However, Kevin Keegan was unable to continue City’s remarkable cup run at Old Trafford
on Saturday but both sides produced a cracking cup tie. In total, United have now secured
victory in five FA Cup derby ties compared with City’s two.
The last time that City faced Alex Ferguson’s men in the world’s most famous cup
competition the game was decided by a controversial penalty decision, a shirt tugging offence,
and the red half of Manchester was thankful for a 2-1 victory. Eric Cantona equalised with
the penalty after Uwe Rosler's opener but Lee Sharpe rescued United ten minutes from time.
Luck seemed to be going United’s way in 1996 and it surely followed them all the way to the
final and a league and FA Cup double.
However, it has not all been doom and gloom for City. As far back as 1926 the two
Manchester clubs were drawn together in the semi final. City's star performers Browell, who
scored twice, and Hicks, who created all three, stole the show. A 3-0 victory took City into
the final, only to suffer a 1-0 defeat to Bolton under the Twin Towers.
The scoreline was reversed in 1970. Manchester City were the holders going into the fourth
round match but the Reds had it all their way against Joe Mercer's side. But City did go on
to win the League Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup, so that was more than enough
consolation.
The only other tie where City came out victorious was in 1955 when Hayes and Revie scored
to beat the Busby Babes 2-0 in the fourth round at Maine Road. Again, the Blues made it to
the FA Cup final but it was a similar story as Newcastle won comprehensively, 3-1, so if City
won on Saturday history says we would have made it all the way to the final. With Fulham or
West Ham next up in the quarters then we’d have had a fair chance.
So when was the very first time that the two sides met in the competition? Well, this time we
have to go back even further when the clubs were in their former guises. In 1892, a mere
112 years ago, Newton Heath battled it out against Ardwick in the 1st qualifying round.
Newton Heath thrashed Ardwick 5-1, a scoreline more familiar to us when City demolished
United at Maine Road in 1989. We all remember that don’t we? The match in 1891 was
contested at Hyde Road, which is where Ardwick and then Manchester City played until the
opening of Maine Road in 1923.
Apart from that first encounter, the away team has never won, or even secured a replay, so
next time we have a derby cup tie, let’s hope the blues get a home draw.
- FA Cup meetings between Manchester City and Manchester United:
1891-92: 3rd October 1891, 1st qualifying round
Ardwick 1 - 5 Newton Heath
1925-26: Saturday 27 March 1926, semi-final
City 3 - 0 United
1954-55: Saturday 29th January 1955, 4th round
City 2 - 0 United
1969-70: Saturday 24th January 1970, 4th round
United 3 - 0 City
1986-87: Saturday 10th January 1987, 3rd round
United 1 - 0 City
1995-96: Sunday 18th February 1996, 5th round
United 2 - 1 City
2003-2004: Saturday 14th February 2004, 5th round
United 4 – 2 City
