The Manchester Derby is one of the most fiercely contested rivalries in English football. It pits two of the country's most storied clubs - Manchester United and Manchester City - against one another. Dating back over a century, this clash has a rich history, defined by dramatic moments, iconic players, and intense battles for supremacy on the pitch. In this exploration, we will delve into the depths of this historic rivalry, examining its origins, notable encounters, and key statistics that have shaped the narrative of the Manchester United vs Manchester City match over the years.

When was the first Manchester Derby played and who won the match?

On November 12, 1881, the first Manchester Derby was played between St. Mark's (West Gorton) and Newton Heath, which later became Manchester City and Manchester United, respectively. The match was an important milestone in the history of English football and was played at the Heathens' North Road ground in Manchester. At that time, both teams were amateur sides and the match was a local friendly game. St. Mark's emerged victorious with a score of 3-0, thanks to goals from William Heald, Thomas Davis, and Alf Farman.

Manchester United vs Manchester City: A Brief History of the Manchester Derby

After their first match in 1881, during the early years of the Manchester Derby, both the clubs had their share of victories and defeats. The matches were fiercely contested, and the crowds were always loud and enthusiastic. As the rivalry grew stronger, the passion of the fans increased, with every win or loss fuelling their desire to beat the other team.

The first time the teams met in the Football League was in the 1894-95 season when Newton Heath won 5-2 against Manchester City at Hyde Road. The first-ever match between the clubs at the highest level of English football took place in December 1906, when Manchester City won 3-0 in a First Division match, with the gate receipts exceeding £1,000, a massive amount for that time.

The rivalry reached its peak during the mid to late 20th century, as both Manchester United and Manchester City had their fair share of success in English football. Manchester United, under the legendary management of Sir Matt Busby, won numerous league titles and European trophies, while Manchester City had success of their own, although they had periods of struggle.

The first-ever competitive floodlit derby was the 1956 FA Charity Shield match. Manchester United were the defending league champions, and Manchester City were the FA Cup holders. It was an unusual game as Charity Shield games were usually played at the home ground of the League Champions. Still, as Old Trafford had not yet installed lights, the game was played at Maine Road.

City won their first honour in 1904, with a victory in the FA Cup, and United won in 1908 with the Football League First Division title. The first Manchester derby following the creation of the Premier League for the 1992-93 season was a 2-1 win for United at Old Trafford on 6 December 1992. Making his United debut on that day was new signing Eric Cantona. Meantime, after a few tough seasons, City were relegated to the third tier of English football in 1998 - the first and only time this has happened in their history.

In recent years, the Manchester Derby has become more significant as both clubs have been competing for supremacy in the English Premier League. With star-studded lineups and world-class talent on display, each game has become a must-watch for football fans worldwide.

The rivalry shows no signs of slowing down, with Manchester United and Manchester City pushing each other to achieve greater heights in pursuit of glory. Under Sir Alex Ferguson, United won 30 domestic and international titles, and players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, and Ruud van Nistelrooy made a name for themselves in the club.

In 2009, Roberto Mancini took over City and won the League Championship for the first time in 44 years. Pep Guardiola joined the club in the 2016-17 season and helped the team win five Premier League titles in six seasons, along with a treble in the 2022-23 season, where they won their first-ever Champions League title.

Also Read: Barcelona 2008/09 vs Man City 2022/23 - which Pep Guardiola treble team is better?

First Manchester Derby in the Football League and First-Division Football

In the Football League, the two clubs first met in the 1894-95 season, with Newton Heath beating Manchester City 5-2 at Hyde Road. However, it wasn't until December 1906 that the teams met at the highest level of English football in a First Division match, which City won 3-0. This match was a significant one for its era, as the gate receipts exceeded £1,000, a considerable amount at that time.

First Manchester Deby in the Premier League

The first Manchester derby of the Premier League's 1992-93 season ended in a 2-1 victory for United, who played as the home team at Old Trafford on December 6, 1992. This was also the first game for United's new signing, Eric Cantona, who made his debut on that day.

Most goals in Manchester Derby

Wayne Rooney with 11 goals tops the chart of most goals in Manchester Derby history.

Most matches in Manchester United vs Manchester City games

Ryan Gigs with 37 appearances holds the record for playing the most Manchester Derbies.

Hat-tricks in Manchester Derby

Till now only 8 players have scored a hat-trick inofficial Manchester Derbies. Phil Foden and Erling Haaland are the latest players to score a hat-trick in the United vs City battle.

Most consecutive wins by a team in the Manchester Derby

United still hold the record for the most consecutive wins against Manchester City during their dominating era of the late 2000th century.

Most wins by managers in Manchester Derby

Biggest win margin

Manchester United vs Manchester City head-to-head stats

Till now there have been 192 official games between Manchester United and Manchester City. City won 60 games while United won 79 games. In the Premier League era, United won 25 times while City won 19 times.

Manchester United vs Manchester City: Trophy battle

City won their first trophy with the FA Cup in 1904, while United claimed their first triumph in 1908 by winning the Football League First Division title. Over the years, there have been five instances where City and United have stood as champions and runners-up in the league. The rivalry has also manifested in seven intense semi-final clashes. United boasts a more illustrious record in terms of overall titles, securing 67 trophies compared to City's 34.

*United's 21 Community Shields include 4 shared titles as well.

Note: All the stats are accurate as of May 25, 2024.

Pedri, the young FC Barcelona midfielder, has drawn serious interest from the reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City, who are reportedly ready to offer a whopping €100 million for the Spanish midfielder.

According to El Nacional, former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, who is currently at the helm of Man City, has conveyed his interest to the Club's upper echelons to rope in the 22-year-old midfielder.

🚨🚨| JUST IN: Manchester City are interested in signing Pedri.

Pep Guardiola is a big fan of him.

[@fichajesnet] pic.twitter.com/7Shj0Zy77Y

— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) March 30, 2025

Man City are prepared to bid €100 million for Pedri

Pedri has been enjoying a great season at FC Barcelona, having scored 5 goals and provided 7 assists in 44 appearances for the Catalan giants this season. However, his contribution goes beyond the goal involvements, which shows why he has won eight Man of the Match awards in his last ten games for the club.

The 22-year-old midfielder is currently on a mega five-year contract with Barcelona that runs until June 2030. Pedri's contract also includes a release clause set at €1 billion, implying his utmost importance in building the long-term planning of FC Barcelona. 

Manchester City see Pedri as the ideal midfield addition, but Barcelona have no plans to sell the 22-year-old. pic.twitter.com/6ECEUQ9AR6

— Transfer News (@TransfersLlVE) March 30, 2025

However, Pedri is currently valued at €120 million, according to transfermarkt, which is significantly higher than what Manchester City are keen to offer.

The English club has reportedly assessed all the financial aspects and feasibilities of the bid and are prepared to put forward a €100 million transfer fee offer to Barcelona.

Despite the reports, Pedri has not shown any interest in leaving the Blaugrana colours since joining the club from Las Palmas in September 2019, whereas Barcelona will also not be very keen to let Pedri leave.

With the potential departure of key midfielder Kevin De Bruyne said to be imminent, Pep Guardiola is looking to rejuvenate his midfield structure while keeping an eye on Pedri. Nico Gonzalez, another former Barcelona midfielder, was acquired by Man City in February 2025.

Laliga clubs regularly own some of the biggest names in the world of football. Many of their top stars have come from abroad, often moving from the Premier League to La Liga. However, some superstars were not so successful in Laliga after the transfers. 
Trent Alexander Arnold is more likely to be the next biggest football transfer from the Premier League to Laliga. 
Discover the 10 biggest football transfers from the Premier League to Laliga, featuring players like Eden Hazard, and Phillipe Coutinho and legends like Luis Suarez and Cristiano Ronaldo.

10 biggest football transfers from Premier League to La Liga:  

10. Conor Gallagher | Chelsea to Atletico Madrid | €35 million:

Conor Gallagher was one of the key players for Chelsea in his final season. He is a Chelsea academy player, despite being an academy graduate of Chelsea, the Blues sold him to the Laliga side Atletico Madrid for €35 million and became one of the players with the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga.

He has seemed a perfect fit for Diego Simeone’s managed side, though he has rotated with other midfielders. Gallagher scored an important Champions League goal against Real Madrid, during a round of 16 match in which Atletico was heartbreakingly beaten on penalties.

9. Ferran Torres | Manchester City to FC Barcelona | €46 million:

FC Barcelona paid €46 million to Ferran Torres from Manchester City in 2022. But he was never able to prove his worth in FC Barcelona, he was one of the failed yet one the biggest transfers from the Premier League to Laliga.

The winger had never scored more than 10 goals in a single campaign for the La Liga giants. Torres played 145 games at Barcelona and has started almost exactly half (73), which shows the coaches he has played under have been aware that he cannot impact games.

8. Raphinha | Leeds United to FC Barcelona | €50 million:

Raphinha was not a major signing for FC Barcelona, yet among the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga. In the first season, Raphinha scored 14 goals and contributed in 15 goals. However, in the 2024/25 season, Raphinha found his lost form under Hansi Flick as he scored 27 goals and delivered 20 assists. Now the Brazilian winger is one of the players who is getting Ballon d'Or shouts in 2025.

7. Diego Costa | Chelsea to Atletico Madrid | €57 million:

Costa played for Atletico Madrid on a few different occasions. He had already left once before coming back in 2010 by the time he moved to Chelsea in 2014, and four years later, he was back, with Atletico Madrid paying €57 million for him.

Diego Costa was one of the players also among the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga. In his final season before leaving for the Premier League, Costa scored 36 goals, and in three seasons at Stamford Bridge, he scored 59 goals and 21 assists. The Spanish forward 81 games in four seasons after his return but scored just 19 goals in that time.

6. Luis Suarez | Liverpool to FC Barcelona | €75 million:

Barcelona had seen enough from Suarez in just two and a half seasons at Liverpool to sign him for an initially reported fee of £75million. That he’d move onto bigger things was unsurprising after notching 31 goals and 13 assists in his final season in the Premier League.

Luis Suarez was one of the key players also among the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga. The Uruguayan forward scored 195 goals and assisted 113 in 283 games, in his second season at Barca, scoring a remarkable 40 La Liga goals, along with 18 assists. Across all competitions that season, Suarez scored 54 goals and assisted 24.

5. Julian Alvarez | Manchester City to Atletico Madrid | €80 million:

One of the most recent players to the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga, Julian Alvarez moved to Manchester City for Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window of the 2024 season. He already has 23 goals and five assists this season, including eight direct goal contributions in the Champions League. So far, the move looks a positive one for Alvarez.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United to Real Madrid | €80 million:

Cristiano Ronaldo was undoubtedly the best move from the Premier League to La Liga in history. He broke new ground with a transfer worth approximately £80million from Manchester United. The previous world-record transfer was Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid, which had stood for eight years.

Ronaldo was one of the most devastating forwards in the world for his entire spell at Real Madrid, scoring 450 goals and assisting 131 in 438 games. Ronaldo is the most successful and among the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga. He won the Ballon d’Or in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 while he was a Real Madrid player.

3. Gareth Bale | Tottenham Hotspurs to Real Madrid | €85 million:

At the time of his transfer to Real Madrid for approximately £85million, Bale’s was a world-record move. Gareth Bale was among the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga.  

Bale would win five Champions Leagues with Real, as well as three La Liga titles, among many other honors. Throughout seven seasons, he scored 106 goals and assisted 67 times.

2. Eden Hazard | Chelsea to Real Madrid | €130 million:

Eden Hazard was one of the failed transfers yet and second-placed in the list of the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga. That he never played 20 La Liga games in a single season, showed how much Hazard struggled, and he retired at just 32 years of age, having played just 10 games in his final season. The Belgian failed to match that single-season total in 76 games across his entire Real Madrid career.

1. Phillipe Coutinho | Liverpool to FC Barcelona | €142 million:

The biggest football transfer from the Premier League to La Liga, Barcelona spent an astonishing £142million to sign the midfielder from Liverpool. At Liverpool, he had become an iconic figure, having a direct hand in 97 goals in 201 games.

 After 13 direct goal contributions in his first 18 La Liga games, Coutinho slowed with only seven contributions in the 32 games he played in the season. The Brazilian left for Aston Villa, after only 39 goal contributions in 106 games at Barcelona.

Let us know your thoughts via our Twitter, moreover, you can follow us on Twitter for all the updates. Join our Telegram and WhatsApp channels to get all the news and scorelines.

The European Golden Shoe is one of the most prestigious individual awards in football, given annually to the leading goal scorer from the top European leagues. Over the past decade, some of football’s biggest superstars have dominated this recognition, showcasing their incredible talent and consistency in front of goal.

In this article from Sportz Point, discover the last 10 European Golden Shoe winners list, featuring stars like Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane, and legendary players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Luis Suarez.

Last 10 European Golden Shoe winners List:

Harry Kane | 2024-25 season | Bayern Munich:

Harry Kane is among the greatest strikers to crave his name in the European Golden Shoe winners list. Despite the Bayern forward's failure to win any silverware, he won one of the most prestigious individual awards the Golden Shoe, this award shows his goal-scoring prowess. The Englishmen won the award for scoring 36 goals in the 2024-25 season.

 Erling Haaland | 2022-23 | Manchester City:

Earling Haaland scored 36 goals in the Premier League 2022-23 season to win the prestigious individual award and cemented his name among the top players to win the European Golden Shoe winners list. In that season Earling Haaland and company won their maiden UEFA Champions League title and completed a treble for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola.

 Robert Lewandowski | 2021-22 and 2020-21 | Bayern Munich:

Robert Lewandowski won the Golden Shoe Award in the 2021-22 season, as he cemented his name as one of the two players to win the European Golden Shoe multiple times in the list. His goals were more than enough to declare him a Ballon d'Or winner, but he was overshadowed by Karim Benzema in that season. 

In the 2020-21 season, Robert Lewandowski won his first Golden Shoe Award. In that season Robert Lewandowski and his company won a treble for Bayern Munich under Julian Nagelsmann, but he failed to win the Ballon d'Or award as Lionel Messi won the Copa America.

Ciro Immobile | 2019-20 | Lazio:

Immobile scored 36 league goals for Lazio in 2019-20 to win the prestigious individual award and cemented his name among the top players to win the European Golden Shoe winners list. Despite scoring 36 league goals for Lazio but did not get the chance to claim a Ballon d’Or rank as the award was cancelled that year due to Covid.

Lionel Messi | 2018-19, 2017-18, and 2016-17 | FC Barcelona:

Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski are the only players to crave their names multiple times in the European Golden Shoe winners list. In the 2018-19 season, Messi became the last player to win the Golden Shoe and Ballon d'Or in one season. Messi was the only player, who was dragging Ernesto Valverde's managed Barcelona side to the treble and scored 36 goals.

In the 2017-18 season, Messi scored 34 league goals and won his second European Golden Shoe, despite delivering a stinker performance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In the 2016-17 season, Messi scored more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the Ballon d'Or that season, but Messi won the European Golden Shoe and became the first player to win the Golden Shoe thrice in the list.

Luis Suarez | 2015-16 | FC Barcelona:

Luis Suarez was a goalscoring machine in 2015-16, as he even managed to outgun the likes of Messi and Ronaldo. The Uruguayan scored 40 goals in La Liga alone, and he became the one and only player to win an individual award in Messi and Ronaldo's era. His goalscoring prowess is the reason, he is on the European Golden Shoe winners list. 

Cristiano Ronaldo | 2014-15 | Real Madrid:

Surprisingly, 2014-15 was the last time that Ronaldo ever won the European Golden Shoe. He enjoyed an excellent individual season, scoring 48 league goals for Real Madrid, but was ultimately overshadowed by Barcelona and Messi who won the treble that year. His excellent goal-scoring skills are the reason he is on the European Golden Shoe winners list. 

Let us know your thoughts via our Twitter, moreover, you can follow us on Twitter for all the updates. Join our Telegram and WhatsApp channels to get all the news and scorelines.

Liverpool FC is reportedly on the verge of arranging Darwin Nunez's departure from Anfield this summer if the Saudi Arabian revives its interest in the striker.

The Uruguayan striker had moved to the Reds from Portuguese giants Benfica in a deal worth up to £85 million back in the summer transfer window of 2022.

With a struggling season continuing for him at the Merseyside club, Nunez is believed to be out of new coach Arne Slot's plans and will look to rejuvenate his career in the Gulf.

Nunez may leave Liverpool in the upcoming transfer window

Nunez's Liverpool career has been affected by difficulties, as he has found it hard to establish himself in the club throughout his early years.

In his three years at the Merseyside club, he has scored 40 goals in 136 games across all competitions, but this season has been the most disappointing so far for the 25-year-old, as he has scored just seven times across all competitions.

With the direction of new head coach Arne Slot, Nunez has found himself out of favor, another contributing factor to speculation about his future. 

🗞️ Liverpool are reportedly expecting major transfer offers from clubs in the Saudi Pro League for Darwin Nunez this summer.

(Source: @caughtoffside) pic.twitter.com/Zo5DqYSj6m

— Anything Liverpool (@AnythingLFC_) March 28, 2025

Renowned Football Transfer journalist Duncan Castles broke the news on the latest episode of 'The Transfers Podcast' that Liverpool would accept a big Saudi Arabian offer and would be willing to urge Nunez to leave if they come back for him. Castles stated:

Liverpool would be happy if the Saudis came in and would encourage a move for Nunez. They would like to get some kind of significant return on the initial €75 million that they paid Benfica three years ago.

“From the Saudi perspective, [Nunez] still has that ability to be a name within the Saudi game and to deliver goals with his physicality. Interestingly, I’m told that his girlfriend, Lorena Manas, who is the ex-wife of former Barcelona player Aleix Vidal, has been working with agents to explore opportunities elsewhere.

“So it looks like this is both sides pushing against the same door with Nunez, or at least Nunez’s partner, encouraging him to look for a move and Liverpool happy to sell the player with a strong, affluent potential buyer in Saudi Arabia.

Interestingly, it had been hinted that Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr had made a substantial annual deal of €35 million towards Nunez back in January, having already made an offer of £58 million for the forward.

According to reports, Nunez's girlfriend, Lorena Manas, has also been working closely with agents to look into possible transfers in mutual consent, implying a joint pressure for a potential move.

Proper fitness and training are a must for every sportsperson today. No matter which field of sports you are associated with, a nutrition-rich diet, exercising, and taking extreme care of physical health are an absolute mandate.

World-renowned athletes also inspire the younger generation to emphasize their physical health and lead a disciplined life. On this note, let's take a look at the top 6 male fittest players in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time and a huge inspiration to billions. Apart from his football skills, the entire world knows Ronaldo for his chisled and well-featured physique.

The Portuguese captain had the physical capabilities of a 20-year-old when he joined Juventus in 2018. 

He had 7% body fat and a muscle mass of 50%. He weighs around 79 kg. The pivotal reason behind these extreme physical abilities is his dedication to fitness and his physical health.

No wonder his performances advanced at this level throughout the past years. 

Ronaldo focuses on his sleep and nutrition as he eats five times a day and sleeps 8 hours as well. The 39-year-old has an extreme fitness routine. He enjoys his cardio, pilates and strength exercises. 

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is undoubtedly the athlete who revolutionized the concept of fitness in India. He is one of the fittest athletes in India at the moment. The former Indian test skipper influenced, and still influences his teammates, the younger generation, and his fans to follow the path of a proper fitness regime.

There has been a massive improvement in his performance since he started eating clean and followed a definite path of athleticism.

Kohli weighs around 74.5-75 kg and has been maintaining that weight for the last few years. He is one of the fastest runners in cricket and focuses on nutrition and strength training to stay fit.

Mohamed Salah

The current Liverpool winger did not look like this when he left England in 2015 to join Italian Club Fiorentina and then Roma. However, since then, Egyptian footballers have become some of the fittest players in the world. 

He has a very low body fat percentage and maintains a disciplined life, making a lot of sacrifices to remain in shape. 

Salah generally has mixed variants of food to have all kinds of nutrition and then focuses on his training to stay fit. He normally trains twice a day if he is skipping his football practice. "My nutritionist says that because I don't have any fat on my body, I can eat what I want. I also don't drink, so it's fine," Salah told CNN in 2020. Discover the world of football with https://1xbitpakistan.com/

LeBron James

The 6 feet 8 inches tall LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history. The 113-kilo weight basketballer is undoubtedly the oldest NBA player currently.

James, throughout his career, has remained fit and lean. However, in 2014, he gained some weight but then lost many kilos with his diet and training. "I am very consistent with training my body, rehabbing my body, eating, having my body be very clean throughout this journey because I've always wanted to have a long career, or as long as I could be in this space," James told Tim Ferriss in an interview in 2018. 

Moreover, he sleeps more than 8 hours a day and sometimes 9 or 10 to recover well.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most influential figures in modern football. The 42-year-old, even after calling it a day, follows a strict regime to remain in his fittest form. According to GQItalia, his food items are carefully weighed on a scale.

No matter how small a quantity the food is, everything needs to be measured to the exact gram. Also, junk food is a strict no for him. His workout routine, along with a strict diet, are the reasons behind his fitness and strength

Rich Froning

This list would remain incomplete without Rich Froning, the greatest CrossFit athlete of all time. He is the first and only athlete to clinch the title of "Fittest Man on Earth" 4 times consecutively from 2011. He is immensely powerful and can deadlift 545 pounds. Also, he can snatch 300 pounds, and do 75 chin-ups after deadlifting 545 pounds. His interest in strength and CrossFit games began during his fire department training days.