🎥 The best ever Manchester derbies ... #2: The Demolition Derby | OneFootball

On 23 October 2011, Manchester City racked up what was and still is the biggest victory in Manchester derby history.

It’s a game that will live long in the memory of both sets of supporters.

For the first time since their 2008 takeover, City went into the 2011/12 season looking like they were finally fully equipped to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title and their trip to Old Trafford would be the first big test of those credentials.

The game began with both sides trading inconsequential blows until, with 22 minutes on the clock, City took the lead.

The night before, Mario Balotelli had famously received a home visit from the local fire brigade regarding a small blaze caused by him setting off fireworks in his bathroom. Like you do.

Ever since he burst onto the scene at Inter, the Italian striker had been the subject of unfair and often racially motivated harassment from the media and opposition supporters and when he slotted home the opening goal on that October 2011 afternoon, he lifted his shirt to reveal another one underneath which bore the words “Why always me?”

It instantly became an iconic footballing moment and sparked a period of what we’ll call ‘Mario Mania’, during which Balotelli essentially became a living urban legend and the negative stories which had plagued his career up to the point gave way to fanciful tales of him giving money to the homeless while dressed as Santa Claus, or buying a whole pub a round of drinks on Christmas day.

City went in 1-0 up at half-time but the game was still delicately poised until, shortly after the restart, United defender Jonny Evans was sent off for denying Balotelli a clear goalscoring opportunity and from that point onwards, all hell broke loose.

Balotelli made it 2-0 in the 60th minute, before Sergio Agüero made it three nine minutes later. Darren Fletcher then curled home a beauty which threatened a United revival but the home side’s hope didn’t last very long.

As was his predilection, Sir Alex Ferguson implored his side to keep pushing for more goals but it only left them wide open at the back and in stoppage time, Edin Džeko and David Silva added a fourth and fifth for City, prompting a mass exodus of Old Trafford’s home supporters.

But the best was saved ’til last. With one of the last kicks of the game, the immaculate Silva made what is probably one of the finest passes Premier League football has ever seen – a through ball on the volley – to play in Džeko, who slipped it under David de Gea to make it an astonishing six.

City went on to win their first ever Premier League title on goal difference that season, and Manchester football would never be quite the same again.

The Noisy Neighbours had broken into next door’s house, ate all the biscuits and left a permanent stain on the rug.