Ruben Amorim will get his first taste of the Manchester Derby when his United side face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. The Portuguese manager, who has already bested City and Pep Guardiola this season during his time at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League, will look to win over the fans with an important game in his side’s pursuit of the top four.
Amorim is well accustomed to big derbies, having overseen victories in the De Lisboa between Sporting and Benfica, but with this season’s Premier League heating up, the Man City vs Man United odds are going to be tough to call.
Guardiola’s side have dominated English football as of late, with the hosts becoming the dominant force in Manchester, but United will want that to change in the Amorim era.
Historically, the rivalry had always been friendly, with players often transferring between both Manchester clubs, but with City enjoying a period of dominance, the Derby has intensified throughout the last decade.
Ahead of their clash at the Etihad, we look at the most memorable players in the Premier League era that have turned out for both City and United.
Carlos Tevez
Carlos Tevez made headlines in 2009 when he controversially moved from Manchester United to Manchester City, becoming one of the first high-profile players to switch between the clubs in the modern era.
The Argentinian enjoyed a successful stint at United, where he won two Premier League titles, a League Cup, and the UEFA Champions League, having been involved in a controversial loan to United given the mix-up that brought him to England alongside Javier Mascherano at West Ham United.
At City, Tevez became a talisman and helped them win the FA Cup in 2011 and their first Premier League title in 2012, falling out with Roberto Mancini before returning to the side to score crucial goals in the title race – accompanied by the famous ‘Welcome to Manchester’ banner.
Peter Schmeichel
Legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel spent eight successful years with United, where he won five Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and the Champions League, becoming an icon at Old Trafford.
In a surprising move, Schmeichel joined City in 2002, towards the end of his career, after stints at Sporting and Aston Villa. Though he played just one season at City, he became one of the few players to represent both Manchester clubs, adding an unexpected twist to his storied career.
Andy Cole
A prolific striker for United, Andy Cole played a key role in their dominance in the late 1990s and early 2000s, winning five Premier League titles and famously contributing to the historic treble-winning season in 1999, when they upset football betting to beat Bayern Munich in injury time.
After leaving United, Cole went on to play for several other clubs, eventually joining City in 2005. Although his time at City was short, his history with United added to the intrigue whenever he faced his former club.
Owen Hargreaves
Owen Hargreaves had an interesting career at Manchester United, helping them secure the Premier League and Champions League titles in 2008. However, most of his time at Old Trafford was riddled with injuries – the former Bayern man played just four more times in the next three years.
Hargreaves made a shock move to City in 2011, hoping to revive his career. However, injuries continued to plague him, and he only made two league appearances before retiring, making his time at City a footnote in his career compared to his contributions at United.
The likes of Mark Robins and Jadon Sancho had stints in the youth academies of both City and United but left before impacting the first team. These brief connections contribute to the complex history and layered rivalries between United and City, adding further intrigue to the upcoming Manchester Derby.