Manchester Derby Archives: Will United Stun City Again?
- Christian Paris
- Sep 14
- 6 min read
A staggering 197th Manchester Derby is set to be played out at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon, and despite Manchester United’s inferiority over the last decade, they have still enjoyed their travels from West to East Manchester in recent history.
Ruben Amorim steered his Red Devil’s to a dramatic derby win in his first experience in April, and it was a reminder more than anything of Man United’s capacity to stun their city rivals, even at their worst.
Man City have enjoyed a dominant spell in Manchester derbies under Pep Guardiola in the Premier League, moreso over the last four years, winning five out of the last eight.
Even with their superiority, Guardiola has found it a tricky path to overcome Man Utd, surprisingly more so at the Etihad, which has hosted some of the most memorable derbies of the last 15 years.
It would be prudent ahead of a fascinating derby to come to look at three of Man United’s most enthralling wins at the Etihad, and why they should feel sneakily confident to cause another shock.
Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United, November 2024: Amad Stuns Citizens
This was as captivating a derby as it was dull. Both Guardiola and Amorim were scrambling for solutions, for consistency, for results, but neither came ahead of a contest that was truly unpredictable.
City, amidst their worst ever run under the Spaniard, came into the fixture having won just one of their last ten in all competitions. It was unprecedented for a Guardiola side to stumble so viciously, more notably just seven months off winning a historic fourth consecutive Premier League title.
Amorim, came into the lion’s den. United looked lost under Erik ten Hag before his tenure came to an end in November, his Portuguese replacement decided to leave Sporting early to take on the largest of challenges.
Three wins from his first six in all outings was a decent return, but only one in the league left scrutiny high heading into the derby.
Josko Gvardiol’s guided header three-quarters of the way into the first half settled growing nerves in the City camp, which remained the only highlight frankly of a bland meeting in the first period.
Amorim’s men in fact had the greater openings. Bruno Fernandes’ audacious dink was skewed wide, Amad Diallo’s glance was beaten away by Ederson, though it still felt the threat for Guardiola’s side was distant.
That was, until Diallo’s tenacity paid off. The Ivorian was the constant spark for the visitors throughout, and his determination to anticipate a poor back pass was the first reward for his efforts, after Matheus Nunes clattered into the winger inside the box.
Fernandes duly took responsibility from the spot, and the United skipper pierced the net to level, though, the late drama was far from over.
Lisandro Martinez picked out the meandering run of Diallo who had timed it to perfection in added time, his sublime skill to lift it over the onrushing Ederson before bobbling his effort into the far corner sparked expectedly wild celebrations and rocked the Etihad to its core.
A knock back to Fergie time once more.
Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United, April 2018: Pogba Denies City Celebrations
Now this is a throwback. Guardiola v Mourinho. City v United. You could say Premier League heritage, and the title was on the line, even if it was a one-sided equation.
City were miles clear at the summit, and Guardiola had got it supremely right on his second time of asking in England, sweeping through the division at a canter.
Jose Mourinho’s Man Utd were trailing, and by some distance behind them, but arrived in East Manchester with an opportunity to avoid being on the wrong side of history, and embarrassment frankly.
The Citizen’s had the chance to confirm the title against their city rivals. What a way to solidify an already unprecedented season. And the way the contest ensued, it looked increasingly likely to happen.
A dominant City stormed to a 2-0 lead inside half an hour thanks to Vincent Kompany and Ilkay Gundogan. It was one-way traffic. Those in red shirts looked as though they had already conceded the silverware.
It remained that way for the first half and looked inevitable. Paul Pogba, remember him? Now focused on a career revival at AS Monaco, but in 2018, a polarising figure who flipped a switch in the derby.
First, wrapping up a sublime team move involving Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera just seven minutes into the second period to turn the tables.
It was only minutes later before Sanchez this time turned creator, floating a wide free kick onto the head of the French midfielder, who powered his header into the corner. And in a flash, Pogba had surged Man Utd level.
There was no Fergie time in this one. Chris Smalling was the unlikely hero, similarly to Pogba, heading through Ederson this time to astound a crowd ready to celebrate.
United only delayed the title party by a week, but delivered a sucker punch to their city rivals, who were jumping at the chance to deliver an embarrassing blow of their own.
Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United, December 2012: RvP Proves his Worth in Title Clash
Perhaps the most riveting of the lot. The derby with the most stakes of the last decade, the most finely balanced, and with stars on show. Yaya Toure, David Silva, Sergio Aguero on one end, David De Gea, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie on the other. It was poised to be a classic.
City had broken their 44-year wait for a topflight title in May following arguably the most sensational ending to a Premier League title race to pip their city rivals - “AGUERROOOOOOOO” - ring a bell?
It was not quite as sensational for United, who were hungry for revenge. Sir Alex Ferguson was chasing more gold in the Premier League after two decades of unprecedented dominance, with the Red Devil’s arriving at the Etihad with a slender lead at the summit.
It was meanwhile a Manchester derby debut for Van Persie, who was brought in for big money from Arsenal in the summer to ensure despair from the previous season would be quickly forgotten.
His strike partner on the day was keen to be decisive, and pierce City hearts like he had done so often before. Rooney wasted little time to get to business, wrongfooting Joe Hart with a precise finish.
The Englishman was not done. Rooney’s ruthlessness was apparent inside half an hour, when his first-time strike into the corner left Roberto Mancini’s side with their backs against the wall.
City came roaring back in the second period, and on the hour mark even De Gea could not keep the hosts out after a super double save, before the ball fell to Toure who slid his effort into the corner to halve the deficit.
The away side held on fearsomely until minute 86, when Pablo Zabaleta became the unlikeliest of heroes for City, powering home the equaliser to set up a grandstand finish.
Van Persie had struggled to leave his footprint on the derby, but time hadn’t run out yet.
The Dutchman had a final opportunity to unwaveringly mark his arrival in Manchester, even five months into his first season, when he stepped up for a free-kick 25 yards out, and he took it with both hands, albeit aided by a favourable deflection to win a derby with the grandest of implications.
Manchester City ?-? Manchester United, September 2025
Time for another classic? Not too far removed from the first one on this list, could Amorim and Guardiola be set for another enthralling battle?
A cluster of questions yet to be answered so early into the new season for both sides, both remain with critics and doubts, but can make a real statement with a result in the latest instalment of a historic rivalry.
It feels like the most up in the air derby in some time. City are not the same, and are under some form of renovation, where United feel as though they are in their own early stages under Amorim.
This derby meanwhile will tell those watching a lot about these two sides, and how their respective campaigns will likely play out.
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