The Manchester derby returns this weekend for its 199th edition, with the fierce local rivalry between City and United showing no signs of losing its intensity.
Enzo Maresca will lead his Manchester City side into the fixture for the first time in his managerial career, while Michael Carrick is preparing for his second taste of the contest.
Carrick enters the game with confidence, having beaten City in last season’s meeting and looking to repeat that achievement on home turf.
All eyes will fall on Erling Haaland, who sits eighth on the all-time list of Manchester derby scorers and is edging ever closer to the record.
The Norwegian has scored eight goals across just 10 appearances in this fixture, making him one of the most dangerous players in derby history by games-per-goal ratio.
Wayne Rooney holds the all-time record with 11 goals scored across 31 Manchester derby appearances during his time at United, including one of the most iconic moments in fixture history.
Rooney’s famous bicycle kick in 2011 is widely regarded as the greatest goal ever scored in this fixture, cementing his place at the top of the historical rankings.
Second on the list is Joe Hayes with 10 goals in 17 games, with his standout performance coming in 1955 when he scored twice as City won 5-0 at Old Trafford.
Francis Lee also sits on 10 goals, having scored in five consecutive Manchester derbies after a slow start to his rivalry record, including a hat-trick in a 4-1 win in 1970.
Sergio Aguero contributed nine goals to City’s derby history in 16 appearances, memorably scoring during the infamous 6-1 win at Old Trafford in 2011 that launched his streak in the fixture.
Bobby Charlton scored nine derby goals across 27 appearances, with his record against City producing a remarkably balanced nine wins, nine draws, and nine defeats.
Eric Cantona, despite only playing six Manchester derbies, managed eight goals, failing to score only in his very first appearance before consistently finding the net in every subsequent clash.
Brian Kidd is the only player in the top 10 to have scored for both clubs, netting five for United and a further three after crossing the divide to City.
Should Haaland score a hat-trick in the upcoming fixture, he would draw level with Rooney at the top of the all-time scoring chart, a remarkable achievement in just a fraction of the games.
All eight of Haaland’s derby goals have come in the Premier League, though he has not managed to score at Old Trafford since 2023, giving United fans some encouragement ahead of the clash.