One of the most highly anticipated fixtures in the Premier League calendar pits Manchester City and Manchester United against each other in a high-stakes Premier League fixture on Sunday late afternoon.
The first edition of the famous Manchester derby in 2024/25 has all the makings of a game of desperation and decline, with both sides in dire need of points after disastrous respective runs.
Contrasting European fortunes
A fifth consecutive top-flight title is a pipe dream for Pep Guardiola’s perennial champions despite lagging eight points behind pacesetters Liverpool heading into the festive period.
Juventus’ comfortable 2-0 home win in midweek UEFA Champions League action added insult to injury, condemning the Cityzens to a seventh defeat in their last ten outings in all competitions.
Now stuck only a point clear of 25th Paris Saint-Germain in the 36-team table, Guardiola’s charges face an imminent risk of exiting the competition in the league/group phase for the first time since 2012/13.
Man Utd had better fortunes in their UEFA Europa League clash against Viktoria Plzen, overhauling a second-half deficit to post a 2-1 triumph at the Doosan Arena.
Rasmus Hojlund’s double beyond the hour-mark handed new boss Ruben Amorim a timely confidence boost after back-to-back league defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.
While trying to repair the damage left in Erik ten Hag’s wake, Amorim works on strengthening his squad.
Cerro Porteno left-back Diego Leon will join Man Utd next summer after reaching a verbal agreement earlier on Friday.
Wracked ship
Seven defeats in their last ten matches are as many as Man City had in their 105 previous fixtures combined, highlighting the severity of the crisis at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite enduring the worst sequence in his illustrious managerial career, Guardiola has overseen just one defeat in 11 competitive games this season (W7, D3).
The 53-year-old tried to settle fans’ nerves in the build-up, insisting City’s ‘soul and spirits are there.’
However, the reality paints a bleak picture, with Man City (21) conceding more goals than any other team across Europe’s traditional top-five leagues since the beginning of November.
Man City’s only clean sheet in that period came on home turf last midweek. They put Forest to the sword in a landslide 3-0 victory, only to draw 2-2 at long-term strugglers Crystal Palace three days later.
Peaks and valleys
In the span of three days, Forest went from being thrashed at the Etihad to securing a stunning victory at Old Trafford, leaving Man Utd on the brink of three successive league defeats for the first time since 2015.
Amorim’s charges responded kindly in the Czech Republic on Thursday, making the ex-Sporting CP boss only the third Red Devils manager to win their first two European games in charge.
Nonetheless, it feels like it’s ‘one step forward, two steps back’ for the 39-year-old.
He was unfortunate enough to be in the dugout for United’s first set of four consecutive league losses at the hands of Arsenal a fortnight ago.
More unwanted history sits around the corner, with Man Utd staring down the barrel of a fourth away league defeat at Man City in a row for the first time since 1955.
Mixed signs
Hojlund’s heroics at Plzen helped the Red Devils arrest an underwhelming seven-game winless run on hostile turf and record their first away victory since mid-September.
Underperforming in road Premier League action has become a trait synonymous with Man Utd this season, as they’ve only won once in seven away league matches (D3, L3).
Amorim failed to beat newcomers Ipswich Town on his touchline debut despite taking an early lead through Marcus Rashford, extending United’s winless away league streak to five games.
Snapping that humiliating run at the Etihad could be a season-defining moment for the Portuguese tactician, who already defeated Man City with his former club earlier this season.
His Sporting side swept the Cityzens aside in a remarkable 4-1 triumph in the Champions League, offering him a chance to make history this weekend.
Indeed, he could become only the second manager to beat the defending Premier League champions with different teams in the same season.