City and United renew rivalry(credit:
Gordon Flood)
Manchester rivals City and United go head-to-head in a big FA Cup semi-final encounter this Saturday.
While City will be aiming to end a 35-year wait to lift a major trophy, United will be looking to take a step closer to a domestic double
Both sides will have to do it without their star men as both Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez sit this one out, but there should be no shortage of drama at Wembley Stadium.
So on the eve of this huge collision, Football News are taking a look back at some memorable matches between these two fierce foes.
United 4 City 2
FA Cup fifth round
February 14, 2004
United went in front when hesitant defending by Claudio Reyna allowed Paul Scholes to score, but the hosts then suffered a setback when Gary Neville was sent off for head-butting City winger Steve McManaman.
The visitors wasted a host of chances to pull level and were punished when Ruud van Nistelrooy met a Cristiano Ronaldo cross to double United’s advantage, and the Portuguese, himself, made it three by reacting quickest after Arni Arason saved well from Ryan Giggs.
Michael Tarnat gave City a glimmer of hope, but van Nistelrooy bundled in the fourth before Robbie Fowler grabbed a late consolation goal for the blue half of Manchester.
City 3 United 1
Premier League
November 9, 2002
City went ahead inside five minutes when Nicolas Anelka stole possession from Rio Ferdinand and, after Shaun Goater’s initial effort was blocked by Fabian Barthez, the Frenchman stroked the ball home.
United levelled when Ole Gunnar Solksjaer slid in to fire a Ryan Giggs cross past former Red Devil Peter Schmeichel, but Gary Neville then handed the lead back to the hosts when he made a mess of an attempted backpass to Barthez, allowing Goater to slot the ball past the United goalkeeper.
And it was Goater who ensured City would win the least every derby game at Maine Road, producing a cool finish for his 100th goal for the club.
City 4 United 1
Premier League
March 14, 2004
Robbie Fowler fired City in front after just three minutes as they looked to celebrate the first derby at the City of Manchester Stadium with a victory.
Jon Macken’s first-time volley then doubled their advantage, but United fought back and Paul Scholes gave them hope with a fine 20-yard strike.
However, a Mikael Sylvestre error gifted Trevor Sinclair the chance to restore City’s two-goal cushion and he duly obliged.
And Shaun Wright-Phillips’ fine strike then capped off a miserable week for United that had seen them crash out of Europe.