Manchester United’s Best Derby Moments: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Manchester United play Manchester City on Saturday in what will be the first chapter in a new saga for this old rivalry.

Managers Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola have an infamous history that has been imported into Manchester. As a consequence, this derby feels like the most significant for a while. Given that, and the sense of new history being written, it seemed a good time to ask some Reds for their favourite memories of games gone by against the Blues.

In chronological order, let’s take a look at what they said.

@UtdRantcast my1st ever match Maine road derby3-3 believe it was Sammy Mac’s debut 1971,loved the red shirts all family blues,Red ever since

— Liz (@redliz) September 7, 2016

The game to which Liz refers happened on November 6, 1971. It was indeed the debut of then 17-year-old Sammy McIlroy. According to the club’s website, McIlroy scored one of United’s three and assisted the other two.

As Ed Barker of fan site United Rant wrote in 2010: “Brian Kidd and John Aston also netted for the Reds in a classic early-’70s encounter.”

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Going into the game, United were top and City were third, a reminder that the Sheik Mansour era is not the first time the Manchester derby has been contested on equal footing. The point City earned from their comeback proved crucial, as they finished above United that season.

However, the red shirts and the magic of Sammy Mac earned United at least one lifelong fan that day.

@UtdRantcast Roy Keane winner in 1993/94 after being 2-0 down (Niall Quinn) at H/T .. The Eric Cantona show inspired the 2nd half win