Manchester United have presided over Manchester with an iron fist for the majority of 124-year existence of the Manchester derby – but things have been totally turned on their head over the last decade.
The acquisition of Manchester City by the Abu Dhabi United Group in August 2008 was always going to have massive ramifications on football in England as well as one of England’s most famous footballing cities – and so it has proved.
It took a few years for City to gain a foothold but they are undoubtedly the dominant force in the city now – and the Premier League as a whole.
Of the 21 Premier League encounters between the city rivals over the last 10 years, both sides can boast nine wins apiece, with the blue half of Manchester drawing level with the reds following their Sunday stroll to three points at the Etihad, with David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Ilkay Gundogan netting in a 3-1 win for Pep Guardiola’s side.
With the balance in power having well and truly shifted, here we take a look at five of the worst performances by United in the Premier League era.
There have been some shockers from the Red Devils down the years – many diehard Reds will chillingly remember the 5-1 thrashing handed out at Maine Road on September 23, 1989, or the 4-0 mauling in the League Cup fourth round in November 1975.
But in the Premier League, here are the five worst:
March 25, 2014: United 0 City 3
Ah, the fateful David Moyes days with champions United relinquishing the 20th title lifted in Sir Alex Ferguson’s swansong season the previous term to their noisy neighbours – who lifted a second crown in three years.
United were disposed of with embarrassing ease in their own back yard, Edin Dzeko scored early in each half – the first inside a minute and the second after a calamitous bout of home defending – while Yaya Toure added a third in stoppage time as City ramped up the pressure on leaders Chelsea.
This was gutless from a team who’d clearly lost any initial faith they had in their new leader. The Scot was sacked a month later and replaced by Ryan Giggs.
September 22, 2013: City 4 United 1
The Moyes era began in dreadful fashion when he oversaw defeat in his first derby as manager, which ended in humiliation with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of City at the Etihad the previous September.
It was a day of contrasts for the men in the dugouts as new City boss Manuel Pellegrini’s reign got off to a stunning start.
Aguero and Yaya Toure put City 2-0 up at the break and a second for the Argentine and one for Samir Nasri made it 4-0 within five minutes of the restart. Wayne Rooney scored a late free-kick but this was utterly embarrassing.
October 23, 2011: United 1 City 6
One of, if not THE, darkest day for many a United fan. The Red Devils were champions but were ruthlessly torn to shreds in front of their own fans.
City inflicted a worst home defeat on their hosts since February 1955 – with Mario Balotelli the instigator in chief. Ironically it had been City who were United’s tormentors 56 years earlier too, winning 5-0.
Balotelli, in the headlines for accidentally setting his house ablaze with fireworks in the lead-up to the game, started the fire here too, although it was only 1-0 at the interval. He made it 2-0 before United were decimated by rampant City after Jonny Evans’ sending off.
Aguero added a third before Darren Fletcher gave the home fans false hope. Dzeko came off the bench to add a brace, either side of Silva’s sumptuous solo goal.
It was the first time United had conceded six goals at Old Trafford since 1930.
March 14, 2004: City 4 United 1
A City side containing Daniel Van Buyten, Antoine Sibierski, Michael Tarnat and Jon Macken (these are actual players) humiliated Fergie’s men 4-1 at Maine Road.
United, hoping to forget their European exit to AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League, saw their shot at absolution downed as early as the third minute in nightmarish fashion when former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler bundled in the opener.
Macken made it 2-0 before Paul Scholes pulled one back.
Trevor Sinclair restored City’s two-goal lead before Shaun Wright-Phillips poured salt in the wounds in stoppage time with a thunderous shot from a near impossible angle that cannoned in off the crossbar.
November 9, 2002: City 3 United 1
A game Gary Neville probably won’t want to remember, but we’re sure can’t forget. The United captain inadvertently sparked wild scenes of celebration for the home fans in the last ever Premier League Manchester derby to be played at Maine Road.
Attempting to shepherd a wayward cross out of play, Neville was robbed of possession by Bermudan-born Shaun Goater, whose crisp finish put City 2-1 ahead after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had cancelled out Nicolas Anelka’s opener.
Neville perhaps felt like he was caught in the Bermuda triangle thereafter as every touch for the remaining 36 minutes was greeted by a City cheer before he was mercifully hauled off for John O’Shea just past the hour.
Goater had by then added a second – his 100th City goal – to make it 3-1.
