The Manchester derby in statistics: the cold hard facts of Manchester City v Manchester United

Much has been written about encounters between these two city rivals and if I did the same I would be in danger of rehashing the same old waffle. Instead, here’s a preview of Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final encounter in cold hard facts.

City have won none of their last ten matches away from Eastlands, so they’ll be grateful that the tie is on home soil.

United have only failed to score in five of their 49 matches this season. Back of the net.

According to Soccerbase.com, there have been 157 meetings between the two sides.

Of those games United have won 65, City have been victorious on 42 occasions and the remaining 50 games have been drawn.

The two sides have only met six times in the FA Cup throughout history, with United winning four times to City’s two.

Wayne Rooney has the best minutes per assist rate in this season’s Premier League - 161 – according to Twitter’s Opta Joe.

The Manchester rivals last met in the FA Cup seven years ago in the fifth round. United won the match 4-2 thanks to a brace from Ruud van Nistelrooy, which added to Paul Scholes’ opener and one from Cristiano Ronaldo. United had to make to do with ten men for over half the game though, after Gary Neville was sent-off for a second bookable offence.

Alex Ferguson’s first encounter with his local rivals came in a 1-0 FA Cup third round victory in January 1987, with Norman Whiteside (right) bagging the only goal of the game in the second-half. However, United were dumped out in the next round, while City were relegated to the old Division Two.

Brian Kidd is now assistant manager at City, but in January 1970 he helped United beat their rivals in the cup with a brace. Willie Morgan completed the scoring for the Red Devils in a 3-0 victory.

City have to scour the history books for their last victory over United in the cup and it came in January 1955. Joe Hayes and future Leeds and England manager Don Revie scored to ensure a 2-0 victory. City lost to Newcastle in the final that year, bit made amends 12 months later, beating Birmingham city 3-1.

The 1926 semi-final (below), played at Bramall Lane, was a repeat of Saturday’s encounter. City emerged victorious in a 3-0 victory. Two from Tommy Browell inside the first half hour booked City’s place in the final.

The 1926 competition also bore another similarity to this seasons semi-final, as Bolton (who play Stoke in 2011’s other semi) beat City in the final. City enjoyed fleeting success that season, beating United 6-1 in the league, but they were also relegated to Division Two.

United have won the FA Cup 11 times and last lifted the trophy in 2004, whilst City have only done so on four occasions; the last time being all the way back in 1969.

City were however the first of the Manchester teams to win the trophy (below), doing so in 1904.

Ryan Giggs has made the most appearances in the Manchester derby, strutting his stuff on 34 occasions between the two teams.

City’s biggest victory over their rivals came on 23 January 1926, when they stuffed United 6-1.

United don’t have to have to go as far back for their greatest victory, as they beat city 5-0 on 10 November 1994 in the Premier League.

The first ever meeting between the two teams took place on 12 November 1881, when West Gorton (later to become Manchester City) hosted Newton Heath (Manchester United). The game finished 3–0 in favour United according to Gary James’ book, Manchester: The Greatest City (Polar Publishing, 2002).

Meetings between the two had up to this point been in cup competitions and friendly matches, but admission to the Football League was eventually granted in 1892. Newton Heath joined the First Division, and Ardwick (they changed their name to City at the start of the 1894-95 season) the new Second Division

The first Football League meeting between the teams came in the 1894–95 season, Newton Heath beating Manchester City 5–2 at Hyde Road.

The first meeting between the clubs to take place in the top flight was in December 1906, which City won 3-0.

City’s Joe Hayes and Francis Lee are the leading scorers in derby matches with 10 each. United’s top marksman is Bobby Charlton with nine.

A host of players have played in both the red and blue of Manchester, most notably Dennis Law, Peter Schmeichel, Andy Cole and recently Carlos Tevez. Only one manager has done the same though and he was Ernest Mangnall, who was in charge of United 1903-12 and City 1912-24.

Saturday’s match will undoubtedly be a hard fought and fiery affair, but any players thinking of ducking out of a tackle and feigning injury should look ashamedly at Bert Trautmann (right). In the 1956 final the former Luftwaffe pilot dislocated five vertebrae in his neck, but continued to play for the final 15 minutes to help his side to a 3-1 victory over Birmingham City. He even attended the post match banquet, despite not being able to move his head. Tough as old boots.