The winds of innovation are sweeping through Manchester. Manchester City and Manchester United will meet at the Etihad this weekend as the feasibility of their reconstruction process is still being carefully considered.
Positive green shoots for Man United of Ruben Amorim
Man United had a rather lackluster start to the season. Despite losing to Arsenal in their opening game, they are still a bit optimistic. However, old habits returned as they lost the lead at Fulham.
The disappointing performance against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup made fans and even Amorim himself worried about the future of the team.
After the penalty shootout defeat against Grimsby, the Portuguese coach said "there needs to be change something", implying that players cannot doubt his future.
A few days later, Amorim withdrew his speech, explaining that it was just a temporary emotion. "Sometimes I want to retire, sometimes I want to stay here for 20 years," said the Portuguese captain.
This disappointment comes from the fact that the "Red Devils" are on the right track but the results and scores have not reflected progress. They have only scored 1 goal from openings this season, but the basic statistics show that the team has much greater potential.
The new season has just begun, but Amorim's side have taken the lead in expected goals, shots and chances created in the Premier League. This reflects their free and flowing attacking play.
The arrival of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo has helped Man United diversify their striker positions. At the same time, they are also more focused on direct play, as the team is leading the Premier League in the number of successful long passes.
Signs of improvement are also evident through their new fighting spirit - an often criticized aspect of their playing style. Only one Premier League side this season has been superior to the Red Devils in terms of their ability to win both one-on-one and one-on-one competitions.
Amorim will certainly be looking forward to these promising numbers being turned into victories. A win over Burnley before the international break was necessary, but the Manchester derby was an opportunity for them to prove their ability.
Guardiola is the only manager Amorim has faced more than once in the Premier League but has remained unbeaten.
Amorim has beaten Guardiola twice in the 2024-25 season. The first time was when he led Sporting to a 4-1 win in the Champions League a few days before taking office at Old Trafford. And the second time was when Amad scored the winning goal in the comeback at the Etihad last December. The most recent Manchester derby ended in a 0-0 draw in April.
Man City's sadness spreads to the new season
Man City's unprecedented decline last season took them into an unidescribed land. A total of the lowest points under Guardiola in an empty campaign forced the team to undergo a rebuild in the summer. However, difficulties continue to draw into the new season when Guardiola has had his worst start to a tournament since 2008.
The departure of Kevin De Bruyne signals a new era at the Etihad. Contractors such as James Trafford, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders were added in the summer of 2025. In addition, there are January deals such as Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Omar Marmoush, creating a new Man City.
However, with only one win in the Premier League 2025-2026 so far, The Citizens are having a very difficult start.
Man City's technical changes seem to be starting to make an impact. Former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders sat on the coaching bench with Guardiola, alongside Kolo Toure. Lijnders was once Jurgen Klopp's right-hand man, famous for playing an important role in the dynamic, high-speed play of The Kop.
A change in the Citizens' approach has become apparent. With Cherki and Oscar Bobb back, their individual style of play has been more emphasized. Man City is leading in the number of ball disputes up to this point in the Premier League.
Although Rodri has returned to full fitness, Man City still have difficulty controlling the match. They lost the advantage against Brighton and were completely overwhelmed by Tottenham under coach Thomas Frank. This lack of control will be the factor that Guardiola is most concerned about ahead of the Manchester derby.
