Manchester United vs West Ham United Derby
The cross-city clash of Manchester's football giants.
The Manchester derby refers to football matches between Manchester City and Manchester United, first contested in 1881. City play at the Etihad Stadium in Bradford, east Manchester, while United play at Old Trafford in the borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester; the two grounds are separated by approximately 4 mi. The teams have played 198 matches in all competitions; United winning 81, City 62 and the remaining 55 have been drawn. Amongst the most successful clubs in England, they have won a combined 106 honours: 68 for Manchester United and 38 for Manchester City. They are also the first two English clubs and world's first cross-city rivals to have won a continental treble; United's success came in 1999, while City's occurred 24 years later.
Quick Facts
- Rivalry type
- Historic Cup & League Rivals
- Key era
- 1950s to 2000s
- Notable venue clashes
- Wembley Stadium Finals
- Famous managers involved
- Sir Matt Busby
- Bill Shankly (Huddersfield/United context)
- Harry Redknapp
- Sir Alex Ferguson
- Memorable players
- Bobby Charlton
- George Best
- Trevor Brooking
- Tony Cottee
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, Newton Heath beating Manchester City 5–2 at Hyde Road. 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: a tackle by United's George Best broke the leg of City's Glyn Pardoe in December 1970, and in the 1973–74 season Mike Doyle and Lou Macari each received a red card in a dour contest which finished 0–0 at Maine Road. The return fixture that 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.
In the 1980s, 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.
Reader's Guide
The Manchester derby is a match between Manchester City and Manchester United. The teams first met in 1881. City play at the Etihad Stadium, United at Old Trafford. The two grounds are about 4 miles apart. Notable historical moments include the 1906 derby with gate receipts over £1,000, the 1974 Denis Law back-heel goal, and the 1989 5–1 City win. United went unbeaten in derbies throughout the 1990s.
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