This match is often talked about as one of the best Manchester derbies ever.

Both City and United had started the season well with United slightly ahead by four points.

The game was played in front of a packed house at the old Maine Road with a lot of tension as both teams looked to progress up the table.

City had started the better of the two with Francis Lee missing many great opportunities to put the blues ahead.

However, it would be United who take the lead with Sammy McIlroy burying his shot into the bottom corner with George Best making the short pass to set him up in the box.

In the second half, Brian Kidd made it 2-0 to United with another great move down the wing allowing for Kidd to move in freely and slot it in.

Francis Lee pulled one back from the penalty spot for City.

Top scorer Lee then turned creator for Colin Bell sliding him through as the City legend glided past the keeper and passed it into the empty net.

A wicked deflection from a John Aston shot flicked over everyone to put the Red Devils back in the lead.

In the final moments of a wild game, Mike Summerbee’s thundering shot from the edge of the area came crashing in to force the draw.

At the end of the season Manchester City would finish fourth and lose the title on the final day by one point to Derby County alongside Leeds United and Liverpool.

The 1971-72 season is largely considered one of the greatest in English football history because of the wild title race.

United’s title charge would falter around Christmas with a winless streak, they would eventually finish eighth.

The 1980’s had been a difficult period for both Manchester clubs.

United were second best to Liverpool for most of the decade and could only win two FA cups under Ron Atkinson.

Alex Ferguson was brought in to bring the club back to the top, but so far had only won one FA Cup.

City on the other hand just wanted a sustained period in the top division.

Relegated twice and City seemed to be on the rise themselves, as the returned to the top tier in 1989.

They had not finished above United since the 1977-78 season, so this was a great opportunity as they started the day three points ahead of the Red Devils.

David White made it 1-0 when the ball fell kindly to him in the six-yard box.

White then doubled the lead as he went through on goal and side footed it past the United keeper.

Mark Hughes scored, making the header with a huge leap, cutting the deficit.

In the second half, City looked to have sealed victory with just over 10 minutes to go, Colin Hendry scoring.

But Ferguson did what he did best galvanising his team in the final ten minutes of the game.

Firstly, Brian McClair with a piece of individual brilliance stealing the ball off of City midfielder Ian Brightwell, and running down on goal before calmly finishing.

Second, Brian McClair, again, with a header from very close range and the game finished all square to City fan’s dismay.

City would finish above United at the end of the season by three points, the last time they would so until they won the league in 2012.

A massive game at both ends of the table, City needed to win to maintain their hopes of survival whilst United were in a wild title race against Newcastle United.

More than just a derby this time, and Eric Cantona opened the scoring from the spot after a wild challenge on Dennis Irwin in the box.

City did not lay down, Niall Quinn’s header into the box was met by rookie Georgian Mikhail Kavelashvili who knocked it past Peter Schmeichel.

The Georgian who would later become a politician in his native country had never started a game before for City.

Unfortunately for the blues, United struck back immediately as Andy Cole played a lovely one-two with Cantona and put the Reds back in front.

The derby a procession for United during the 90’s as they won seven out of eight derbies since the formation of the Premier League in 1992.

For City this was a monumental task to try and beat their neighbours.

One that German Uwe Rosler was happy to undertake and he delivered with aplomb bearing down on goal and smashing in the equaliser having just come on.

United were not done yet, and Eric Cantona found Ryan Giggs who absolutely blasted the ball into the roof of the net for all three vital points.

United would be Champions around a month later as City were relegated on the final day of the season.

One year after City had been taken over by the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi, they looked to finally compete with United after decades of languishing in their shadow.

All the talk before the match had been about “noisy neighbours” and advertising hoards saying “welcome to Manchester” with Carlos Tevez in a blue shirt.

The Argentinian striker had made the daring move across town that summer.

City wanted to make their mark early on but United and specifically Ferguson were not having any of it.

Wayne Rooney would open the score but a mistake at the back for United allowed Gareth Barry to get the equaliser.

The second half started much like the first with Darren Fletcher getting in on the act with a fine header only for Craig Bellamy to level the game with a brilliant rocket from outside the box.

City did not learn from their previous mistakes and Darren Fletcher headered United in front again for what looked like the winner with ten minutes to go.

But an awful bit of defending by Rio Ferdinand allowed for Bellamy to bear down on goal and put the scores level in the 90^th minute.

Then came a moment that not many would have ever predicted.

Michael Owen, former Liverpool legend, cropped up with time and space to dink the ball past Shay Given for the winner in front of the Stretford End.

United maintained bragging rights in Manchester on this occasion with an unlikely cult hero.

Halloween nightmares do come true, few games come back to haunt United fans as much as this one.

City had finally won silverware the previous season and had started their first campaign in the Champions League, they were looking to take United’s title away from them as well.

Both teams had started neck and neck in the title race so this would be the first real test for both.

What happened next is now in City and Premier League folklore.

Mario Balotelli opened the scoring with a cool finish, and a now infamous celebration, putting his shirt over his head, to reveal the line “Why always me?”.

The young Italian striker had been in the papers, yet again, two days before hand with talks of him setting off fireworks in his own home.

At the very beginning of the second half Jonny Evans was sent off for pulling down Balotelli as the last man.

Mario Balotelli scored a tap in at the far post and Sergio Aguero made it three as city danced around the United defence.

Darren Fletcher would pull one back with a beautiful finish but then the onslaught really started.

With City finding all sorts of gaps at the back, another tap in for Edin Dzeko followed by a beautiful through ball for David Silva made it five.

Then the best for last, Silva’s lovely control put Dzeko through and the rest is history.

Not since 1926 had City inflicted such a humiliating defeat on their rivals.

If Ferguson needed further confirmation that City were well and truly back, they would go on to win the league at the end of the season, Sergio Aguero with the most famous goal of them all.