Manchester derbies: five of the most meaningful meetings since 1894

The first league meeting between the two clubs. City – who state 1894 as their founding year on their badge but can trace their roots back to St Marks’ Church (founded 1880) and Ardwick AFC (founded 1887) – were defeated by Newton Heath, who would be rebranded as Manchester United in 1902 (although the names Manchester Central and Manchester Celtic were considered). Ardwick AFC had played Newton Heath before, in 1889, in a friendly to raise money after an explosion caused by the use of naked flames at the nearby Hyde Road coalmine resulted in the death of 23 miners. This was a good example of the convivial and supportive feeling between the clubs, which would continue well into the 20th century. By the end of it, things would be a little different.

In 1905, a financial scandal engulfed Manchester City. One of their players, Billy Meredith, had been found guilty of bribing an Aston Villa player as City chased the title and the Football Association later found the club to be breaking the wage cap, illegally paying players on the side. City were fined and ordered to auction off their players, many of whom had won the 1904 FA Cup. In total, 17 were suspended and banned, severely weakening City for their subsequent league campaign. It made the first top-flight Manchester derby a rather predictable affair, with United cruising to a 3-0 win. A month later, in January 1907, on the expiry of the former City players’ bans, four of them joined United, among them Meredith, and the Reds clinched the First Division title the following season.

Denis Law’s impudent backheel finish for City – the final touch of his competitive club career – is widely perceived as having relegated Manchester United in the penultimate game of the season.