Amad Diallo scored a stunning winner for Manchester United to turn a dramatic derby as Manchester City collapsed again to continue their miserable run under Pep Guardiola.
Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header looked to have settled a clash that was low on quality, until Diallo punished a weak backpass from Matheus Nunes to win Ruben Amorim’s side a late penalty.
Bruno Fernandes stepped up to equalise as the clock ticked over to 90 minutes – before Diallo struck again to reach a through pass, flick the ball over Ederson, and squeeze a finish in to spark wild scenes in the away end.
The result means City have now lost eight of their last 11 games, while Amorim enjoyed his best moment yet in charge of United after starting the day by dropping both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho.
But up stepped Diallo, who inspired an unthinkable comeback. Follow all of the latest from the Manchester derby in our live blog below:
FULL TIME! Adam Diallo inspires Man Utd to increase misery on Man City
City left with one win in 11 games as Pep Guardiola’s side blow lead late on
90’ GOAL! Amad Diallo stars with dramatic winner as Man Utd stun City (MCI 1-2 MUN)
89’ GOAL! Bruno Fernandes sends Ederson the wrong way (MCI 1-1 MUN)
86’ PENALTY! Nunes backpass punished as Amad fouled (MCI 1-0 MUN)
74’ CHANCE! Fernandes through on goal but chips wide (MCI 1-0 MUN)
65’ PENALTY? Dias escapes for tripping Hojlund in the box (MCI 1-0 MUN)
37’ GOAL! Josko Gvardiol heads in deflected Kevin De Bruyne cross (MCI 1-0 MUN)
14’ Mason Mount limps off after suffering latest injury blow (MCI 0-0 MUN)
No Marcus Rashford or Alejandro Garnacho in Man Utd squad
Manchester City FC 1 – 2 Manchester United FC
21:50 , Jamie Braidwood
Bernardo Silva accused Manchester City of playing like “under-15s” as he ripped into the “stupid decisions” his team made in the final minutes of their spectacular collapse against Manchester United.
City lost for the eighth time in 11 matches despite taking the lead into the 88th minute of their home Manchester derby at the Etihad, as Amad Diallo inspired a dramatic comeback for the visitors.
Diallo first punished a back-pass from Matheus Nunes to win a penalty for Bruno Fernandes, before the winger latched onto a long ball to round Ederson and squeeze a finish into the net.
It continued City’s miserable run under Pep Guardiola, who said after the champion’s latest defeat that he was “not good enough”, and Bernardo said the team “deserve to lose” based on their performance.
Bernardo Silva rips into Man City for ‘playing like under-15s’ in collapse to Man Utd
21:25 , Jamie Braidwood
L 1-2 vs Tottenham (A) – Carabao Cup
L 1-2 vs Bournemouth (A) – Premier League
L 1-4 vs Sporting (A) – Champions League
L 1-2 vs Brighton (A) – Premier League
L 0-4 vs Tottenham (H) – Premier League
D 3-3 vs Feyenoord (H) – Champions League
L 0-2 vs Liverpool (A) – Premier League
W 3-0 vs Nottingham Forest (H) – Premier League
D 2-2 vs Crystal Palace (A) – Premier League
L 0-2 vs Juventus (A) – Champions League
L 1-2 vs Manchester United (H) – Premier League
21:05 , Jamie Braidwood
“I’m the boss, I’m the manager, I have to find solutions but I don’t find solutions,” Pep Guardiola said. “This is a big club and when you lose eight of (11) something is wrong. You can say the schedule is tough or the injuries to players, but no.
“I’m the manager and I’m not good enough, simple as that. I have to find a way to talk to them, to train them in the way we need to play, to press the way we need to press. I’m not good enough. I’m not doing well. That is the truth.”
20:45 , Jamie Braidwood
Pep Guardiola said he was “not good enough” to find a solution to Manchester City’s woes after they conceded two late goals to slump to a 2-1 home derby defeat to rivals Manchester United.
City had led through Josko Gvardiol’s 36th-minute header but rarely looked comfortable in the game and it all unravelled in stunning fashion at the death.
Matheus Nunes, asked to fill in at left-back, was guilty of a poor back-pass and then fouled Amad Diallo trying to make amends to concede a penalty which Bruno Fernandes converted in the 88th minute, and two minutes later Diallo found space to latch on to a long ball and score the winner.
Pep Guardiola admits ‘I’m not good enough’ as Man City lose again
20:24 , Pete Hall
It was bold. It was brave. And for 88 minutes it looked very foolish indeed. But this is why Ruben Amorim has been tasked with being Manchester United’s saviour. From the minute he walked in the door, he promised short-term pain for long-term game. It seemed, however, he had taken things a step too far. Whatever Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho had done to be omitted from the squad for a crucial Manchester derby, it should not have come at the cost of his team getting a result at the Etihad.
Amad Diallo, in winning an 88th minute penalty and firing a sensational winner, instead gave Amorim the ultimate justification for making the big calls, even for the biggest games. Many will say such courage has long been conspicuous by its absence around Old Trafford. Amad is already Amorim’s posterboy for this high intensity, high press game he wants to instil at United. Rashford and Garnacho, already, are anything but.
Ruben Amorim’s first major Man Utd call pays off to send message to dropped duo
19:52 , Jamie Braidwood
Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund joked that Kyle Walker should win an Oscar after Roy Keane criticised the Manchester City’s defender play-acting in the derby.
Hojlund and Walker were involved in a heated confrontation during the first half at the Etihad but it was the United striker who had the last laugh as Amad Diallo inspired a dramatic comeback.
Walker was involved in an argument with Hojlund after clipping the United striker, but then fell to the ground as the pair went head-to-head.
Along with a picture of himself and Walker butting heads, Hojlund wrote: “Manchester is red; Violets are blue; What a brilliant performance; But the Oscar goes to…”
Hojlund produces brilliant comeback after Walker clash: ‘And the Oscar goes to…’
19:29 , Jamie Braidwood
Pep Guardiola has admitted that he is not finding the solutions to Manchester City’s problems after their latest defeat. He told Sky Sports that Man City’s form is “getting worse and worse”.
“This year it happens many times unfortunately. We gave away many things. We are not nice in the way we played. Before it’s so fluid, now we’re struggling for different reasons. A lot of defeats. We put everything in and the game was almost closed. They had more possession first half but nothing special. We give away two goals, very difficult.
“It is what it is. What can I say? We can not blame this player or that one, it’s not that. It’s the season, a tough season. We didn’t play our best. We are not our best and we struggle a bit.
“Previously we didn’t lose that many in two seasons. Now we’ve done it in eight games. You have to defend. We have lost a lot of games. It’s difficult. We have to move on and try to find the solution and try to win games.
“I think in nine years it wasn’t the toughest defeat. Champions League defeats harder. But at the moment, we need results to lift our mood. It’s getting worse and worse. I have to find the solution. So far I didn’t find it and this is the truth.”
19:21 , Jamie Braidwood
Ruben Amorim makes sure to say Manchester United need to “improve their standards” after beating Manchester City. He adds that Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho will be given a “new week, new life” on Monday and can return to the team if they impress in training.
Full quotes to come…
19:13 , Jamie Braidwood
Some very strong words from Bernardo Silva when speaking to Sky Sports, who says Manchester City “deserved what happened” in the final five minutes because of “stupid decisions”.
He adds that the champions “played like under-15s” when 1-0 up.
“We totally deserved what happened,” Silva tells Sky Sports. “At this level, if it’s a game or two, you can say that they are being lucky. If it’s 10 games, it’s not about that.
“If in the 87th minute of a derby, you are winning 1-0 with a corner for your team and the ball ends up with your ‘keeper and a penalty for them, my friend…
“If you make these kinds of stupid decisions with three or four minutes to go, you deserve to pay for that.
“If you look at the game, there was only one team that could win. But at the end, we lost, and it’s not one gamee, it’s a lot of games lately.
“We have to look at ourselves. It’s not about luck. It’s the decisions you make. Today, in the last minutes we played like under-15s and we paid the price.”
19:10 , Richard Jolly
For City, it was another capitulation, another collapse. After Feyenoord’s three goals in 15 minutes at the Etihad Stadium came United’s two in three. A team who lost a lead to Amorim’s Sporting last month repeated the feat against his Manchester United: but at home, but later, but when their plight is greater.
It was an eighth defeat in 11 games for a manager who has been a byword for winning. Guardiola finished with the now familiar chorus of “sacked in the morning” ringing in his ears. His melodramatic reaction when Matheus Nunes conceded the spot kick that Bruno Fernandes was to convert showed his fears about the fragility of this side. They duly lost. Again.
A shadow of themselves, Man City have reached an unthinkable position
19:01 , Jamie Braidwood
Manchester City lost a home game after leading at half time for the first time since 8th May 2021, which came against Chelsea. Since then, City went 44 games without defeat in the Premier League after leading at half-time.
18:49 , Jamie Braidwood
Plenty of talk about Manchester Citys horror run. But there should be just as much said about how Amad Diallo lit the derby.
Here he is, speaking to Sky Sports: “We wanted to win, we pressed good. It’s a derby, you have to win. We showed today we could do it.
“I want to thank God for this. Let’s enjoy this and then look to the next game.”
Bruno Fernandes adds: “He’s a man of few words in English! He’s doing great things. There is more to come, too. I want him to keep going. He is always alive. When he’s like this he is unstoppable. He can do this week after week.”
18:45 , Jamie Braidwood
City’s next game? They’re off in midweek and then go to Aston Villa on Saturday night. City are fifth, two points above sixth-placed Villa, and they lost there last season.
Pep Guardiola’s side are still nine points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Until the 88th minute, they are about to go level on points with Arsenal.
18:40 , Jamie Braidwood
Pep Guaridola will be “scratching his head, again”, says Gary Neville on Sky Sports.
“This just does not happen to Manchester City, it does not happen to Pep Guardiola. These fans have not seen the like for many many years. These players, serial winners and serial campions.”
“Shell-shocked” and “gob-smacked”, add Roy Keane and Micah Richards.
All the reaction to come.
18:39 , Jamie Braidwood
There were boos at full-time at the Etihad. Manchester City fans are not used to this under Pep Guardiola. An unthinkable late collapse continues a miserable run.
Amad Diallo was United’s only spark and turned the derby.
18:38 , Chris Wilson
It was a poor game in many respects in Manchester, with both sides lacking real quality in parts.
City were probably the better of the two sides for the most part, but a draw would have been a fair result overall.
In the end, United pounced at the right time to take advantage of some poor decision-making by City, and they come away with (a perhaps undeserved) three points.
18:35 , Chris Wilson
18:32 , Chris Wilson
FULL-TIME! The referee brings the game to an end and somehow United escape with three points! A poor game gets a finish worthy of a classic, and City’s players look shellshocked.
18:31 , Chris Wilson
96 mins
City launch it forward but United win it back, and Zirkzee is isolated as he launches his own attack, carrying it forward. There’s not much time left…
18:29 , Chris Wilson
95 mins
Grealish’s cross is put behind by Lindelof, so City win a corner. Grealish knocks it in, but Martinez clears, before Yoro clears the second ball in.
18:28 , Chris Wilson
94 mins
United knock it clear but it’s straight back to a City shirt every time. The hosts are applying all the pressure now.
18:27 , Chris Wilson
93 mins
Plenty of nerves around the Etihad, from both sets of fans. It’s City with all the possession.
18:26 , Chris Wilson
91 mins
There’ll be five minutes of added time here. Amad has been replaced by Victor Lindelof.
18:25 , Chris Wilson
90 mins
GOAL! And United have turned it around!
Martinez finds himself in space on the left and he looks up and picks out Amad, who has made the run in-between the centre-backs. His first touch knocks it over Ederson, and he then cushions in a finish at an angle!
18:23 , Chris Wilson
89 mins
City have brought on Savinho for Gundogan as we approach 90 minutes.
18:22 , Chris Wilson
88 mins
Fernandes steps up to take the penalty after a little delay. He takes a slow run-up and fires a low effort into the right-hand corner, sending Ederson the wrong way.
18:20 , Chris Wilson
86 mins
Penalty! They had it under control but Nunes sells Ederson short with the pass and Amad latches onto it. He’s in the box but rather than shoot, he waits and falls under the challenge from Nunes for a penalty.
18:19 , Chris Wilson
84 mins
City win a cheap corner but United manage to get it away. The home side are in control as it stands.
18:18 , Chris Wilson
82 mins
Martinez tries to play in an early cross and Mainoo reaches it, but he can only direct a header well over. City are happy to let United have the ball in those areas.
18:15 , Chris Wilson
80 mins
More good work from Amad to skip past Nunes in the box, but Fernandes can’t get the ball under control and it goes out for a goal kick.
18:12 , Chris Wilson
78 mins
Subs from United this time as Hojlund, Mazraoui and de Ligt come off for Joshua Zirkzee, Antony and Leny Yoro. Questionable changes, I’d say.
18:11 , Chris Wilson
77 mins
Gundogan swings in the corner and Maguire’s clearing header falls to Foden, who volleys over the bar.
18:11 , Chris Wilson
76 mins
A comedy moment as Mazraoui slips and Doku slips in a pass to Hojlund. The cross bounces over to Haaland, whose effort is deflected for a corner.
City bring off Doku for Jack Grealish.
18:09 , Chris Wilson
74 mins
CLOSE! United’s first good attack of the game as Mazraoui does brilliantly to take it off Doku and escape a couple of challenges. He plays it to Hojlund, who threads a perfect through ball to Fernandes. The Portuguese clips his effort over the onrushing Ederson, but it rolls wide of the far post!
18:06 , Chris Wilson
72 mins
A lull in activity here, with City still controlling the game as Hojlund is flagged offside from Mainoo’s ball over the top.
18:03 , Chris Wilson
69 mins
Diallo gets past Nunes well on the touchline and plays a great pass to Dalot across the box, but the Portuguese can’t make anything of it.
18:02 , Chris Wilson
67 mins
City have half a chance as the ball falls to Gundogan on the edge of the box, but he fires well over.
17:58 , Chris Wilson
64 mins
United fans want a penalty as there’s a coming together in the box between Dias and Hojlund. It looks like the Portuguese’s leg has taken him down, but the referee isn’t interested.
17:57 , Chris Wilson
63 mins
SAVE! Ederson’s first real save of the game as Dalot cuts back to Fernandes, who clips a diagonal cross into the box. Amad glances a header goalwards, forcing Ederson to get across and parry out for a corner.
17:56 , Jamie Braidwood
Rather pedestrian fare from two uninspired teams in an error-riddled game. City at least have a lot of people in midfield, which Guardiola prefers. United were arguably the better side for the period around the goal, but still find themselves one down and, some Amad runs aside, not looking likely to equalise in a side that now seems overloaded with defenders. The attackers on the bench are, er, Zirkzee and Antony.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
17:39 , Chris Wilson
United get the second half started at the Etihad.
17:37 , Chris Wilson
Both sides are emerging from the tunnel again, so we’ll be back underway soon.
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.
17:27 , Chris Wilson
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.
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.
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.
17:17 , Chris Wilson
45 mins
There’ll be at least four minutes of added time here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
16:45 , Chris Wilson
13 mins
Mount comes off and he’s replaced by Kobbie Mainoo. Such poor luck for the 25-year-old.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
16:25 , Chris Wilson
Both sides are in the tunnel at the Etihad and we’re around five minutes from kick-off.
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.
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.
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.”
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).
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”.
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.”
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent’s website
