In recent years, spoils from the Manchester derby have been evenly spread. In League games only, beginning in 2003 when we moved to our current stadium, we’ve had six wins, six defeats and the single draw.
Thirteen games have given us 19 points, scoring sixteen goals while conceding twelve. The reason I am bringing up this statistic is simple, and it relates to a game taking place on this day in 2002. The final Maine Road derby game happened with our first season back in the Premier League under Kevin Keegan.
In order to get those 19 Manchester derby points, prior to that game, you would have to go all the way back to 1979. So, I think it was fair to say, heading into the final Maine Road derby, expectations were not high with most City fans just hoping for a point.
With ex Newcastle manager, Kevin Keegan in charge, it was never going to be a case of parking the bus. A mentality of if you score three, we’ll score four, was his management style. It ran his Newcastle side close to the title one season, but City didn’t really have those types of player.
Our starting eleven that day consisted of two ex United players. Peter Schmeichel in-goal needs no introduction but many wouldn’t know that Shaun Goater was also on their books at one time. Released at an early stage, he found his way to the better side, and remains a legend.
Richard Dunne, Lucien Mettomo, Sun Jihai, Gerard Wiekens, Nicolas Jensen, Danny Tiatto, Eyal Berkovic, Marc-Vivien Foe and Nicolas Anelka made up the eleven for City.
It all started well for the home side. Four minutes in and Anelka robbed Ferdinand of the ball. Driving forward he put a through ball to Goater whose shot had little power. He bobbled the shot, and Fabian Barthez got a hand to it. unfortunately for the French keeper it landed straight at his fellow countryman’s feet, and Anelka didn’t miss.
The lead didn’t hold for too long though, as United sought an instant response. Van Nistlerooy seemed to be fouled just outside the area but the ball broke kindly to Ryan Giggs.
His first time ball into the area seemed to catch Mettomo sleeping. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stole in to finish neatly to level up the scores after only eight minutes.
After 25 minutes, and some interplay n the midfield, Eyal Berkovic launched a ball, diagonally forward. Seemingly a wasted pass, all Gary Neville had to do was either shepherd it out for a goal kick, pass back to his keeper or kick it out for a throw.
He did neither, caught in two minds, he was robbed by Shaun Goater. Driving to the goal, the Bermudian finished neatly to restore the Manchester City lead
Gary Neville was left with egg on his face after failing to deal with a nothing ball. The England International has never received such love from the Maine Road faithful as he did that day, in that moment (picture at the end of this piece).
For Manchester City to head in at the half with a lead against United was something not even the most die-hard City fan could have expected. As I said earlier in the article, before this game we hadn’t had much success against United. In fact we were without a win against our rivals in the Premier League era at that point.
The second half started with no changes for either side. Solskjaer had received a yellow late on in the first half, but continued in the second. Again, United had some good chances. Peter Schmeichel making some good saves to keep us in the game.
Not that City were without their own dangers though. Nicolas Anelka was through on goal, but couldn’t chip the ball high enough over Barthez. The tie was finely balanced.
In the 50th minute City won the ball again just inside the United half. Foe was involved and eventually the ball came to Eyal Berkovic. His delicate tap forward found Shaun Goater, who still had a lot to do.
A French trio attempted to stop him. Sandwiched between Laurent Blanc, Mikel Silvestre and with Barthez rushing out, the guy dropped from United finished calmly. A delicate chip over the goalkeeper put City 3-1 up and daring to dream.
A double substitution by the United boss just after the hour mark saw the withdrawal of Juan Sebastian Veron and Phil Neville for John O’Shea and Diego Forlan.
A little under fifteen minutes later and Kevin Keegan took off Berkovic for a young Shaun Wright-Phillips. Kevin Horlock replaced Danny Tiatto two minutes from time as the game wrapped up. An inexplicable miss from John O’Shea summed up the United experience in added on time. With the goal open, and seemingly at his mercy, he clown booted it!
Interesting stats from the game involved the two ex United players. Peter Schmeichel still hadn’t been on the losing side in a Manchester derby and Shaun Goater, with his second goal, had now scored 100 goals for Manchester City. I am sure that Ferguson wasn’t happy with the referee, Paul Durkin. Not only did he officiate this match, but also the League Cup Final United lost later that season. He retired in 2004.
As promised, here is that picture.
