Manchester derby to test City on final stretch
Manchester City begin a defining stretch of their bid to become the first team to win four consecutive English league titles when they host their latest derby against Manchester United this evening.
Second-place City (18-3-5, 59 points) have been oddsmakers’ favourites to win the league throughout the campaign, despite strong challenges from leaders Liverpool and thirdplaced Arsenal. City are now eyeing a run of fixtures that could make or break that aim.
After leg two of their Uefa Champions League round-of-16 series against FC Copenhagen next Wednesday, City will visit Liverpool on Sunday and host Arsenal on March 31.
The surrounding games also pose difficulties in total City are looking at four consecutive league fixtures against teams now in the top half of the table, plus an FA Cup quarterfinal meeting with Newcastle United.
With City having won five of the past six Manchester derbies in all competitions, it could almost be tempting to look past the sixth-placed Red Devils (14-10-2, 44 points). But City manager Pep Guardiola insisted United have been as good as any Premier League team since January.
“They went to Luton and beat them, Wolves and beat them, Aston Villa to go and win a few weeks ago. They have the biggest quality,” Guardiola said. “In 2024 they lost just one game, the consistency is there.”
Guardiola is factually correct. Qualitatively, though, United have been bailed out on several occasions by late goals that followed relatively poor performances for most of 90 minutes. That trend continued in United’s 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday night, decided by Casemiro’s 89thminute tally.
And led by seven league goals each from Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay, the Red Devils can’t claim to match City’s attacking weapons — particularly since Hojlund will miss today’s game with a muscular injury.
City’s Erling Haaland continues to lead the Premier League with 17 goals, and he poured in five against Luton in City’s 6-2 FA Cup fifth-round win on Tuesday. Belgian playmaker Kevin de Bruyne has had goal involvements in all but one of his past five starts in all competitions, including four assists in the Luton victory. While ceding the advantage in quality, United boss Erik ten Hag believes his team’s recent habit of winning gives his side a better chance today. “We are also in a good run,” he said. “We are in togetherness and make a good game plan. We have done (well) before against City and also lately against Liverpool, so we will prepare well. The players are ready for it and looking forward to it. I can smell it. I’m excited.”
United were humiliated 6-3 in the fixture last season but won the home match, though they also lost to Pep Guardiola’s side in the FA Cup final with City going on to match United’s 1999 feat by completing a treble.
City, who also won 3-0 at Old Trafford in October, are in ominous form, but Ten Hag said his side could halt their charge. “We need a great day. We know we have to give everything and show a team performance if we want to get the result,” he said.
With 15 points separating secondplaced City and sixthplaced United, that ambition might take a while to come to fruition.
United are a long way from a gripping three-way title race also featuring leaders Liverpool and Arsenal, but would take immense satisfaction from denting City’s hopes of winning a record fourth successive Premier League crown.
City are unbeaten in their past 18 games in all competitions and warmed up for the derby with a 6-2 FA Cup win at Luton Town in which Haaland scored five times.