From growing up expecting nothing from derby day, and often dreading going to school the following day, I now look at today's derby thinking that anything other than three points is a significant disappointment. City's star seems to have been on a meteoric rise in the last 7 years, while United are firmly in the middle of an identity crisis following the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.
As a City fan, long may it continue, but it takes a brave person to predict a derby, particularly involving two such large clubs.
