Top 5 goalscorers in the Manchester Derby

While the beautiful game is known for uniting the world over their love of the game, loyalty to one’s favorite football team can put even the closest of friends at daggers drawn. Because of the passion and competition involved in the game, football rivalries are as old as the beautiful game itself. And one of the biggest rivalries in football is the Manchester Derby.

Contested between two clubs set in Manchester, the Manchester Derby pits Manchester United against Manchester City and was first played in 1881. Old Trafford and the Etihad are situated approximately 4 miles apart, yet such is the rivalry between the two sets of fans that the distance between the blue half and the red half of Manchester just cannot be circumvented.

Despite the recent shift of power, the Manchester Derby is as hotly contested as ever and scoring a goal in this tie can propel even newcomers to overnight stardom. Ahead of thBut who are the top 5 goalscorers in the Manchester Derby? Read on to find out.

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#3 Bobby Charlton (Manchester United) and Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Sergio Aguero

It is not a wonder that the second-highest goalscorer in Manchester United’s history has made it into this top 3 list. Sir Bobby Charlton was central to United’s turnaround in the face of extreme adversities after the ill-fated Munich disaster.

The Englishman went on to be the face of the United revolution under Sir Matt Busby and went on to score 249 goals from 758 appearances for the Red Devils. Incidentally, Charlton scored 9 goals in the Manchester Derby, which makes him the joint third-highest goalscorer in the fiercely contested tie. Joining him in the third position is current Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero.

The Argentine has already written his name in City folklore and is one of the greatest foreigners to have played in the Premier League. Aguero has 254 goals from 367 appearances for the reigning Premier League champions and has scored 9 goals in the Manchester Derby.

He is the only player on this list who still plays for either club. The Argentinean last scored against United in November of 2018, at the Etihad in the Premier League, as City won the game 3-1 in the final weeks of Mourinho’s reign at Old Trafford.

#2 Joe Hayes and Francis Lee (Manchester City)

Francis Lee

Joe Hayes is best known as the player who won City the 1956 FA Cup by scoring the opening goal in the final. The Englishman was a fantastic goalscorer who made his debut for the Cityzens as a teenager in the 1953/54 season and even reached the final of the 1955 FA Cup, only to end up in the losing side.

However, Hayes made sure that he left nothing to chance 12 months later, scoring the first goal in a 3-1 win the 1956 FA Cup final. The Englishman developed into a proven goalscorer who set the charts on fire through the late 1950s and the start of the 1960s. During this time, he managed 10 goals in the Manchester Derby, the joint second highest alongside another City striker Francis Lee.

Lee joined City after the departure of Hayes and proved to be an able replacement. He managed 112 goals from 249 appearances in total for Manchester City. The Englishman helped his team win the 1967/68 League Championship as well as the 1969 FA Cup.

Lee went on to lead the line at City for the next 5 seasons, finishing as the club’s top scorer each year, and also scored 10 goals in the Manchester Derby. Until 2013, Lee and Hayes held the record for the most goals scored in the Manchester Derby, which was ultimately broken by another world-class English striker on 22nd September 2013.

#1 Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

Wayne Rooney

When Wayne Rooney scored a consolation goal in the 4-1 defeat to City at the Etihad in the Premier League on 22nd September 2013, he etched his name into the record books. The Englishman became the highest scorer in the Manchester Derby history and his record of 11 goals in the tie has not been matched by anyone so far.

Rooney has scored some memorable goals for the Red Devils during his stay at Old Trafford, but few have surpassed the outrageous bicycle kick he scored in the Manchester Derby at home in the 2011/12 Premier League season.

The Red Devils had taken the lead through Nani in the 41st minute before David Silva equalized for the Blues in the 65th minute. While it looked like the spoils would be shared between the two rivals, Rooney stepped up and provided the football world with a moment they would remember for the rest of their lives.

The sheer brilliance of the execution of the shot left the entire City backline as well as goalkeeper Joe Hart baffled. The stadium erupted and the supporters danced in frenzied celebrations. It was, without doubt, one of the best goals in the history of the Manchester Derby.

Rooney’s goal would go on to be adjudged the goal of the season as well as the best goal in the Premier League 20 seasons awards.