Football has some of the greatest rivalries in sport. Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan vs. Inter Milan are all longstanding feuds. But in the northwest of England, there’s no bigger rivalry than the Manchester Derby!

What Is the Manchester Derby?

The Manchester Derby is any football match between Manchester City and Manchester United. The two teams’ stadiums are about four miles apart, but their shared animosity grows each year.

Though not a direct comparison, in a way, Manchester United vs. Manchester City is England’s football equivalent of the Yankees vs. Mets baseball rivalry in New York. Both teams draw fans from the same metropolitan area; both rivalries are characterized by a corporate vs. working man vibe; both sets of fans are fiercely loyal to their team and share an arguably irrational hatred for the other.

The first derby occurred on November 12, 1881. At the time, Man City was known as St. Mark’s, while Man United was called Newton Heath LYR. United won 3-0.

Who Has Won More Manchester Derby Games?

Manchester United and Manchester City have met on the pitch 198 times. The former has walked away with 81 wins, the latter has landed on top 62 times, and 55 matches ended in a draw.

Ultimately, Man United and Man City are both spectacular teams. Combined, they’ve earned 104 honors: 68 for The Red Devils and 36 for The Sky Blues. Notably, the two squads are the first two English teams to win continental trebles; they’re also the first cross-city rivals to do so, with Man United claiming the honor in 1999 and Man City completing the feat in 2023.

Manchester United

The Manchester United Football Club was founded in 1878 as the Newton Heath LYR Football Club. The name was changed in 1902. In 1910, the team moved to Old Trafford in Greater Manchester, where they still play today.

Their nickname is “The Red Devils,” and they enjoy a storied history. In their nearly 150-year existence, the club has won 20 top-league titles and six league cups. Plus, they were the first English team to compete in the European Cup.

Manchester City

Founded in 1880 as St. Mark’s, the Manchester City Football Club changed its name to Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and adopted its current name in 1894. For decades, they played at Maine Road Stadium, but in 2003, they moved to the then-new Manchester City Stadium, also known as the Etihad Stadium.

Man City has two prominent nicknames: “The Citizens,” which is sometimes styled “Cityzens,” and The Sky Blues.

Manchester Derby Superlatives

Who have been the superstar players over the derby’s history? What have been the biggest matches? Here’s a list of record and landmark moments of the Manchester Derby.

• In 1947, while Old Trafford was being repaired after significant WWII bombing damage, 78,000 fans filed into Maine Road Stadium to watch the two teams compete. To this day, it remains the most attended derby match.
• Manchester United won 16 straight derbies between 1990 and 2001.
• The Manchester Derby has a history of big wins. Over the years, both teams have shut out the other 5-0.
• Wayne Rooney holds the current record for all-time top scorer with 11 goals.
• Ryan Giggs appeared in the most Manchester Derbies, taking to the field in 36 of the 198 matches.

Five Interesting Facts About the Manchester Derby

Man City and Man United have enjoyed a rich history. Here are five interesting Manchester Derby facts that will make you the star of your local pub’s trivia night.

1. In the early days, most people supported both teams. They’d go to a Citizens game one weekend, and a Red Devils match the next. After WWII, the rivalry intensified.
2. Manchester United was founded by a group of railway workers.
3. One of the most infamous derby games happened in 2011 when Man City beat Man United 6-1 at Old Trafford! The win was historically significant because it was a repeat of a 1926 game, in which Manchester City bested United 6-1, also at “The Theatre of Dreams.”
4. The Manchester Derby might not have been a beloved rivalry if both teams hadn’t overcome severe financial hardships in the 1890s.
5. Carlos Tevez and Brian Kidd are the only two players in derby history to have scored for both teams in the Manchester Derby.

On average, Man City and Man United meet up four times a year. Typically, The Red Devils and The Sky Blues have two Premier League matches and often compete in tournament matches, including the FA and Carabao Cups.