Man Utd vs Man City | Premier League | Pre Match
Man Utd vs Man City
It has been a season to forget for both Manchester clubs in 2024-25, though the 196th instalment of this fabled fixture nevertheless is still cause for excitement. For Manchester United and Manchester City, the 2024-25 Premier League campaign has been a rollercoaster of disappointment, marked by inconsistency, unexpected losses, and a failure to live up to the lofty standards both clubs have set in recent years. United, under the stewardship of Ruben Amorim, have struggled to find their footing, languishing in mid-table obscurity with a string of results that have left fans frustrated and yearning for the glory days of old. Meanwhile, City, managed by the usually infallible Pep Guardiola, have seen their aura of invincibility shattered, with a series of lackluster performances exposing vulnerabilities in a squad that once seemed untouchable. Despite these struggles, the Manchester derby remains one of the most anticipated fixtures in world football, a clash steeped in history and rivalry that transcends the current form of either side. The 196th meeting between these two giants, set to take place in April 2025, promises to deliver drama and intensity, even if the stakes are lower than in previous years when titles and top-four finishes were on the line. For the supporters of both clubs, this is more than just a game—it’s a chance to assert bragging rights in a city where footballing pride runs deep, and for the players, it’s an opportunity to salvage some dignity from a season that has so far offered little to celebrate.
Amad Diallo was Manchester United’s derby day hero at the Etihad Stadium in December, with his 90th-minute goal completing a remarkable late turnaround to beat out-of-sorts Manchester City 2-1 in the Premier League. That match, played just before the turn of the year, stands as one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal campaign for United. Trailing for much of the game after Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header put City in front, United looked destined for yet another defeat against their noisy neighbors. However, the tide turned in the dying moments, sparked by the tenacity and flair of Amad Diallo, a young winger who has emerged as a rare positive in United’s turbulent season. In the 88th minute, Amad was brought down inside the penalty area by City’s Matheus Nunes, a clumsy challenge that handed United a lifeline. Up stepped Bruno Fernandes, the team’s talisman and captain, who coolly dispatched the penalty to level the score and ignite hopes of an improbable comeback. Just when it seemed the points would be shared, United struck again. A long, searching pass from Lisandro Martínez caught City’s defense napping, and Amad raced onto it, deftly lifting the ball over the advancing Ederson before slotting it into an empty net. The Etihad fell silent as United’s traveling faithful erupted, celebrating a victory that felt like a throwback to the days when Sir Alex Ferguson’s teams would snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. For Amad, it was a moment of personal triumph, a defining performance that cemented his growing reputation and gave United fans a glimmer of hope amid the gloom.
Pep Guardiola’s side were on course for a much-needed three points after Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header until Amad was fouled inside the box by Matheus Nunes, with United talisman Bruno Fernandes stepping up to convert the resulting spot-kick. City’s performance that day encapsulated their struggles throughout the season—a blend of dominance undermined by moments of fragility. Gvardiol’s goal, a towering header from a well-worked set-piece, had given them a deserved lead and suggested they were on track to halt their alarming slide. Guardiola, a manager renowned for his tactical brilliance, had set his team up to control possession and suffocate United’s attacking threat, and for 45 minutes, it worked. The Etihad crowd, sensing a rare victory in a season of disappointment, roared their approval as City dictated the tempo. But the second half exposed the cracks that have plagued Guardiola’s side in 2024-25: a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal and a susceptibility to late drama. Nunes’ reckless foul on Amad was a microcosm of City’s defensive lapses, a needless error that gifted United a way back into the game. Fernandes, ever reliable from the spot, made no mistake, drilling the ball past Ederson to restore parity and shift the momentum. From there, City’s composure deserted them, and their inability to regroup allowed United to capitalize in the most devastating fashion. For Guardiola, it was another bitter pill to swallow, a defeat that underscored the challenges he faces in revitalizing a squad that has lost its once-unshakable confidence.
The spoils were seemingly set to be shared, but United then went ahead almost out of nothing. Lisandro Martínez’s long pass over the City defence was reached by Amad, who prodded the ball over the on-rushing Ederson before tucking the ball home, handing Ruben Amorim his first big scalp since taking the reins at Old Trafford. The winning goal was a moment of pure instinct and opportunism, the kind of play that United have lacked for much of the season. Martínez, a defender known for his tenacity rather than his passing range, launched a speculative ball from deep, catching City’s high defensive line off guard. Amad’s movement was superb, his first touch exquisite as he lifted the ball over Ederson, and his finish clinical as he rolled it into the net. It was a goal that defied the run of play, a sucker punch that left City reeling and handed Amorim a signature victory in his fledgling tenure. The Portuguese manager, who arrived at United in November 2024 with a reputation for dynamic, attacking football, had promised to bring a new energy to the club, and this result felt like a validation of that pledge. Beating City at the Etihad, especially in such dramatic circumstances, was a statement of intent, a sign that Amorim could indeed be the man to drag United out of their malaise. Yet, as the weeks have passed, that victory has begun to feel more like an anomaly than a turning point, a fleeting high in a season defined by lows.
That result came just 40 days after Amorim had guided former employers Sporting CP to a crushing 4-1 victory over City in the UEFA Champions League. As such, the Red Devils boss is now aiming to become just the third manager to beat Guardiola in three consecutive meetings, after Jürgen Klopp with Liverpool (twice) and Thomas Tuchel with Chelsea in 2020-21. Amorim’s record against Guardiola is remarkable, a testament to his tactical nous and ability to unsettle one of football’s greatest minds. The 4-1 thrashing in Lisbon during his Sporting days was a masterclass in counter-attacking football, with City torn apart by a rampant home side. Fast forward to December, and Amorim repeated the trick, this time with United, exploiting City’s vulnerabilities to secure a famous win. Now, as the two sides prepare to meet again, Amorim has the chance to etch his name into the history books alongside Klopp and Tuchel, two managers who have consistently found ways to outfox Guardiola. Klopp, in particular, was a thorn in City’s side during his Liverpool tenure, achieving the feat twice, while Tuchel’s Chelsea side famously toppled Guardiola’s men in the 2021 Champions League final. For Amorim, a third consecutive victory would not only boost his burgeoning reputation but also provide a much-needed lift for United’s faltering season. However, the task is far from straightforward—City, wounded but still dangerous, will be desperate to avoid another humiliation at the hands of their crosstown rivals.
But United and Amorim have failed to build on that memorable win at the Etihad Stadium. Their 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday was their 13th league defeat of the season, one short of equalling a club record in the Premier League era (set last term). The result at the City Ground was an even harder pill to swallow as Red Devils academy product Anthony Elanga struck the decisive blow. The defeat to Forest was a stark reminder of United’s fragility, a performance that laid bare the inconsistencies that have plagued them all season. After the euphoria of the derby win, fans had hoped for a resurgence, a run of form that might propel United back into contention for a top-half finish. Instead, they were dealt a harsh reality check by a Forest side that has quietly impressed under Nuno Espírito Santo. Elanga, a former United youngster who left the club in search of regular football, rubbed salt in the wound with a well-taken goal, his pace and directness exposing a sluggish United defense. The loss left United teetering on the brink of matching their worst-ever Premier League campaign, a record set in 2023-24 when they lost 14 times under Erik ten Hag. For Amorim, the honeymoon period is well and truly over, and the pressure is mounting to deliver results. As the derby looms, United find themselves at a crossroads—another defeat could plunge them deeper into crisis, while a victory might just offer a lifeline in a season that has so far promised much but delivered little.
