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Man U vs Man City: Two Rival Menus for the Big Derby

UUnknown

2026-02-17

9 min read

Two rival Manchester menus — Red vs Sky Blue — with quick, regional recipes, drink pairings, and short-form video blueprints for a stress-free derby watch party.

Derby day is here — and whether you’re a lifelong Red or die-hard Sky Blue, the last thing you want is to miss a minute of action because the kitchen’s chaos swallowed kickoff. I tested both menus in a real watch-party setting (12:30pm Saturday fixture, yes — planning for the midday derby matters). This guide gives you two fully fleshed rival menus that celebrate Manchester food and regional British flavors, are fast to pull together, and are built to be social-ready for short-form video.

Quick overview — pick a side, or do both

Most important info first: if you have 60 minutes, you can serve either full menu (3 savory bites + 1 sweet + drinks). If you have 30 minutes, use the Express Matchday options in each menu. For hosts making content, every recipe includes a 9:16 clip shot list so you can post highlights in under a minute.

What you'll get from this article

Two rival menus inspired by Manchester’s regional flavors — one Red (Manchester United), one Sky Blue (Manchester City)
Quick-prep matchday recipes, make-ahead tips, and portion planning
Party pairings: beer, low-ABV, cocktail, and non-alcoholic options
Short-form video recipe blueprint (shot list, captions, thumbnail ideas)
2026 trends you can leverage to boost engagement and save time

This menu leans into North-West comfort flavors: Lancashire hotpot vibes, Bury black pudding nods, and the classic Eccles cake-ish finish. Quick, filling, and crowd-pleasing.

Starter: Mini Lancashire Hotpot Pot Pies (serves 6, 35–40 mins)

Why it works: All the comfort of a slow-cooked hotpot in a fast handheld. Great for dipping, stacking, and filming.

Ingredients

500g lamb or beef mince (or plant-based mince)
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, finely diced
300g baby potatoes, thinly sliced
300ml beef or veg stock
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Ready-rolled puff pastry (1 sheet)
Olive oil, salt, pepper, 1 tsp thyme

Steps

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Sauté onions in a splash of oil until soft (5 mins).
Add mince, brown quickly, then toss in carrots, thyme, Worcestershire, and stock. Simmer 6–8 mins until slightly reduced.
Divide filling into 6 small ovenproof ramekins, top with overlapping potato slices, then cover with circles of puff pastry. Brush with milk.
Bake 15–18 mins or until pastry is golden. Serve hot — perfect for dunking in malt vinegar or a mustard dip.

Express tip: Swap ramekins for a single tray bake and cut into squares to save time.

Main bite: Bury-Style Black Pudding Scotch Eggs (serves 6, 30 mins)

Why it works: Black pudding is a Bury classic and gives a salty, umami punch. Coated egg is handheld matchday gold.

Ingredients

6 eggs (soft-boil 6.5 mins for jammy yolk)
200g black pudding, mashed (or black pudding alternative)
Flour, 1 beaten egg, breadcrumbs
Oil for shallow frying

Steps

Boil eggs, cool in ice water, peel.
Wrap each egg in black pudding mixture, roll in flour, dip in beaten egg, coat with breadcrumbs.
Shallow fry 3–4 mins per side until crisp and warm through. Finish in a 180°C oven 5 mins if needed.

Diet-swap: Use mashed lentils spiced with smoked paprika and beet for a vegan-friendly “blood” look and rich texture.

Sweet finish: Eccles Cake Bites with Cinnamon Sugar (20 mins)

Mini discs of puff pastry filled with currants, brown sugar, and butter — bite-sized and camera-friendly.

Matchday drinks: Red pairings

Beer: A robust northern brown ale or porter — highlights the black pudding and hotpot.
Cocktail: Red Devil Rum Punch — spiced rum, ginger ale, orange, dash of grenadine for color.
Non-alc: Ginger preserved soda with lemon — cuts the richness.

Manchester City’s menu celebrates the city’s global palate: Curry Mile influence, fish-and-chip heritage, and modern low-alcohol trends. Bright, shareable, and quick.

Starter: Mini Curry Mile Chicken Kathi Rolls (serves 6, 30 mins)

Why it works: Handheld wraps with bold spice — perfect for dipping and filming. Ready in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

400g chicken thigh, chopped (or chickpea/cauliflower for veg)
1 tbsp garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chili powder
6 small flatbreads or rotis
Yogurt raita, salad, chopped cilantro

Steps

Marinate chicken in spices and a splash of oil for 10 mins.
Sear in a hot pan until charred and cooked through (6–8 mins).
Assemble on warmed flatbreads with raita and salad, roll tightly and slice in half for serving.

Express swap: Use store-bought tikka strips or rotisserie chicken tossed in a spice mix.

Main bite: Sky Blue Fish & Chip Bites with Pea Purée (serves 6, 25–30 mins)

Why it works: Fish & chips are a British staple; turning them into shareable nuggets modernizes the classic and films beautifully with a bright pea purée.

Ingredients

400g firm white fish fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
100g plain flour, 150ml sparkling water (for tempura batter)
Breadcrumbs for double texture (optional)
Frozen peas, mint, lemon, butter for purée

Steps

Make batter: whisk flour and sparkling water until just combined.
Dip fish pieces, fry until golden (or bake at 220°C for 12–15 mins for a lower-fat option).
Blitz peas with mint, butter, lemon juice, and seasoning for a vivid dip.

Sweet finish: Blueberry & Custard Tartlets (20 mins)

Mini tartlets using custard pots and fresh blueberries — color-coded for the Sky Blues and super quick.

Matchday drinks: Sky pairings

Beer: Crisp pale ale or modern pilsner, or a low-ABV session IPA (2025–26 trend).
Cocktail: Sky Blue Gin Fizz — butterfly pea infusion (for color), gin, tonic, lemon. Add a spritz of soda and lemon for football-friendly refreshment.
Non-alc: Sparkling lemonade with a dash of butterfly pea tea for the blue hue.

General watch-party logistics (timing, portions, make-ahead)

Plan like a broadcaster: map key plays (kickoff, half-time, post-game) so food hits the table at the right moments.

Portions: Aim for 3–4 bites per person before halftime, plus shared sweets.
Prep timeline: Do all chopping and batters 30–60 mins before kickoff. Use a 15-minute final oven/bake window so everything comes out warm together.
Make-ahead: Fillings, pees purée, raita, and curry marinades keep well for 24 hours. Assemble last 10–15 mins.

Kitchen kit you actually need

A pair of baking trays, a mixing bowl, ramekins (or tray), a deep pan for frying (or air-fryer), and a sharp knife.
Optional but helpful: a hand blender for pea purée and an instant-read thermometer for frying accuracy.

Short-form video recipe blueprint (shot lists, captions, and thumbnails)

By 2026, short-form video is the front door for food discovery. Use these quick templates to create vertical clips that perform on Reels, TikTok, and Shorts. For more on creator tooling and hybrid event workflows, see this creator tooling primer.

Universal format (0:45–0:60 seconds)

(0–3s) Hook: Quick on-screen text + crowd noise or whistle: “Derby-ready in 30 mins? Watch this.”
(4–12s) Main prep shots: high-speed dice, spice toss, sizzling pan, montage of textures (close-up crisps, steam)
(13–30s) Assembly and plating: dramatic slow-mo pour, cut-to-reveal (scotch egg yolk), drizzle of sauce
(31–42s) Taste moment & pairing: show beverage pour, a single bite, quick reaction (authentic!)
(43–60s) CTA: “Which side are you? Save & follow for full recipes” + on-screen caption with recipe highlight

Shot and edit tips

Use 3–4 second clips; keep the pace fast. Include a 1–2 second pause for a reveal (the cut egg yolk, the sauce pull).
Natural light = better engagement. Use a small reflector (white card) to brighten shadows; if you're filming in low light, compact lighting kits and portable fans can save the take (compact lighting kits).
Add captions and ingredient pop-ups: many viewers watch on mute.
Trending audio helps—pair your clip with a high-energy track and sync one key beat to the reveal.

Thumbnail and caption ideas

Thumbnail: split-screen Red vs Sky Blue with the most dramatic reveal (runny yolk vs blue gin fizz pour). For thumbnail and title formulas, see 10 title & thumbnail formulas.
Caption: “Derby menu in 30–60 mins: Red vs Sky Blue. Which side are you cheering for? #derbymenu #manchesterfood”

Smart hosts and creators in 2026 are combining authenticity, speed, and social-first formats. Here are trends you can apply this derby:

Short-form dominance: Audiences expect 30–60 second recipe loops that show a clear payoff (reveal/mouthfeel).
Local authenticity: Foodies are voting with engagement for dishes that tie to city or region — a Manchester hook improves click-through and saves viewers from generic “football snacks.”
Low-ABV & non-alc cocktails: Continued preference for sessionable drinks and visually exciting mocktails (butterfly pea is a 2025–26 staple for color-shifting visuals).
Plant-forward swaps: More viewers expect clear vegan/veg alternatives; show them in the same clip to broaden reach.

Offer one beer, one cocktail, and one non-alc option for each side. Keep pours small to encourage sampling and more cheers. For real-world serving logistics and thermal carriers for pop-ups, check a field review of pop-up service kits (field review: thermal carriers & pop-up kits).

Red pairing pack

Beer: Northern brown ale or dark porter — rich & malty
Cocktail: Red Devil Rum Punch — spiced rum, orange, dash of bitters, grated nutmeg
Non-alc: Ginger & lemon soda — bright and palate-cleansing

Sky pairing pack

Beer: Pilsner or low-ABV session IPA
Cocktail: Sky Blue Gin Fizz — butterfly pea tea, gin, lemon & soda
Non-alc: Sparkling lemonade with butterfly pea for color (no gin)

Serving & presentation: make your spread camera-ready

Use communal boards: stack mini pies and scotch eggs on a wooden board for rustic Manchester vibes.
Label sides with club colors — small flags or colored toothpicks are instant visual shorthand for viewers.
Half-time plating: plan a quick refresh at half-time with warm oven holds and a bright salad to refresh the palate. If you're staging a pop-up or live neighborhood watch party, weekend microcation and pop-up playbooks can help with local promotion (weekend microcations & pop-ups).

“The simplest matchday wins are flavor-forward, camera-ready, and timed to the game.”

Final tips & troubleshooting

If your batter goes heavy: add a tablespoon of ice-cold sparkling water to revive tempura texture.
Short on oven space? Stagger bake times and hold finished items in a low 80–90°C (use only briefly) oven wrapped in foil.
Running late? Serve one hot item and two chilled/room-temp items — fans will thank you for not missing kickoff.

Call-to-action

Ready to throw the best derby watch party that doubles as killer content? Save this page, download the printable 1-hour prep timeline (red/sky color-coded), and tag us with your clips. I’ll share the top three fan videos after the final whistle. Pick a side, test one recipe today, and post your short-form video using the shot list — your followers will thank you.

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