In the first Barclays Women’s Super League derby to be played at Old Trafford, over 43,000 spectators watched City earn a deserved 3-1 win over our rivals.
It propelled us back up to third in the WSL table, dealing United their first league defeat of the season in the process.
To celebrate, we’ve taken a look back at some of the thrilling victories that preceded our latest success in the Manchester derby.
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City 1-0 United, 7 September 2019
The one that started it all.
City came out on top in the first WSL Manchester derby thanks to a moment of brilliance from Caroline Weir in front of over 31,000 fans.
United, newly promoted to the top flight, caused Nick Cushing’s side plenty of problems at the Etihad Stadium, with Ellie Roebuck making a fine reaction save to deny former City striker Jane Ross and Jackie Groenen hitting the woodwork in either half.
But the breakthrough came early in second half when Weir intercepted a loose clearance from the visitors, took a touch onto her favoured left foot and rifled an unstoppable drive into the top corner from 25 yards.
Unsurprisingly, Weir features a few more times in this list…
City 3-0 United, 12 February 2021
Gareth Taylor’s side earned a far more dominant victory in our next home Manchester derby at the Academy Stadium.
Lucy Bronze’s volley through a crowd of bodies had City in the lead at the break, but we’d have to wait a while for the score to take on a more emphatic look.
Number two arrived with 20 to play when Lauren Hemp fired home on the rebound from Chloe Kelly’s vicious drive, despite the best efforts of Amy Turner on the goal line.
But the crowning moment, once again, came from the left boot of Weir who, with five minutes left on the clock, turned away from Ella Toone and sent an audacious chip over Mary Earps to complete the scoring in style.
City 1-0 United, 13 February 2022
If our home victory over United in 2021 was revered for its emphatic nature, the win we sealed exactly one year and one day later was celebrated due to its significance.
City had recovered well from a tough start to the season, compounded by an unprecedented injury crisis, but found ourselves five points behind United ahead of kick-off.
The Reds occupied the final Champions League spot with the final furlongs of the campaign coming into view.
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A win was vital but, despite having had the better of the game in front of a record Joie Stadium crowd of 5,317, the contest was edging towards a goalless draw.
In need of inspiration, Taylor once again turned to Weir and, after being introduced from the bench, the Scot repeated the trick from the year before and sealed a vital three points for City with another incredible strike.
This one was slightly further out, but it had the same devastating effect, with the midfielder’s dink catching out Earps and earning a win which would go a long way towards sealing European qualification.
United 1-4 City, 27 February 2022
Two weeks later and City were back at it again, claiming a dominant FA Cup fifth round win at our rivals.
United captain Katie Zelem had handed the hosts an early lead, but four goals after the break turned the game on its head at the Leigh Sports Village.
In the space of 15 second half minutes, City had stormed ahead thanks to goals from Hemp, Ellen White and Weir.
And Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw would add number four when she tapped home a matter of seconds after being introduced from the bench, reacting quickest to Earps’ save from Julie Blakstad’s vicious drive.
United 1-3 City, 19 November 2023
The latest, and what could well go on to be one of the most memorable, of our derby wins to date.
After a strong start to the campaign, City travelled to Old Trafford looking to end a two-match losing streak which had seen us drop to sixth in the WSL.
But we knew a win over our rivals would propel us back into the top three, at United’s expense.
Gareth Taylor’s side were in control in the early stages, with the hosts thankful to Earps for two fine saves to deny Shaw and Chloe Kelly.
And United would then go on to take the lead from the spot soon after courtesy of Zelem, after Alex Greenwood had handled in the area.
But City didn’t let our heads drop and turned things around with two goals in the space of 60 seconds from Jill Roord and Hemp; the first a composed finish after great work from Kelly down the left, the second a spectacular curling finish after the visitors had won possession high up the pitch.
Our intense press from the front was causing United all kinds of problems, and a third would arrive in bizarre circumstances soon after the restart.
Chasing down a loose pass back to Earps from Maya Le Tissier, Shaw’s persistence paid off when she got a boot to the United goalkeeper’s clearance, wheeling away in celebration as the ball trickled into the back of the net from the edge of the area.
Even a second yellow card for Laia Aleixandri with around 20 to play couldn’t dampen the party atmosphere in the away end at Old Trafford, as City saw out a professional and deserved victory in the latest derby.
