By: AT

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This derby, between the two most prestigious clubs from Manchester, is a rivalry that gained significant prominence within the last decade and a half. Despite both clubs’ wealthy ownerships, like many English clubs, Manchester City and Manchester United had humble beginnings. City were founded as Ardwick Association Football Club by St. Mark’s Church in 1887; the club was renamed to Manchester City in 1894. Conversely, United were founded as Newton Heath LYR by workers from the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway company; the club was renamed to Manchester United in 1902.

Today, both clubs are owned by international entities. City are currently owned by City Football Group Limited, a British-based holding company that also owns the majority of such clubs as LaLiga club Girona FC and Major League Soccer club New York City FC. City Football Group Limited are owned by a number of foreign entities, including Abu Dhabi United Group, which owns 81% of The Cityzens. The Emirati private equity firm, led by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, purchased the club in August 2008 from former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

In contrast, United are majority-owned (71%) by Manchester United plc, the public wing of the club’s ownership. Its shareholders include the Glazer family, as well as institutional and retail investors. The remaining stake (29%) is owned by INEOS — led by the controversial Sir Jim Ratcliffe — which also has an ownership stake in Ligue 1 club OGC Nice.

Both Manchester clubs were originally founded in east Manchester, a working-class area of the city. While City remain in that area of the city — Etihad Stadium is located in East Manchester, near Beswick and Clayton — United moved to western Manchester. Their stadium, the iconic but decaying Old Trafford, is located in Stretford.

While both clubs have their respective turf within the city, they have gained worldwide popularity, though not simultaneously. United were the first to gain popularity, from the golden years in the 1950s that tragically ended with the Munich Air Disaster in February 1958, to the heroics of the late Sir Bobby Charlton in the 1960s and early 1970s to Sir Alex Ferguson’s fabulous dynasty from the late 1980s to the early 2010s. While United were a solid club in the Football League First Division (now Premier League/EPL), Ferguson’s leadership elevated The Red Devils to the pinnacle of world football. Among many achievements, he led United to 13 of their record 20 league titles (First Division and EPL titles) and to two UEFA Champions League (UCL) titles.

Since the Scotsman’s departure, however, United slid into mediocrity, having failed to win a league title since 2012-13, Ferguson’s final season at the helm. Despite the struggles, United retain a Byzantine and passionate fanbase, many of whom are committed to travel and watch a match, no matter the competition or the club’s form.

Conversely, until 2012, City were average at best, winning titles almost as often as experiencing relegation from the first to the second division. However, City’s fortunes came to fruition in 2011-12, when The Cityzens heroically won their first EPL title (third overall, First Division titles included) on the final matchday. A last-minute 3-2 victory against Queens Park Rangers resulted in City snatching the title from United and preventing them from winning three consecutive titles during the 2010-11 to 2012-13 period. Since 2011-12, City have become an attractive club for both football supporters and players around the world. An endless supply of talented players and coaching personnel has contributed to City winning seven league titles — the highest among all EPL clubs since then — including three consecutive said titles from 2021-22 to 2023-24.

Regarding other domestic competitions, The Cityzens also won two FA Cup titles, six EFL Cup titles and four FA Community Shield (English super cup) titles. City ultimately peaked in 2022-23, winning a treble of trophies, including their first UCL title in club history. City’s recent successes have created a positive feedback loop with respect to their ascending prestige. They invest to purchase talented players, which translates into strong performances, thereby attracting fans, who invest their money in the club, which therefore enables the club to re-invest the revenue.

Both clubs duelled 188 times, including their January 17, 2026 match at Old Trafford, which ended in a decisive 2-0 victory for The Red Devils. The rivalry began with a Football League Second Division clash on October 3, 1896. The head-to-head record in all competitions between the two clubs is the following:

60 Manchester City victories;
76 Manchester United victories;
52 draws.

The figure below shows the all-time head-to-head matchup, by win percentage, between the two clubs.

The January 17 match was their second duel of the season: the first duel, on EPL matchday 4, ended in a 3-0 home victory for City. United’s last victory against City occurred in December 2024, a 2-1 away victory for The Red Devils. Following the January 17 match, both clubs will not face each other until next season because United have been eliminated prematurely from the EFL Cup and FA Cup, and are not participating in a European continental club competition this season.

Comment which club will be the more dominant in this rivalry in the years to come!

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