City (8-4-3, 27 points) have endured a dramatic slump, winning just once in their last 10 matches across all competitions (1-7-2) since late October. Although recent league form has slightly improved with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on December 4 and a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on December 7, Pep Guardiola’s side remains in an uncharacteristic fourth place, eight points behind leaders Liverpool, who also have a match in hand. A 2-0 loss to Juventus in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday has left City in danger of missing out on the knockout rounds.
Rodri is still sidelined for the season, but Kevin De Bruyne, having recovered from injury, made his first starts since mid-September in those recent matches, contributing a goal and an assist in the win over Forest. Guardiola remains positive, stating that while the team’s spirit and effort are intact, he understands the disappointment among the fans due to the team’s unusual struggles.
On the other hand, Ruben Amorim will manage his first derby for 13th-placed United (5-6-4, 19 points) since taking charge last month. Amorim, who guided Sporting Lisbon to a 4-1 victory over City in the Champions League, has had a mixed start with United, with just one win in his first four league games, though that included a 4-0 thrashing of Everton on December 1, in which Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee each scored twice.
Despite this, Rashford has since lost his starting spot under Amorim, who brings experience from managing Sporting and playing for Benfica in previous high-stakes derbies.
