LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 5: Coach Pep Guardiola of Manchester City congratulates coach Ruben Amorim of Sporting CP during the UEFA Champions League match between Sporting CP v Manchester City at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on November 5, 2024 in Lisbon Portugal (Photo by Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Ruben Amorim and Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola called for his Manchester City players to repeat the performance that saw them beaten 4-1 by the new Manchester United manager last month.
City took the lead in Lisbon with an excellent first half against Sporting - managed at home by Amorim for the final time before he replaced Erik ten Hag - but fell apart after the break for a heavy defeat. Their form has not improved since, with just one win from seven subsequent games.
Despite the poor results, Guardiola is adamant that the performances have mostly been there from his team despite a crippling injury situation. With that in mind, the City manager is not looking for his side to learn anything from their 4-1 defeat but wants a repeat performance.
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"Two seasons ago we won 0-5 as well, always we have good lessons too. Maybe the lesson was better then [for them] because they beat us 4-1," he said.
"I would like to play the game like we played in Lisbon on Sunday, believe me, the way we played in Lisbon I would like to play on Sunday. I don't know if we are able to do it because for many reasons but we will see."
United are hardly heading into the derby in better form, with jus one win from their four league games under Amorim. They sit in 14th place heading into the weekend and face a real fight to qualify for Europe next season.
Guardiola was impressed by Amorim before he took the United job and expects the Portuguese coach to 'do a good job at United' as he gets them to play the way he wants to. His job on Sunday, though, will be to strike United before they can get to that improved position.
"It's already there, all the patterns they start to do it, how good the movements, everyone do it and the runners and the pace," he said. "He will do a good job at United, I'm pretty sure of that. He will do it."