How Ex-managers Fare Against United

David Moyes will become only the fifth former Manchester United boss in the post-War era to face the Reds when Sunderland provide the opposition on Boxing Day.

To mark the occasion, we have researched the records of the previous four men who've managed United and later been in the opposing dugout, as Moyes prepares for his first match at Old Trafford since leaving the club in April 2014.

WILF McGUINNESS
The former United player and coach who had the uneviable task of succeeding Sir Matt Busby as manager brought his York City side to Old Trafford for a league game in March 1975, five years after his 18-month reign as Reds boss ended abruptly. McGuinness and the Minstermen suffered a slender 2-1 defeat with Willie Morgan and Lou Macari scoring for the Reds as Tommy Docherty's side continued to march towards the Second Division title.

TOMMY DOCHERTY
'The Doc' joined Derby County in September 1977 - just months after winning the FA Cup with United but losing his job. He was soon back at Old Trafford as the Rams lost 4-0 in January 1978 with Gordon Hill netting twice and Martin Buchan and Stuart Pearson also scoring. An Andy Ritchie brace and a goal from Jimmy Greenhoff secured a 3-1 win for the Reds at the Baseball Ground in the following season before a third reunion with the Scottish manager ended in a goalless draw at the Theatre of Dreams.

DAVE SEXTON
Docherty's successor Dave Sexton linked up with Coventry City in 1981 and enjoyed a great run of results against his old employers. The Sky Blues racked up three successive wins in which Lou Macari mustered United's only goal, during a 2-1 loss at Highfield Road. Macari did score again, however, in a 3-0 home victory for Ron Atkinson's men against Coventry in 1983 to finally inflict a defeat on Sexton's men. The Reds' other efforts came from Frank Stapleton and Gary Gillespie (own goal).

RON ATKINSON
Atkinson would probably enjoy the sweetest of all the reunions, and certainly the most lengthy battle with United among all the former managers. 'Big Ron' was in the opposing dug-out some 17 times after exiting the club in 1986 and twice came out on top in League Cup finals at Wembley. In 1991, Sheffield Wednesday triumphed 1-0 with a John Sheridan strike and, three years later, Aston Villa scuppered a domestic Treble with a 3-1 victory.

When in charge of Villa, Atkinson faced United nine times in total and lost out to the Reds in the title race in the first season of the Premier League in 1992/93. A switch across the West Midlands to Coventry City resulted in three successive defeats to Alex Ferguson's team in 1995 and 1996.

Atkinson enjoyed his best record against the Reds in his two stints with the Owls. After a draw and a win in the league plus the afore-mentioned cup success in 1990/91, he was in charge of Wednesday again when they triumphed 2-0 at Hillsborough in March 1998 with Paolo Di Canio scoring the clincher. Remarkably, Ron was not only unbeaten over those four games but his team did not concede a single goal in 360 minutes.

That was certainly not the case the last time he crossed swords with United as the MUTV pundit's short spell in charge of Nottingham Forest in 1999 pitted him against a rampant team destined to do the Treble. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ruthlessly scored four times in the last 10 minutes of an 8-1 annihilation, the biggest ever away win in Premier League history. 

FORMER MANAGERS' RECORDS AGAINST THE REDS

Wilf McGuinness
York City P1 W0 D0 L1

Tommy Docherty
Derby County P3 W0 D1 L2

Dave Sexton
Coventry City P4 W3 D0 L1

Ron Atkinson
Sheffield Wednesday - P4 W3 D1 L0
Aston Villa - P9 W3 D1 L5
Coventry City - P3 W0 D0 L3
Nottingham Forest - P1 W0 D0 L1

Total: P25 W9 D3 L13