For United's manager Ruben Amorim, it’s a new experience—his first derby since taking charge of the 20-time English champions. But Amorim already boasts a victory over City this season, having led Sporting Lisbon to a 4-2 triumph over Pep Guardiola’s side before swapping Portugal for Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, Guardiola’s City are in unfamiliar territory. A 2-0 loss to Juventus in midweek, powered by Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie, has only added to the pressure on the defending champions, who are far from their dominant best. Despite a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, City faltered again in the Premier League with a shaky 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace, where they had to claw their way back twice just to salvage a point.
City’s recent form is cause for alarm—seven losses in their last 10 matches across all competitions have left them just barely hanging onto a top-four spot in the league. They’re now eight points behind leaders Liverpool, and results elsewhere on Saturday could see them slip out of the Champions League places altogether before the derby kicks off.
If there’s any silver lining for City fans, it’s their recent scoring record at home, having netted three goals apiece in wins over Feyenoord and Forest. Yet, defensive woes persist: City have managed just one clean sheet in their last 10 outings, conceding at least two goals in nine of those matches.
On the other side of town, United have had their own ups and downs but head into the derby buoyed by Rasmus Hojlund’s heroics in the Europa League. The Danish striker came off the bench to score twice against Viktoria Plzen, rescuing his team after an error from goalkeeper Andre Onana gifted Matej Vydra the opener.
Amorim's start at United has been promising, joining an elite group of managers—alongside Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson—to win their first two European games in charge.
With both sides desperate to find consistency, Sunday’s showdown promises plenty of drama and high stakes for these two iconic clubs.
A European victory provided some relief for Manchester United after back-to-back Premier League defeats against Arsenal and, surprisingly, Nottingham Forest. Last weekend, Forest took full advantage of costly errors from Andre Onana and his defense, leaving United languishing in a disappointing 13th place.
As off-field uncertainty continues to swirl around Sir Jim Ratcliffe's impending involvement with the club, Ruben Amorim faces mounting pressure. Recreating his stunning 4-1 win over Manchester City with Sporting Lisbon would be a dream, but United’s away form suggests a tough challenge ahead.
The Red Devils haven’t won any of their last five Premier League away games, with their only road victory this season coming against Southampton. In fact, they’ve managed just two wins in their last 13 league matches away from home. Adding to the challenge, City have won their last three home derbies against United.
A victory for Guardiola’s side on Sunday would not only reinvigorate their season but also hand Amorim his first-ever streak of three consecutive league defeats as a manager.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
City defender Rico Lewis, who controversially celebrated his equalizer against Crystal Palace by taking a walk of shame after being sent off, will miss the Manchester derby due to suspension. He’s one of six City players unavailable for Sunday’s showdown with United.Rodri (ACL), Oscar Bobb (leg), and Nathan Ake (thigh) are all sidelined until 2025, while Manuel Akanji (undisclosed) and John Stones (foot) are not expected to recover in time.
With City’s defensive options stretched thin, Pep Guardiola may need to call on academy talent. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey could step in at center-back, while Josh Wilson-Esbrand might fill in at left-back. Alternatively, Guardiola has hinted at tactical adjustments, such as reshuffling players out of position or adopting a three-man backline with wing-backs.
On the brighter side, Mateo Kovacic returned to the bench during midweek and should be available to bolster City’s midfield.
United, by contrast, have relatively few injury concerns. Luke Shaw remains sidelined with a calf injury after a recent setback, but Jonny Evans has returned to training and could make the squad on Sunday.
Ruben Amorim’s penchant for tactical shake-ups has already become a talking point, and derby day is likely to be no different. That could spell trouble for underperforming players like Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford, who struggled midweek. Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, and Alejandro Garnacho are all pushing for starts, with Garnacho’s pace and creativity poised to test an inconsistent Kyle Walker.
Another subplot to watch: whether Amorim entrusts young Leny Yoro with a debut in such a high-stakes fixture.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester City possible starting lineup:Ederson; Walker, Dias, Simpson-Pusey, Gvardiol; De Bruyne, Kovacic; Silva, Foden, Nunes; Haaland
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez; Diallo, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund
EXPERT PREDICTION
Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United
That said, a repeat of Amorim’s 4-1 hammering of City with Sporting seems far-fetched. While United should have enough firepower to exploit City’s depleted backline and score more than once, the reigning champions’ attacking strength at home, and United’s potential fatigue from Thursday’s game gives Guardiola’s side the edge in what promises to be an electrifying contest.
