The Manchester derby in five matches

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MANCHESTER: Manchester United welcome Manchester City to Old Trafford on Saturday in a derby match that sees opposing managers Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola renew their sulphurous rivalry.

AFP Sport highlights five matches that explain the story of the 135-year-old relationship between the cross-town rivals.

With 10 games of the season remaining, United were second in the table and City third, while both teams had games in hand on leaders Leeds United. George Best found the net for United, but City claimed victory courtesy of goals from Colin Bell, George Heslop and Francis Lee.

Both teams were in contention on the final day. City took the title thanks to a 4-3 win at Newcastle United, condemning United to a runners-up spot.

But United’s season ended in glory as a 4-1 win over Benfica saw Matt Busby’s men become England’s first European Cup winners, 10 years on from the Munich air disaster in which eight of the team died.

Scottish striker Denis Law left United in 1973 having scored 237 goals, which makes him the club’s third-highest all-time scorer.

But few goals were as resonant as the one he scored against United for City in 1974. United were desperate for victory in their battle to avoid relegation, but with nine minutes remaining and the score 0-0, Law’s instinctive back-heel gave City victory.

Results elsewhere meant United would have gone down regardless of the result at Old Trafford. But Law was distraught. He was immediately substituted and did not kick a ball again in league football.

Alex Ferguson was entering his third full season as United manager and having seen his side finish the previous campaign in 11th place, he looked no closer to ending their 22-year wait for the title.

The 1989-90 season’s first derby at Maine Road was to prove a personal horror show for the Scot as David Oldfield inspired promoted City to their biggest derby win since 1955. But United ended the season as FA Cup winners, buying Ferguson valuable time, and it would be 13 years before they next tasted defeat in the derby.