In the midst of a horror run, Manchester City will hope the rivalry and rancour of derby day can provide a lift as Manchester United visit the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won just once in their last 10 games with both their Premier League title challenge and hopes of qualification for the Champions League knockout rounds taking a significant blow. To make matters worse, Guardiola is facing a defensive crisis this afternoon with Rico Lewis suspended and several other regular starters out, leaving the Catalan coach to consider radical solutions to spark a turnaround in form.
For Ruben Amorim, this will be a first taste of a famous fixture as the Portuguese manager continues to search for his best system and side. Amorim was pleased with the fight his team showed in the Europa League win on Thursday night but a mixed record since his arrival reflects the teething problems evident throughout his tenure so far. Can he become only the sixth manager to win their first Manchester derby in the Premier League era?
Follow all of the latest from the Manchester derby in our live blog below:
Manchester derby LIVE
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Man City host Man Utd, live on Sky Sports
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Pep Guardiola’s side are in the midst of a horror run
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Utd are hoping to bounce back from a loss to Forest last time out
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37’ GOAL! Josko Gvardiol heads in deflected Kevin De Bruyne cross (MCI 1-0 MUN)
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14’ Mason Mount limps off after suffering latest injury blow (MCI 0-0 MUN)
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Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Gvardiol, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Nunes, Foden, Doku, Haaland
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Man Utd XI: Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes, Amad, Mount, Hojlund
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No Marcus Rashford or Alejandro Garnacho in Man Utd squad
Manchester City FC 1 – 0 Manchester United FC
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:54 , Chris Wilson
61 mins
Finally some innovation from United as Diallo runs at the City defence, but his promising run is ended as he gets into the box. Once again, the hosts are happy to sit back when United do have the ball.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:53 , Chris Wilson
59 mins
City, and in particular Foden, are finding more space between the lines at the moment, with the England man going close to slipping a through ball to Haaland a couple of minutes ago.
Moments later, Nunes’ clipped ball over the top just outruns the Norwegian.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:51 , Chris Wilson
57 mins
United are enjoying a bit of possession but City look happy to let them have it. It ends with Fernandes playing another poor pass that’s intercepted near halfway.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:49 , Chris Wilson
55 mins
Another poor United attack comes to nothing as there’s no space for Mazraoui and Amad, before Fernandes fires a speculative cross straight out of play. So poor from the visitors.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:47 , Chris Wilson
52 mins
The corner goes short but De Bruyne’s cross is easily cleared. Perhaps strange that City aren’t just firing it into the box considering United’s recent corner woes.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:47 , Chris Wilson
51 mins
A real lack of quality on show in the last few minutes, with two United attacks breaking down after a poor pass from Doku, before Fernandes fires a free-kick straight to a City man and Doku wins a corner.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:45 , Chris Wilson
50 mins
The cameras show Amorim on the touchline with his head in his hands, almost bemused. It looks like reality is setting in for the Portuguese, if it hadn’t last week (or in the weeks before).
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:44 , Chris Wilson
48 mins
Mazraoui gets into space and has the right idea in threading a through ball in for Hojlund, but City deal with it well.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:41 , Chris Wilson
46 mins
United’s first foray forwards ends with Mazraoui being flagged for offside despite some nice work from Mainoo in the box.
KICK-OFF! Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:39 , Chris Wilson
United get the second half started at the Etihad.
HALF-TIME! Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:37 , Chris Wilson
Both sides are emerging from the tunnel again, so we’ll be back underway soon.
HALF-TIME! Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:33 , Chris Wilson
A curious half in Manchester, with both sides looking nervous and some very disjointed play in attack.
Even City’s goal prompted an irritate reaction from Guardiola, who was maybe annoyed at the short corner routine. The goal was fortuitous, but they’ve been the better of the two sides and will be fully aware of the lack of United threat if they can keep the game like this in the second half.
For United, it’s a remarkably similar situation – they’ve played okay at times but have lacked anything in attack. 42 per cent of their conceded goals this season have come from corners, apparently.
HALF-TIME! Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:27 , Chris Wilson
HALF-TIME! Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:22 , Chris Wilson
50 mins
HALF-TIME!
De Bruyne could arguably shoot from here, but the angle is tight…
He opts to clip a cross to Foden, but it runs to Ugarte and the half ends.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:21 , Chris Wilson
48 mins
Another ridiculous moment from Dalot as he fires a diagonal pass right near the United area, and Foden narrowly misses out on taking it under control.
City attack again and Foden wriggles in between two challenges before his shot deflects off Maguire and forces Onana into making a save.
From the corner, Martinez brings down De Bruyne for a free-kick right on the left-hand edge of the area.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:19 , Chris Wilson
47 mins
De Bruyne wins a cheap free-kick off Ugarte and there’ll be another chance to swing a set-piece into the box.
He overhits the cross and it’s straight out of play.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:17 , Chris Wilson
45 mins
There’ll be at least four minutes of added time here.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:16 , Chris Wilson
44 mins
Amad is flagged offside, for what is at least the third time this half. From the attack, Haaland is penalised for a foul on Ugarte near the United box.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:15 , Chris Wilson
43 mins
Half a chance for De Bruyne as Onana’s clearance falls to him on the right-hand touchline, but his shot from distance is straight to the ‘keeper.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:13 , Chris Wilson
41 mins
Fernandes’ free-kick is a decent delivery and it bounces to Haaland, who hits it against Mainoo, and the ball rolls past the near post for a corner, which is cleared by Doku.
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:11 , Chris Wilson
39 mins
Straight after the goal, there’s handbags as Hojlund makes contact with Kyle Walker. Walker fouls him, the Danish striker gets up, both move their head towards each other, but there’s just a telling off and a yellow card each from the ref.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
17:09 , Chris Wilson
37 mins
GOAL! And the home side are ahead!
It’s a name that’s become reliable in recent months, as Gvardiol heads in.
City work the corner short and De Bruyne’s cross is defected across and into the path of Gvardiol, who simply powers a header in past Onana.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
17:07 , Chris Wilson
34 mins
Amad has a second chance at a shot after Mainoo’s effort is blocked, but it’s too tame and it’s cleared. City counter, and Fernandes narrowly avoids a booking as he brings down Silva.
Doku then wins a corner after his effort is blocked by Mazraoui.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
17:06 , Richard Jolly, at the Etihad
A quiet first half so far. City’s system is something of an oddity, with a lot of midfielders in parts of the middle. There are times when Matheus Nunes is man-marking Amad Diallo, who looks United’s main threat. United at least have hints of a counter-attacking threat, but without the decision-making to make the most of breaks. But very few chances and very little of Erling Haaland so far.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
17:04 , Chris Wilson
32 mins
United win the ball in their own half after a good challenge from Ugarte. Fernandes finds Amad in space down the wing, but the chances goes begging after it’s played back to Ugarte and he fires over from distance.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
17:03 , Chris Wilson
30 mins
A reminder that if City were to win here, despite all the attention on their results, they’d be only six points behind Liverpool (who would have a game in hand though). You never know what might happen if they dip into the market in January…
Not a lot to report from the Etihad at the moment though, with both sides still exchanging possession too easily.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
17:01 , Chris Wilson
28 mins
Both sides look understandably nervy here. It’s certainly the only time in the last decade or so that they’ve meet in these sort of circumstances, and it’s showing in how the game is being played. No side taking any real risks in attack yet.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:58 , Chris Wilson
26 mins
United work their first good chance of the day, with Ugarte slipping a ball to Amad on the overlap, though the Ivorian hits the post when one-on-one. The flag goes up for offside anyway.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:56 , Chris Wilson
24 mins
The first real bit of quality on show as De Bruyne’s pass is dummied by Foden to Haaland, who then slips a pass into Foden. The England international works some space to shoot, but it’s blocked for a corner.
From the set-piece, it’s headed over at the near post.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:54 , Chris Wilson
23 mins
There’s space to attack for both sides when they have the ball, with City’s tending to open up in the areas that Doku and Nunes are filling down the left. The Belgian has looked City’s most threatening player so far, with United sitting deep.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:53 , Chris Wilson
21 mins
The first half-chance of the game comes to City, as Doku’s cross is headed away to the feet of Foden, who drives a volley wide of the near post.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:51 , Chris Wilson
19 mins
City with 58 per cent of the possession, and neither side has had a shot yet. Tells you what you need to know so far.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:50 , Chris Wilson
17 mins
A little bit of frustration from both sides as a couple of promising attacks break down too easily. City do follow it with some well-worked combinations between Foden and De Bruyne, but it’s a little too static at the moment.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:49 , Richard Jolly, at the Etihad
Mason Mount’s departure felt sadly predictable but continues his horrible misfortune with injuries. Mount is a player Ruben Amorim really likes and one of the few who suits his 3-4-3 formation. Without Garnacho and Rashford, Amorim had fewer options to replace him and United have a more defensive look now, with Kobbie Mainoo coming on in midfield and Bruno Fernandes moving further forward.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:48 , Chris Wilson
15 mins
A nice spin from Doku ends up winning the first dangerous free-kick of the game for City, not far from the United box.
City take it quickly down to Doku on the wing, but his cross is headed away before Gundogan clips a cross out for a goal kick.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:45 , Chris Wilson
13 mins
Mount comes off and he’s replaced by Kobbie Mainoo. Such poor luck for the 25-year-old.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:44 , Chris Wilson
12 mins
United are enjoying a little more success with their possession in the last few minutes, though Amad is now flagged offside. The away side re trying to stifle City at the moment, in a similar way to how they did against Arsenal.
Mason Mount is down injured, and he looks like he’ll have to come off.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:42 , Chris Wilson
10 mins
A real lack of quality from Dalot as he cuts back outside to make the space and then clips in a cross to nobody, straight out of play. The Portuguese was notably poor in the loss against Forest, so can he recover to produce better today?
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:41 , Chris Wilson
8 mins
Both sides have been guilty of giving up possession far too easily on a couple of occasions, though neither have been in dangerous positions. There’s plenty of nerves at the Etihad.
Amad tries to clip in a ball to the overlapping Fernandes, but Walker was covering well.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:39 , Chris Wilson
6 mins
United break quickly, led by Dalot, but his cross is easily collected by Ederson. They come again, enjoying their first bit of sustained possession so far in the match, but it ends up back with Onana.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:37 , Chris Wilson
4 mins
De Bruyne’s cross is aimed towards Haaland at the back post but Martinez does well to head behind for a corner. That battle could be a mismatch if it happens too often, though.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:35 , Chris Wilson
3 mins
Doku thinks he’s beaten Mazraoui down the wing but the ball went out. That battle will be key today, and Dku has had the better of it early on.
City with the lion’s share of possession so far.
Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:34 , Chris Wilson
1 min
It is Nunes starting at left-back for City, with Silva on the right wing.
For United, Mazraoui is right wing-back, with Diallo starting in the advanced midfield position alongside Mount.
Plenty of high pressing early on for the home side.
KICK-OFF! Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
16:32 , Chris Wilson
The home side get us underway at the Etihad. There’s already been plenty of news to note so far today, and we’re sure to have some more soon.
Manchester derby LIVE
16:25 , Chris Wilson
Both sides are in the tunnel at the Etihad and we’re around five minutes from kick-off.
Match facts
16:20 , Chris Wilson
Manchester United have lost both of their last two Premier League games, last losing three in a row within a single season in December 2015 under Louis van Gaal. New manager Ruben Amorim is yet to lose three on the bounce in his top-flight managerial career, with this his 172nd such match across Portugal’s Primeira Liga and England’s Premier League.
39% of Man Utd’s goals conceded in the Premier League this season have come from corner situations (7/18), the highest share in the division. So far in 2024, they’ve conceded 15 goals from corners, just three fewer than they did in 2021 (8), 2022 (4) and 2023 (6) combined.
Ruben Amorim has already beaten Manchester City this season, with his Sporting CP side winning 4-1. Only one manager has beaten the reigning Premier League champions with two different sides in a single campaign, with Alan Pardew beating Man City with both Newcastle United and Crystal Palace in 2014-15.
‘A derby that both teams look capable of losing’
16:20 , Richard Jolly, at the Etihad
Both are at a historic low – City over the last 10 games, United after 15 of a league campaign. Pep Guardiola looks to have gone with wing-backs – potentially Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes – because of a lack of defenders. United lack two of their usual forwards with Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho omitted from the squad.
Amorim: “This was my only option”
16:16 , Chris Wilson
In his own press conference, Ruben Amorim insisted that the United job “was my only option”, adding that “when Manchester United talked to me, I had no doubts because I had already something in my mind that it could be a possibility”.
“We will face a great opponent and I’m more focused on our problems. So we have a lot of issues here, so I’m more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game.
“I’m really focused on the details. I just want to improve the team so I cannot live it like a normal derby, like it should be – two great teams fighting for the title. And it’s not that in this moment. So it’s just one more game with a very good opponent.
“The great teams can respond at any moment – and I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game, the way they play and the confidence they have. We will have a strategy: try to win the game with the strategy like it should be.”
Match facts
16:12 , Chris Wilson
City have conceded at least twice in seven of their last 11 Premier League games (W4 D3 L4), as many times as they had in their previous 62 in the competition.
Erling Haaland has nine goal involvements in just four Premier League appearances against Manchester United (6 goals, 3 assists). It’s already the most goal involvements any Manchester City player has against the Red Devils in the competition.
Phil Foden has scored six goals in his last four Premier League appearances against Manchester United. Only Sergio Agüero (8) has scored more Manchester derby goals for the Citizens in the competition than Foden (6, level with Erling Haaland).
Guardiola: “The less emotional you are the better”
16:10 , Chris Wilson
In his pre-match press conference, Pep Guardiola said that for his players, “the less emotional you are the better”.
“In our jobs we always want to do our best and when that doesn’t happen you are more uncomfortable. That is not just the managers but there is bigger scrutiny for the team. I’m fine. When I have more thoughts, it is about what we can do and what I feel right now is how I felt in he last month. Nothing has changed.”
He added that City need “to shoot more and cut out the mistakes”, saying: “What I want is my players back.
“I would desperately love to compete with the squad we had at the beginning of the season. My regret is that we don’t we have these, not needing new ones.”
He added that despite the club’s positive financial results, it “doesn’t mean we have big, big resources to buy whatever we want, especially with how expensive the transfer market is”.
More from Amorim
16:07 , Chris Wilson
Explaining his decision to leave out Rashford and Garnacho, Amorim said: “Selection. We try to evaluate everything: training, performance, game performance, engagement with the team-mates, pushing the team-mates up. Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players, so that is my selection.
“I don’t want to send a message. It’s simply an evaluation, and they know it. The players are really, really smart. Everybody understands my decision. I have to choose.
“The context is difficult. We have to win games and we have a difficult situation. I pay attention to everything, the way you eat, the way you put on your clothes to go the game. Everything. I make my evaluation and then I have to decide. I have a lot of players to choose.”
Match facts
16:05 , Chris Wilson
Manchester City have won five of their last six Premier League games against Manchester United (L1), more than they had in their previous 13 (W4 D3 L6).
United have lost each of their last three Premier League away games against Man City, conceding 13 goals in the process. They last lost four consecutive league visits to the Citizens between 1952 and 1955.
The Red Devils have lost 20 Premier League games against Man City – only against Arsenal (21) have they lost more in the competition.
Ruben Amorim explains shock decision to drop Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho for Manchester derby
16:00 , Jamie Braidwood
Ruben Amorim has explained why Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were dropped from his Manchester United squad to face Manchester City in the derby, with the Portuguese manager revealing it was not purely a footballing decision.
Rashford and Garnacho were surprise omissions from Amorim’s team to take on Pep Guardiola’s side at the Etihad, with both players having featured in the win at Viktoria Plzen on Thursday.
Amorim confirmed that neither player is injured, adding that both Rashford and Garnacho trained at Carrington on Sunday morning while the first-team prepared for the trip to the Etihad.
Amorim explains shock decision to drop Rashford and Garnacho from Man Utd squad
Man City considering move for Paul Pogba but face key stumbling block
15:51 , Chris Wilson
Manchester City have sounded out Paul Pogba about a potential move on his return to football in March. The player himself is understood to be reluctant to move back to Manchester, however, due to his experience there with local rivals United.
Pogba recently had a four-year ban for increased levels of testosteronereduced to 18 months, meaning he is eligible to play again in March. The situation saw the 31-year-old leave Juventus in November, meaning he is a free agent.
City have been assessing options in the midst of the most difficult season of Pep Guardiola‘s time so far, where injury and recruitment issues have left a thin squad exposed.
Man City considering move for Paul Pogba but face key stumbling block
Head-to-head
15:45 , Chris Wilson
These two sides have met a total of 172 times, with the first meeting dating as far back as the 1890s. Overall, United have won 67 City have won 56, and 49 have ended as draws.
Last season, City won both meetings in the league (3-0 at Old Trafford and 3-1 at the Etihad), though they lost the FA Cup final to their rivals in the final match of the season.
In August, City won the Community Shield on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Pep Guardiola has new appreciation for Man City feats after recent poor form
15:40 , Chris Wilson
Pep Guardiola has a new appreciation for Manchester City’s dominance amid their current struggles and claimed he would walk away if he felt he had lost the team.
City host Manchester United in the derby at the Etihad on Sunday in the unfamiliar position of having lost seven of their last 10 games in all competitions.
Guardiola ended speculation about his future by signing a new two-year contract three weeks ago but that certainty has so far not helped City arrest their slide.
Pep Guardiola has new appreciation for Man City feats after recent poor form
Team news
15:31 , Chris Wilson
Perhaps the biggest news from the United camp is that neither Marcus Rashford or Alejandro Garnacho are in the matchday squad.
Ruben Amorim has made four changes to the side that beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in midweek, with Rasmus Hojlund starting up top ahead of Joshua Zirkzee.
In midfield, Casemiro has dropped out in favour of summer signing Manuel Ugarte, while at wing-back Tyrell Malacia is benched in favour of Harry Maguire, with Diogo Dalot presumably moving to left wing-back and Amad Diallo on the right.
In addition, Mason Mount has replaced Rashford, who is dropped.
Team news
15:23 , Chris Wilson
Pep Guardiola has made two changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Juventus last time out.
Rico Lewis and Jack Grealish drop out, with Matheus Nunes and Phil Foden replacing them.
On paper, it seems that maybe Nunes will fill in at left-back if they are in a back four, with Doku and Bernardo on the wings and one of Foden and De Bruyne holding alongside Gundogan, perhaps.
Line-ups
15:18 , Chris Wilson
City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Gvardiol, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Nunes, Foden, Doku, Haaland.
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Stones, Kovacic, Grealish, Savinho, Simpson-Pusey, Mubama, O’Reilly, McAtee
In the blue corner for #MCIMNU 🩵
XI | Ederson, Walker (C), Dias, Gvardiol, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Nunes, Foden, Doku, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Stones, Kovacic, Grealish, Savinho, Simpson-Pusey, Mubama, O’Reilly, McAtee#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/2VP4OICPCf
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 15, 2024
Utd XI: Onana, Mazraoui, de Ligt, Maguire, Martinez, Dalot, Mount, Fernandes, Ugarte, Amad, Hojlund.
Subs: Bayindir, Malacia, Yoro, Lindelof, Casemiro, Eriksen, Mainoo, Antony, Zirkzee.
Manchester derby LIVE
Friday 13 December 2024 13:58 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A very good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s LIVE coverage of the Manchester derby. These are rocky times for Manchester City as both domestic and continental campaigns threaten to come off the rails amid a wretched recent run, with Pep Guardiola admitting that nine defeats in ten games had taken a significant toll on him and his squad. Can their cross-town rivals pile on more pain as Ruben Amorim experiences derby day for the first time as Manchester United manager?
Kick off is at 4.30pm GMT.
