For the past decade, Man City has dominated the Premier League while Man United has often become a topic of debate rather than a challenging candidate. Mayor Andy Burnham's assertion that Manchester will be the "global football capital of the 21st century" has not yet come true, largely due to the decline of Man United under the Glazer era.
Under Pep Guardiola, Man City has reached such a high level that it has turned the Derby into a one-sided game. Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag have had remarkable victories but no one is strong enough to put Man United up for the title.
Pep Guardiola mentioned the class gap right after he led Man City to their first Champions League title and won 6/7 of their most recent Premier League titles at that time. Pep explained that the difference lies in a unified vision. The Etihad team invited him back from Bayern Munich thanks to careful preparation with Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain - two former Barcelona leaders, paving a clear path. On the contrary, Man United struggled in the dark and had to change coaches continuously over the years.
The Manchester Derby still has highlights such as Man City's resounding victories, interspersed with several times Man United unexpectedly resisted such as the 2024 FA Cup final. However, the tension that Mourinho faced Pep, or before that Sir Alex Ferguson with Roberto Mancini was no longer maintained.
The simple truth for Man United fans is that the hottest matches in Manchester in recent years often take place when Liverpool or Arsenal visit the Etihad. The most recent Manchester Derby was a goalless draw at Old Trafford.
Both teams entered the Derby with countless worries. The Citizens started impressively against Wolves in round 1 but then lost to Tottenham at home and then were sent back by Brighton away. For the first time since 2005, they have lost two of their opening three games. For the first time since December 2024, Man City entered the Derby with a lower position than Man United in the rankings.
Since arriving in Manchester in November 2024, Ruben Amorim has always been steadfast in his philosophy. For supporters, it is the strength of trust. For skeptics, it is rigidity. 31 points after 30 Premier League games is a terrible achievement. The fact that M.U spent more than 200 million pounds last summer but still could not solve the problem of goal output has put the pressure on Amorim's shoulders.
Pep Guardiola was once so steadfast. In the first Derby, he used Claudio Bravo to replace Joe Hart and caused a storm of public opinion. However, the belief in football control and a goalkeeper who knows how to play football brought great success to the Spanish coach.
By 2025, is that vision still clear or not? Pep has just brought in Gianluigi Donnarumma - the goalkeeper who was left out by PSG for playing with his weak foot. At the same time, Erling Haaland is a striker who scores in the Premier League but often does not appear much outside the box. Pep had previously asked the strikers to participate in building the playing style, but now he seems to have accepted the difference.
Man City has made many changes such as the midfielder playing on the wing, midfielders and wingers no longer following the old standards. Pep Guardiola said he had to adapt to the moderate football rhythm but in fact, City were confused against Brighton and Tottenham in the last 2 matches.
Pep Guardiola has extended his contract until 2027, but there are still signs of doubt about his commitment. Just being a top coach is enough to exhaust Pep's efforts, let alone always give him all his heart and all his heart every week.
This Derby therefore becomes an opportunity for both to regain motivation. A victory can turn the atmosphere but a failure will make things worse. The prospect after 4 rounds of only 1 win, while Man City and Man United are ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, making the pressure even more suppressed.
Manchester used to be the center of power in English football. Now, the City Derby is no longer a place to compete for the title, it is a test for the two captains struggling to find their own true self.
