Manchester Derby

Lore & Background

The first meeting between the two teams occurred on 12 November 1881, when St. Mark's (West Gorton) – who would later become Manchester City – hosted Newton Heath LYR – who would later become Manchester United. The game finished 3–0 in favour of Newton Heath. Both clubs grew in stature as the 1880s progressed. The pair became the dominant teams in the Manchester area; the winner of the Manchester Cup was either Newton Heath or Ardwick every year between 1888 and 1893. Both teams joined the Football Alliance. Admission to the Football League finally came in 1892. The first Football League meeting between the teams came in the 1894–95 season. In the late 1890s, Scottish brothers Billy and Matthew Gillespie played on opposite sides in the fixture on three occasions. The first meeting between the clubs to take place at the highest level of English football occurred in December 1906, a 3–0 City win. Before the Second World War, many football supporters in Manchester watched City one week and United the next. After the war, a stronger rivalry developed. The first floodlit Manchester derby was played on 26 February 1889 at the Belle Vue Athletic Ground. The first competitive floodlit derby was the 1956 FA Charity Shield match. Manchester derbies in the 1970s saw two controversial incidents. In the December 1970 derby, a tackle by United's George Best broke the leg of City's Glyn Pardoe. The return fixture of the 1973–74 season saw Denis Law back-heel the ball past goalkeeper Alex Stepney into the net for City. United supporters invaded the pitch and forced an abandonment, but the result stood. The 1980s began with a 2–2 draw at Old Trafford on 27 September 1980. City defeated United 5–1 on 23 September 1989, but this would be their last win over United for 13 years. In the 1990s, United dominated the fixture, going unbeaten in derbies for the full decade.

In Their Own Story

The season began with a 4–0 away victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 16 August 2025, with Erling Haaland netting a brace. City then suffered consecutive league defeats to Tottenham Hotspur (2–0) and Brighton & Hove Albion (2–1), the latter featuring a penalty from former Blue James Milner. On transfer deadline day, 1 September 2025, City signed goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain for £26 million. After the September international break, City recorded consecutive victories, including a 3–0 win over Manchester United on 14 September and a 2–0 win over Napoli in the Champions League on 18 September, where Haaland scored his 50th goal in the competition in his 49th appearance. The autumn period saw Haaland score in 12 consecutive appearances for club and country, and by the end of October City sat fifth in the Premier League table. November began with a 3–1 win against Bournemouth, followed by a 3–0 victory over Liverpool in what was Pep Guardiola's 1000th game in football management. After the November international break, City lost 1–2 away to Newcastle United and 0–2 at home to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, before responding with a 3–2 victory over Leeds United.

Reader's Guide

The Manchester derby is contested between Manchester City and Manchester United. Matches are held at either the Etihad Stadium (City's home) or Old Trafford (United's home), which are approximately 4 miles apart. The teams have played 198 matches in all competitions, with United winning 81, City 62, and 55 draws. Key historical moments include the first meeting in 1881, the first top-flight meeting in 1906, the floodlit derby in 1889, and the Denis Law back-heel goal in 1974. The rivalry intensified after World War II.

Did You Know?

• The first meeting between the two clubs was on 12 November 1881, when Newton Heath beat St. Mark's (later City) 3–0.
• The first floodlit Manchester derby was played on 26 February 1889 at the Belle Vue Athletic Ground.
• Denis Law's back-heel goal for City against United in 1974 was his last appearance in league football.
• Goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, who played for both United and City, had an unbeaten record in derby games.