Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City. It's one of the most notable, and arguably important, results in Premier League history. These two were the title challengers back in 2011/12 after all, and yet one of them thrashed the other on their own patch.
And in hindsight, this was City announcing that they were firmly at the top table. They'd go on to win the Premier League title on the final day in the most dramatic fashion, of course, and the three points here proved decisive.
United would win what is, to date, their most recent Premier League title the following season. But this result signified a shift in the power not just within Manchester, but all of English football. City were ready to take over – and haven't they just?
Unsurprisingly, given this game was well over a decade ago, none of the players in City's squad that day remain with the club. In fact, most have retired from the game.
So how did their careers pan out after this fixture? Football FanCast takes a look at what happened to the members of that famous City XI.
Joe Hart
Rewind back to 2011 and Joe Hart was considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Not only that, but many assumed he'd kick on and become the outright best – he was only 24, after all.
Hart was in the PFA Team of the Year for 2010 and would make it again at the end of 2011/12. He'd win three consecutive Golden Gloves in this span, too, but things quickly went downhill.
Pep Guardiola's arrival in 2016 saw Hart immediately moved on. He found himself loaned out to Torino and later, West Ham United – neither spell worked out. A stint with Burnley saw him fail to depose Nick Pope, while he couldn't break in at Tottenham Hotspur, either.
Hart is now at Celtic, where he's won back-to-back Premiership titles, but it's been far from the career many expected back in 2011.
Micah Richards
Micah Richards was, like Hart, considered one of the brightest prospects in English football. He was only 23 in this game – and was expected to become a star. The defender showed that wonderfully in this one by setting up two of City's six goals.
Injuries, however, were a massive concern. They'd hampered Richards in the previous campaign, limiting him to just 18 Premier League appearances. As it turned out, the 2011/12 season would be the last with the defender as a top player.
He'd play only 19 more games for City after this, before going to Fiorentina on loan in 2015. A move to Aston Villa later that year saw the last 'regular' spell of football Richards enjoyed – and that was still only 24 games. Villa were relegated that season, too, and he'd play just three more career games before retiring in 2018.
Vincent Kompany
City named Vincent Kompany club captain at the start of this season – and didn't that go well? He'd lead them to the title (eventually) while also lifting the trophy in 2014, 2018 and 2019 before leaving the club.
Kompany was considered by some to be the best defender in England back in 2011 and he held onto that position for many years. He was Premier League Player of the Season in 2012 and included in the PFA Team of the Year for 2011, 2012 and 2014.
He left City in 2019 to be player-manager at Anderlecht, achieving mixed results. A move to Burnley, where Kompany remains as manager, has proven very successful, though – they won the Championship in 2022/23.
Joleon Lescott
Joleon Lescott is the first name here that showed off the new-found spending power City had back in 2011. He'd joined in 2009 from Everton as one of the most highly-rated defenders in the Premier League. City flexed their financial muscle to sign him – and is far from the last in this XI that you can say that about.
This was Lescott's best season for City and the one in which he played the most games (42 in all competitions). But they actually started replacing him in the summer of 2012 and his playing time diminished quite drastically over the forthcoming seasons.
After just 10 Premier League appearances in 2013/14, Lescott left for West Bromwich Albion, impressing enough in a single season there to join Aston Villa a year later. That move, however, was a disaster – Villa were relegated in what proved to be the final full season of Lescott's career.
Gael Clichy
Gael Clichy was a serious signing for City ahead of this season. They'd essentially gone out and grabbed Arsenal's first-choice left-back for themselves and he slotted right into their XI.
The Frenchman would stay with City for six seasons, winning two Premier League titles as a reasonably regular inclusion in the starting XI. Clichy never actually managed 30 league appearances in a single campaign for the club, though.
After a very successful time with City, he left for Istanbul Basaksehir in 2017, winning the Turkish Super Lig in 2020. Clichy then left for Swiss side Servette later that year before retiring in 2021.
Yaya Touré
City signed a very promising player in Yaya Touré but he was far from the star he'd become. Arriving in 2010, the Ivorian had been just below the elite level at Barcelona, albeit with a Champions League title already under his belt. At City, however, he'd kick on to become one of the best midfielders in the world.
Now, Touré wasn't quite that in 2011/12 (he'd score six goals this season but 20 two years later), though he was still a midfield powerhouse that the Premier League hadn't seen for quite some time.
Touré would go on to play out the rest of his peak years with City, becoming one of the most important and best players in their history. His post-Manchester career was odd, though. After not quite clicking with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, Touré left for Olympiacos in 2018 – but had his contract terminated after just three months.
Half a year in the Chinese Super League followed before retirement in 2020.
Gareth Barry
Gareth Barry was a star with Aston Villa but made the move to City in 2009 as he sought to compete for trophies. That decision was proven right in 2012, of course, as he won the Premier League.
Barry would only spend four seasons with City before moving to Everton. Another four seasons of regular seasons followed before the midfielder capped his career with a couple of years at West Brom.
All that football certainly added up. Barry retired as the player with the most Premier League appearances in history (635) and only had one season where he played in fewer than 30 top-flight matches between 1998/99 and 2016/17.
James Milner
James Milner was in a similar spot to Barry when he arrived at City. He'd been a regular at Villa alongside the midfielder, in fact, and had a reputation as one of the best midfielders outside of the Champions League clubs.
City snapped him up and he'd play five seasons of consistent football with the club, winning two Premier League titles as the ultimate utility man. However, Milner would leave the club in 2015 to join Liverpool on a free transfer.
That would eventually see Milner compete directly against City for trophies as the two sides dominated English football. His eight years at Liverpool saw multiple title challenges – including a triumph for the Reds in 2020.
Milner is now the only player from this squad who still plays at the top level. He's currently with Brighton & Hove Albion, having moved there from Liverpool in 2023. It makes him the sole active Premier League player with over 500 appearances – a fact that has actually been true for five years now.
David Silva
David Silva was named Man of the Match in this fixture, scoring in the 91st minute to make it 5-1. He'd arrived in 2010 as one of the most sought-after playmakers on the planet – and fully lived up to that billing across ten seasons with Manchester City.
In fact, there's a very good case that Silva is the greatest player in City's history. He was integral across four title wins and made the PFA Team of the Year on three occasions.
He eventually left City at the end of 2020 to play three seasons at Real Sociedad. Unfortunately, his career was ended in July 2023 after an ACL tear forced him into retirement.
Mario Balotelli
No idea where you start with this one. Mario Balotelli is one of the most enigmatic players to ever grace the Premier League. He arrived as one of Europe's top talents but didn't live up to that billing – not that he was at all quiet.
In fact, this is the most famous game of Balotelli's career. He scored twice, and celebrated his first by revealing a T-shirt that read 'Why Always Me?'. Just an all-time Premier League moment.
The Italian would wrap up the season by assisting the goal that won the title – his only assist for the club. Balotelli then followed this campaign by starring at Euro 2012, but was sold by City the following January. His career since then has seen him at eight different clubs with wildly varying success.
We can't possibly explain it all here.
Sergio Agüero
City signed Sergio Agüero ahead of this season, hoping he would be the missing piece that put them on top of the Premier League. He very much was that.
Not only did the Argentine bag in this game, but he'd also score arguably the most famous goal in Premier League history to end the campaign – winning the title with the last kick.
Agüero would remain with the club from 2010 until 2021, winning five titles and going down as one of the best players to play in English football. He is, like Silva, up there as one of the best players in City's history.
He left the club for Barcelona, but a heart condition ended his career prematurely after just five games there.
Edin Džeko (sub)
Okay, so Edin Džeko didn't start in this game, but he came on and scored twice – well worth a mention. He'd joined City in 2010 but had a slow start before kicking into life in 2011/12.
50 Premier League goals followed before a move to Italy and AS Roma. There, Džeko had a 29-goal season that saw him finish as top scorer. His post-City career has been very good, with a trophy-laden two years at Inter coming after his time in the capital.
He's still playing as of October 2023, too, and started life with Fenerbahçe by scoring seven times in his opening nine games.
