The fierce rivalry between Manchester United and Manchester City is legendary in English football and the world. Both clubs are one of the best globally and in the Top 10 football clubs by revenue. Manchester is highly regarded as a football city, in the same scope as cities like Milan and Madrid.
The competition between these two Manchester teams dates back to Victorian times, intensifying even among fans, managers, and sports betting enthusiasts on platforms like SBOBET.
The United and City rivalry is extreme, and you can understand why when you look at their history, management, stadiums, and matches.
United and City History
Manchester United takes pride in being the oldest team, established in 1878. Manchester City emerged in 1880, but it will never live its position down as the younger of the two clubs.
Fondly known as the ‘Red Devils’, Manchester United also holds the bragging rights as England’s most successful club and has achieved far more than their City counterparts over the years. The team has won 65 trophies (to City’s 24 trophies), including a record 20 Premier League titles. It has also hosted some of the best players and managers in football history.
United and City Managers
There’s a glaring chasm between the clubs’ managerial histories. Sir Alex Ferguson steered Manchester United for 26 years, including 21 years during the Premier League period. However, the team has had four permanent managers since Ferguson’s departure.
On the other hand, Manchester City has appointed 17 bosses in the same period, including caretaker managers. Each manager served an average term of one to two years. Roberto Mancini, Kevin Keegan, and Joe Royle were the longest-serving City managers.
United and City Home Stadiums
Manchester United has used Old Trafford as a home stadium since 1910. As the UK’s second-largest stadium after Wembley, Bobby Charlton nicknamed Old Trafford “The Theatre of Dreams,” following the unmatched degree of success the club has enjoyed there over the years. Players display high-quality football in front of the packed stadium year after year.
Manchester City moved from Maine Road to Etihad Stadium in 2003. The arena has 20,000 fewer seats than United’s Old Trafford, which is about four miles away.
Manchester Derby
The final bone of contention between the teams is The Manchester Derby. These are the football matches between Manchester United and Manchester City annually.
United holds the bragging rights in Premier League on head-to-heads, winning 21 winnings of their 43 meetings. City only recorded their first Premier League victory over United in 2002, with a 3-1 win at Maine Road. Shaun Goater scored two goals during the match, marking his 100th goal.
United has scored 64 goals during the Manchester Derbies, which represents six more points than their City neighbours. However, United has failed to win consecutive matches since its four straight victories between 2008 and 2010.
The best that Manchester City has done is to win four derbies in a row under Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini. After that, they lost 4-2 to United in 2015.
Despite the stiff competition, Manchester United and Manchester City share the common goal of becoming the best team in football, locally and internationally. What’s life without a little challenge?
