United lead the league nine games into the season with City two points behind in fifth. Paddy Fagan, Johnny Hart (front row second right) and Billy McAdams (back row second left) score for the home side, and Jackie Blanchflower and Tommy Taylor for the visitors in a cracker. City then complete a league double by defeating United 5-0 at Old Trafford. Both fade in a title campaign won for the first time by Chelsea, though Matt Busby is building a side that will win consecutive championships before the Munich disaster Photograph: Carl Sutton/Picture Post/Getty Images
Arguably the most important Manchester derby of all time – until now. City won at Old Trafford and went on to pip United to the title on the final day Photograph: PA Archive
United take a 3-0 lead in Matt Busby's last match as the club's manager (having resumed the role on a caretaker basis following the sacking of Wilf McGuinness), fittingly enough through goals by Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and George Best. After Best makes it 4-1 in the second half Franny Lee and Ian Mellor get it back to 4-3 five minutes from time but United hold on. It is a classic, but an end-of-season mid-table game Photograph: Bob Thomas/Getty Images
The "relegation myth" match when Denis Law's backheeled last goal in league football after returning to City for a year following 11 seasons at Old Trafford is supposed to have sent United down. Law refuses to celebrate and, despite other results exonerating the striker of responsibility for his former club's relegation, he said in 2010 that he still felt "inconsolable" Photograph: PA Archive
Goals from David Oldfield, Trevor Morley and Ian Bishop put Mel Machin's City 3-0 up and, though Mark Hughes gets one back, Oldfield scores again and Andy Hinchcliffe makes it five as the inflatable bananas on the Kippax bounce around in joy. "After the game I went straight home, got into bed and put the pillow over my head," Alex Ferguson would say. "A sense of guilt had engulfed me". It appears that the red mist engulfed Danny Wallace during the game Photograph: Bob Thomas/Getty Images
Three times United take the lead and three times City equalise. Then comes a peach of a pass from Ryan Giggs, and Michael Owen's most memorable contribution in a United shirt, a cute finish deep into added time Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney settles a dramatic League Cup semi-final in injury time Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Archive
Sergio Aguero of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's third goal in the 6-1 win over United Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
