AFP looks at five classic encounters between the Manchester rivals.

Overall record:

Manchester United wins: 67

Manchester City wins: 44

Matches drawn: 50

27/04/74: MANCHESTER UNITED 0 MANCHESTER CITY 1

Contrary to popular myth, Denis Law's backheeled goal for City against his former club did not relegate United, who would have gone down regardless of the outcome of this match.

Even so, Law's cheeky goal has become part of Manchester soccer folklore, almost as much for the Scottish striker's muted response to scoring the winner.

"I have seldom felt so depressed in my life as I did that weekend. After 19 years of giving everything I had to score goals, I had finally scored one which I almost wished I hadn't," Law later said.

23/09/89: MANCHESTER CITY 5 MANCHESTER UNITED 1

A crushing defeat at Maine Road that couldn't have come at a worse time for Ferguson, still struggling to mould United into a force after arriving at Old Trafford from Aberdeen less than three years earlier.

City took a stranglehold on the game in the opening 45 minutes, racing into a 3-0 lead with goals from David Oldfield, Trevor Morley and Ian Bishop as United were made to pay for some shambolic defending.

Mark Hughes pulled one back for United with a spectacular volley but further goals from Oldfield and Andy Hinchcliffe gave City a famous victory.

21/09/09: MANCHESTER UNITED 4 MANCHESTER CITY 3

An extraordinary game that marked Carlos Tevez's first match against United since his much-trumpeted defection to City in the close season.

Wayne Rooney shot United into the lead before Gareth Barry drew City level. Darren Fletcher put United ahead only for Craig Bellamy to restore parity with a thunderous 25-yard effort.

A further Fletcher goal in the 80th minute looked to have sealed the win for United only for Bellamy to snatch a dramatic equalizer on the stroke of full-time.

Six minutes into injury time, Michael Owen popped up to poach the winner for United as City's then manager Mark Hughes raged at officials who had earlier signalled for only four minutes of time added on.

16/04/11: MANCHESTER CITY 1 MANCHESTER UNITED 0

With United still alive in three competitions, the two Manchester rivals met once more in a Wembley FA Cup semifinal.

Yet United's hopes of a second treble were shattered by Yaya Toure's 52nd-minute winner as Roberto Mancini's side advanced to a final against Stoke which it went on to win the following month, ending City's 35-year wait for a trophy.

23/10/11: MANCHESTER UNITED 1 MANCHESTER CITY 6

Sir Alex Ferguson described it as his "worst ever day" in soccer, and few would be willing to quibble with that assessment after a remarkable mauling at Old Trafford that shocked English soccer.

Both sides headed into the game in form and unbeaten, but City took a 1-0 lead at half-time through a goal from Mario Balotelli.

The dismissal of Jonny Evans left United down to 10-men and City took full advantage to go 3-0 up with further strikes from Balotelli and Sergio Aguero.

(China Daily 04/29/2012 page12)