Manchester Derby Preview: 11-year Red Devils bad spell up against 11-game Cityzens poor showing

Ten plus one – that’s the number of years Manchester United have gone since they last won the English Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

Ten plus one – that’s also the number of games Manchester City have been a pale shadow of themselves in, winning only of their last 11 matches.

But the Manchester Derby is more than numbers, it’s a battle for bragging rights as rulers of a city between the Red Devils and Cityzens of Manchester.

The blue side has had the upper hand in their last five meetings, with Pep Guardiola’s side winning four of those encounters. But when it mattered most last season, dismissed Red Devils gaffer Erik Ten Hag and his men came out on top to clinch the FA Cup.

He’s no more at the club, likewise, the spirit that led Manchester United then known as Newton Heath to a 3-0 win over their arch-rivals Saint Mark’s West Gorton, as they were first called, in the very first Manchester Derby on November 12, 1888. The same can be said of their winning spirit in the last decade, simply non-existent.

'The problem is the schedule'.

Pep Guardiola wants his players back and he wants a better schedule! #BBCFootball #Football #PremierLeague #MCFC pic.twitter.com/7AwbTghf9m

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) December 13, 2024

For their blue and ‘noisy’ neighbours though, they have had their fair share of challenges in the last decade, albeit off the field. However, that seems to have transcended onto the pitch, losing five in a row for the first time under the Spanish manager.

Their poor form might give the Red Devils some hope, especially considering their new coach, Ruben Amorim, defeated Guardiola’s side 4-1 in his last UEFA Champions League as Sporting CP coach.

Amorim has not had a fairytale start to life at Old Trafford, avoiding the fate of suffering three consecutive defeats with a 2-1 comeback win over Viktoria Plzen in the EUROPA League, so United fans know they are not inevitable yet, despite the huge boost in confidence.

But City fans will be heartened by the fact they’ve won five of the past six Premier League clashes, and lost only one, while just once have they been beaten at the Etihad Stadium this term – won seven, drew three.

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— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 13, 2024

However, they have not been their usual dominant side, which was so glaring in their 2-0 UEFA Champions League loss to Juventus.

The 195th Manchester Derby in 136 years comes on live this Super Sunday. Can the Red side increase their win tally from 79, or will it be another victory for the Sky Blues to shoot up their victories from 62? A 55th stalemate is also not off the cards.

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