Top 5 Memorable Manchester Derby Matchups Before the FA Cup Final Battle

In advance of Saturday’s FA Cup final, a look at five of the most memorable contests between Manchester City and Manchester United.

Liverpool City defeated Manchester United 1-0 in April 1974.

The winner of the goal made this Manchester derby the most well-known of all time. Denis Law, who had spent 11 years with the club and was a member of the “Holy Trinity” with Bobby Charlton and George Best, did not celebrate after backheeling the ball into the goal to give City the victory. Law didn’t play again for City after being taken off the pitch at Old Trafford and departing with his head down. On that particular day, United was demoted from the top division, but it wasn’t just as a consequence of the defeat to City — as many falsely say — but rather as a result of outcomes elsewhere on the last day of the season. The game was never truly over because to field invasions in the 85th minute, but the outcome stood.

(October 2011) Manchester City defeated Manchester United 6 to 1.

Given that United suffered its worst defeat at Old Trafford since 1955 and its heaviest loss in the Premier League at the time, it was understandable why Alex Ferguson dubbed it his worst day as manager of the team. The best-remembered goal came by Mario Balotelli, who took up his City jersey to show a T-shirt with the phrase “Why Always Me?” after scoring the game’s first goal in the 22nd minute. Emergency services were summoned to his home the day before the game when a firework allegedly went off in Balotelli’s bathroom, prompting the call. Jonny Evans, a United defender, was sent off early in the second half, which allowed City to run amok late in the game and score three goals starting in the 90th minute. City, freshly affluent after being acquired by the royal family of Abu Dhabi in 2008, had already established itself as a power. Sergio Aguero’s stoppage-time goal in the season’s last league game enabled City to overtake United on goal differential that year.

In September 2009, Manchester City defeated Manchester United 4–3.

This was perhaps the most exciting derby in history, and it came to a fitting conclusion when Michael Owen, who had been brought in as a substitute, scored the game-winning goal for United in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Ferguson danced on the sidelines while chewing gum in his signature style, while City manager Mark Hughes, a former United player, yelled furiously at the referees. Following the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez—the latter of whom controversially left for City and made his Old Trafford debut in this game—United only signed a past-his-prime Owen that year. United lost the lead three times, the third time in the 90th minute, but managed to win thanks to Owen’s finest performance while wearing a United jersey.

Manchester City defeated Manchester United in April 2001, 1–1.

Erling Haaland’s inclusion in City’s current treble-chasing squad gives this encounter greater contemporary significance. After all, it was his father, Alf-Inge, who was crucial to the outcome of the match after becoming the victim of Roy Keane’s vicious knee-high tackle at Old Trafford, which resulted in the United captain receiving a red card. When they played against each other in 1997 (when Haaland was at Leeds), the Norwegian accused Keane of feigning what turned out to be a serious injury. Keane then leaned over Haaland, who was writhing in agony on the ground, and mouthed some expletives before leaving the pitch. Haaland played just a few more games before being forced to retire because to a problem with the left knee Keane had targeted in him. Given what his father had endured, would that tragedy eventually prohibit Erling from ever joining United? Erling joined City two decades later, a move largely influenced by Alf-Inge, and is already setting records there.

(April 2011) Manchester City defeated Manchester United.

Was this the game that made the blue side of Manchester win the power balance in the city? At Wembley Stadium, the neighbours squared off in the FA Cup semifinals, with Yaya Toure’s second-half goal giving City the advantage. After overcoming Stoke in the cup final, City went on to win it, ending a 35-year trophy drought. With 15 trophies in the following 12 years, City has dominated English football ever since. It will go down as one of the most important goals in the club’s history, and Toure talked this week about the confidence this triumph against United provided City in the early stages of its Abu Dhabi-fueled rise. United was the league champion and a finalist in the Champions League that season. It was a sign of the transition that was taking place, according to Toure. “There was a sizable party. The executives joined us on the train and joined us in the dressing room to celebrate. They thought, “This is it; Man City is about to undergo a metamorphosis.