Fireworks At Old Trafford As Manchester United And Manchester City rekindle Rivalries

It’s a weekend of derbies as league action resumes in Europe this weekend In England, the two most successful teams in the Premier League’s history go head to head on Sunday with Manchester United hosting Manchester City.

One of the biggest fixtures on the football calendar will take place at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon, for the latest instalment of the Manchester derby.

Man United have already lost four times in the Premier League this season, with a total of 15 points from nine matches leaving them down in eighth position in the table.

Man City are second, two points behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur, but Pep Guardiola‘s side have already lost twice in 2023-24, both away from home against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal.

The last meeting between the two sides was the FA Cup final at the start of June, with Man City running out 2-1 winners to prevent Man United from making it a domestic cup double last term.

The Citizens have actually been victorious in four of the last five meetings between the two teams in all competitions, but Man United won 2-1 at Old Trafford in the Premier League last season, with Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford on the scoresheet after Jack Grealish had made the breakthrough.

The treble winners will enter this contest off the back of a 3-1 win over Young Boys in the Champions League, while Man United beat Copenhagen in the same competition to boost their hopes of advancing to the knockout round.

The Citizens last won at Old Trafford in November 2021 in the Premier League, but Man United enjoyed a strong run against Man City between December 2019 and March 2020, winning three of their four meetings during that period.

Unsurprisingly, Man United lead the overall head-to-head record between these two sides, with the Red Devils posting 78 wins to Man City’s 59, while there have also been 53 draws throughout history.

Man United’s Premier League record against the Citizens reads played 52, won 25, lost 18 and drawn nine, with Guardiola’s side still having work to do in order to move past their rivals in terms of Premier League victories in Manchester derbies.

City have won three titles in a row, something only United have managed before in the Premier League era – twice – from 1998-99 to 2000-01 and again from 2006-07 to 2008-09.

Pep Guardiola’s class of 2023-24 are now bidding to make history as they look to win a record fourth successive title.

THE EL CLASICO

Attention will shift to Spain for the 189th La Liga Clasico with both Real Madrid and Barcelona way off their best form as they prepare for the first of this season’s tussles for Spanish football’s bragging rights.

Real may top the table, with Barca just one point behind, but all is not well at either club and here is why.

Rodrygo’s goal against Braga in the Champions League on Tuesday was the Brazilian’s first since he scored in the season opener. He has the dubious distinction of being the player with the poorest return for shots on goal in any of the five major European leagues.

Astonishingly, the problems have been masked by the stellar start that Jude Bellingham is enjoying to his career at Real – with another goal on Tuesday in Portugal his 11th in 12 games.

Real Madrid is the sort of place where reputations count for nothing and you have to prove yourself from the get-go.

Just four months since putting pen to paper, he is already being touted as the leader of the side with comparisons being made between him and Zinedine Zidane.

There is total admiration for his ability, personality and application and the way he has settled seamlessly into the Spanish way of life.

That is the good news for Real. The not so good is that he picked up a knock in the win in Braga and has been a doubt for the game on Saturday, although he did return to training on Friday and is expected to feature.

Barcelona have been hit by injuries, with several key players at risk of missing the big game.

Robert Lewandowski is one of those players who probably could have played in the Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, although it was probably thought wiser to save him for the Clasico.

It remains to be seen whether Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha make it, although one player that Barca manager Xavi has said definitely will not play, despite being very close to a return, is Pedri.

Barcelona do have some very talented youngsters to call upon, though, such as the 17-year-old Marc Guiu, who scored within 30 seconds of making his La Liga debut, or Fermin Lopez, who was their best player in the Champions League this week, hitting the post twice and scoring once.

Barcelona’s title triumph last season was built on good defence. This season, they have conceded 10 goals in 10 league games. Last season it wasn’t until match day 31 that they conceded their 10th goal of the campaign.

German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was a massive factor last season but has not been as crucial this time around.

Much of the winning mentality currently in this Barcelona side comes from three players in particular.

Spain international Balde adds an awful lot, especially going forward, where he looks the successor to Jordi Alba at left-back.

Gavi, despite his chaotic way of playing and all too frequent displays of youthful indiscipline, is loved by everyone at Barcelona and is already a huge character in the dressing room.

Forward Ferran Torres, meanwhile, has graduated from having self-doubts to playing with a renewed confidence. The former Manchester City man has to be praised for admitting he needed help to address his mental health.

But Xavi realises that without De Jong, Lewandowski, Raphinha and especially Pedri, the Barcelona style will suffer.