His 26-year reign saw the Reds enjoy a two-decade-long wave of domination across English football – and local rivals Manchester City felt the brunt of that as much as anyone. As United swept to the title after title, the Blues oscillated between the divisions. And when they did meet the Reds, they were usually dispatched with ruthless efficiency.
There was the odd high moment for City – a 5-1 thrashing at Maine Road in 1989, and victory in the last-ever derby at Maine Road in 2002 – but it wasn't until 2008, the year of the Abu Dhabi-led takeover, that the Blues truly began to challenge.