Manchester City - Man United: summary, score, goals, highlights Premier League 2024/25

Thanks to one and all for tuning in. It was a slow burner but worth it for the drama in the end! 

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What next for Manchester United?

United will hope the derby gives them a big shot in the arm. They are away toSpurs in the League Cup in midweek (Wednesday, December 19, 3:00 p.m. ET) before hosting Bournemouth in their next Premier League game next Sunday (December 22, 9:00 a.m. ET). 

What next for Manchester City?

City take their run of one win in 11 games to Aston Villa next weekend. They'll be at Villa Park on Saturday, December 21 (kickoff at 7:30 a.m. ET). 

United remain in bottom half

Manchester United remain in the bottom half of the table, although they won't care too much about that right now. They've moved into 12th above Tottenham, who play against Southampton later. 

Manchester City's woeful run continues

That's now one win in 11 games for Manchester City.One win in 11 games for Pep Guardiola. The world's gone mad. 

Are Man City's title hopes over?

Leaders Liverpool dropped points, Third-placed Arsenal dropped points. Yet they'll be finishing the weekend even further ahead of City. Pep Guardiola's team are nine points behind Arne Slot's team having played a game more. 

Manchester is red (somehow)

The United fans at the Etihad can't believe their luck. Despite City being miles off their best, The Red Devils never looked like scoring for 80 minutes. But that was a blistering ending to the game from Amorim's team.

Manchester is red, and nobody's quite sure how. 

Full time: Manchester City 1-2 Man United

WHAT. AN. ENDING! The Diallo derby, ladies and gents. 

Unbelievable. 

Walker launches the ball long and it runs straight through to Onana. Surely that'll be that? 

Grealish's delivery doesn't beat the first defender...

Corner for Man City...

Here we go...

54 seconds between City kicking off after the penalty and Amad scoring, I'm hearing. 

Have City got anything left in the tank? 

This has been an awful derby for the most part. But the ending has been worth the wait (unless you're a City fan...). 

Man United substitution

Lindelof is on for Amad as United look to shut up shop. 

Five minutes of injury time to be played. 

Amad ending to Manchester derby!

Martínez clips the ball in between Nunes and Gvardiol for Amad, who takes a brilliant touch over Ederson and slots it into the net between the two backteacking City players!

MADNESS!

What are we watching here?! 

Man City substitution

Savinho replaces Gündogan for the final few minutes. 

United are surely going to go for it now...

Bruno Fernandes is going to take...

Nunes has had a nightmare. He tries to play the ball back to Ederson, plays it short and Amad is onto it. Nunes races back to try to make up for it but ends up wiping Amad out in the box. Two mistakes in a matter of seconds from the former Wolves man. 

If United were a competent team, there would be an equaliser in this for them. City are nowhere near what we've come to expect from them. Nowhere near it. But...

Mainoo heads over!

That's a decent chance! Martínez whips a cross in from the left and finds Mainoo, but he gets too much on the header and it flies over. 

Amad does well to get to the goal line but overruns the ball slightly as he looks for a cross, which is compounded by Fernandes' touch taking the ball over said line. 

As tends to happen, the substitutions have disrupted the flow of the game a little. This game hasn't had much flow, although it was starting to pick up a bit. 

Man United substitutions

Three changes for United. 

Zirkzee, Antony and Yoro are on for Hojlund, Mazraoui and de Ligt. 

The corner from that Haaland effort is cleared as far as Foden, who volleys well over from the edge of the box. 

Man City substitution

Grealish replaces Doku on the City left. 

Haaland shot deflected wide

A first sight of goal for Haaland, whose hardly been involved. The striker shoots but Martínez gets a leg in the way and deflects it wide. 

Mainoo plays the ball in behind the City defender for Hojlund and it looks for a split second as if the United striker is in the clear. He is halted, though, by an offside flag. 

Doku skips past Mazraoui in the box and fires in a cross which is just too high for Haaland to get his head to!

Just to prove that point, Amad very nearly nicks the ball off Gvardiol, who is the last City defender. Nearly, but not quite. 

Amad has suddenly sprung to life for United. Nothing has quite come of it yet but he's by far the visitors' most dangerous player at the moment. 

Man City substitution

That's De Bruyne's last act of the game. Kovacic replaces him. 

De Bruyne fired over!

De Bruyne fires over from the edge of the box after both team do their best to gift the ball to one another inside the United half. 

Having seen a replay, Dias' leg does come across Hojlund. Is it enough for a penalty? Probably not. 

Hojlund goes down in the box under pressure from Dias...I don't think there's anything doing though, and neither does VAR. 

Ederson saves from Amad!

The reverse live blogger's curse! Amad starts the attack and gets on the end of it too! Fernandes' cross into the box is headed towards the bottom corner by the winger, but Ederson scampers across to touch in round the post!

United passing the ball about at the back and in midfield. Going nowhere. 

City are really not playing well at all here. Not even a bit. Yet United are barely laying a glove on them. 

Haaland almost in!

Nunes scoops the ball over the United defence for Haaland but it's just too hard for the striker and it runs through to Onana. Nearly though!

Foden gets the ball between the United midfield and defence and tries to feed the ball through for Haaland (remember him?). Even he can't get it right. 

Mainoo plays a forward pass into Ugarte, who has acres of space in which to turn and drive forward. Instead, he just plays the ball right back from where it came to Mainoo, passing up a chance to mount a dangerous attack. 

Oh dear. United patiently build an attack on the right but Fernandes balloons a cross out for a goal kick. 

City have played almost every corner short, and they've done it again. And they're got almost all of them wrong, including this one. Even the one they scored from was helped by a lucky break. 

Another corner coming up for City. Given United's record defending them this season...

Both teams are really struggling to get anything going here. 

Amorim a dejected figure

Rúben Amorim's only been in the United job for a few weeks, yet he already looks fed up on the touchline, as if the squad he's inherited is much worse than he realised and the job is much bigger than he thought. 

Fernandes fizzes a nice pass into Hojlund's feet, I think for the first time in the game. The attack eventually leads to nothing, but that was at least some kind of intent from United. 

Second half underway in Manchester

United get the second period going. 

Here we go again. This second half has to be better than the first...

United are already back out for the second half. City are making them wait. 

Man United's wretched start continues

If things stay the same, United will have lost seven of their first 16 Premier League games of the season. As someone who grew up when they were the league's dominant force, that's pretty mind-boggling. 

Pep Guardiola: "More than a coach"

I must admit, I'm dying to hear how "Més que un entrenedor" sounds in a Mancunian accent. Good thing Pep is bald, or the 'O' doesn't work. 

Manchester City 1-0 Man United: half-time thoughts

I’m not going to lie to you, it hasn’t been a classic. There’s not been all that much between the teams for most of it, although City have carried more on an attacking threat, which grew especially as the first half wore on. 

Not many efforts on goal from either side, although Phil Foden has gone close on a couple of occasions. Gvardiol’s goal came from a corner, which City actually made a bit of a mess of. De Bruyne’s cross was half blocked but looped up perfectly for the Croat, who escaped both Dalot and Hojlund to head in. 

There hasn't been much of a response from The Red Devils, who have had one shot on goal, from Ugarte, which went a mile (maybe even two) over the bar. 

Man United's corner weakness

United have now conceded eight goals this season directly from corners in the Premier League, which is 42% of all the goals they have let in. That's a lot. 

Half time: Manchester City 1-0 Man United

The live blogger's curse gets the Belgian once again. Easily cleared and the first half is all over!

Madness from Martínez, who blatantly blocks off De Bruyne, giving City another dangerous-looking free kick.  

City are finishing the half well on top. United need to see this out to stay in the game. 

Well, I gave it the big build up...De Bruyne sticks it out for a goal kick. Never mind. 

A free kick for City in a very dangerous position here. This would be the perfect time to score. 

Four minutes of injury time to come. 

Amad has done two things in this game: chase Ederson down in hope more than expectation and continuously run offside. This time, it's the latter, brining a promising United attack to an end. 

Onana and Maguire almost make a complete mess of a backpass. The latter hurriedly shuffles the ball forward to De Bruyne, who tries to float it over the goalkeeper. But he doesn't get enough on it, and Onana claims it. 

Walker and Hojlund are both booked for their part in that nonsense. 

Walker shoves Hojlund in the back, giving United a free kick. The two go head to head afterwards and Walker goes down, claiming to have been headbutted. Replays show he clearly wasn't. Really poor from the City man. 

Hojlund-Walker flashpoint!

Well, well, well, what's going on here. Walker and Hojlund are involved in headbags...

A flashpoint in midfield as Bernardo skips away from Fernandes, who races to get back at his compatriot, lunges in and takes him down. A bit lucky to get away with a booking there, especially with his flailing arm reaction. 

Ugarte blazes over

A promising counterattack for United looks to be fizzling out, although Martínez eventually has a shot blocked. It falls to Ugarte, whose effort from 25 yards probably isn't worth mentioning. 

The Red Devils' first shot of the game. 

Bernardo Silva goes on a driving run from the right all the way to the edge of the box. It looks like it's opening up for him but Fernandes slides in to nudge the ball back to Onana. 

City play the ball all the way back to Ederson, who's being put under pressure by Amad. The Brazilian just gets the ball away in the nick of time. 

Amad chance...offside!

It looked as if Amad had missed a huge chance to put United ahead...but he would've been offside anyway. Lovely play to get the winger clean through on goal, but he dragged his shot wide of the near post. That spared his blushes. 

There was some serious manhandling of Haaland going on at that corner from Rasmus Hojlund. The United man will have to be extremely careful at the next one...

Dias heads over!

The corner comes in from the right and Dias heads over from close range! Should he have done better there? I'd say so. 

Another City attack, another Foden shot. De Bruyne, Haaland and Foden link up beautifully on the edge of the box but the Englishman's strike is deflected wide for a corner. 

Foden shoots wide!

Doku's left-wing cross is headed out by Dalot to Foden, who shoots just wide from the edge of the box with Onana rooted to the spot!

The first effort on goal from either side. 

The pendulum has swung back in City's favour a bit, although there's not much doing in the attacking third. No shots from either team so far. 

Foden fizzes a dangerous cross into the box from the left but Maguire heads it away before Haaland can pounce!

Silky from Doku, who nutmegs Mazraoui with a cheeky backflick! The United man isn't happy and takes it out on Gvardiol, giving away a free kick. 

That stoppage has disrupted United and benefitted City, by the looks of it. 

That change should see Bruno Fernandes move forward a little, with Mainoo sitting in midfield alongside Ugarte. 

Yep, that's the switch Mainoo on for Mount for United. 

Uh oh. United might have to make a change here. Mason Mount has gone down and it looks as if Kobbie Mainoo is going to replace him. 

Amad gets in behind Nunes and Gvardiol incredibly easily...although he's at least a couple of yards offside, which is part of the reason why. 

United have got on top of this after a brightish start for City. 

Some nice footwork from Dalot sees him easily skip inside Walker but his cross towards Hojlund is horribly overhit and goes out for a goal kick. 

Great hold-up play from Hojlund (not Haaland) allows Amad to try to pick out Fernandes' run, but the pass doesn't quite have enough on it. The United midfielder could have been clean through on goal there. 

United have settled into this now and are knocking the ball around quite nicely. 

A first venture forward from United but Dalot's cross from the left is clutched by Ederson before Hojlund can get to it. A superb pass out from the back from de Ligt started the move. 

De Bruyne floats a cross to the back post looking for Haaland but Martínez sticks to the Norwegian and clears for a corner. Which leads to nothing. 

A first spell of possession for United is met with boos from the home crowd. It doesn't last long, though, and City are back on the ball. 

Doku thinks he's blasted past Mazraoui and into a dangerous position in City's attacking third but the ball has just crossed the line for a throw-in. 

The possession has been all City's in the opening 90 seconds. 

Manchester derby underway!

City get us going and immediately go long looking for Haaland. 

A big hug for Rúben Amorim from Pep Guardiola and a pat on the arm. The former Barcelona coach may have put some extra oomph into it after the beating his City's team took at the hands of Amorim's Sporting in November. 

The teams are out, the banners have been unfurled in the stands. Kickoff imminent!

The best Manchester derby goal of all time?

Is this overhead kick from Wayne Rooney the best Manchester derby goal of all time? Who knows, maybe we'll get a better one today. We'll found out before too much longer!

Man United team to play Manchester City

Onana; Maguire, de Ligt, Martínez; Dalot, Fernandes, Ugarte, Mazraoui; Mount, Diallo; Hojlund. 

The big United news is worth repeating. Both Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford have been left out of the squad altogether (i.e. not even on the bench) for "selection reasons," according to Rúben Amorim. 

Manchester City team to play Man United

Ederson; Walker, Dias, Gvardiol; Gündogan, De Bruyne; Bernardo, Nunes, Foden, Doku: Haaland.

Gündogan and De Bruyne as holding midfielders? Pep stars with the three senior defenders that are fit. There is some suggestion Matheus Nunes could actually play at left-back rather than in midfield, so we'll have to wait and see.

This could be fun. 

A little over 10 minutes to go until kickoff! Let's take another look at how the teams will line up at the Etihad.

Manchester City - Man United: last five meetings

August 2024: City 1-1 United (7-6 on pens, Community Shield)

May 2024: City 1-2 United (FA Cup final)

March 2024: City 3-1 United (Premier League)

October 2023: United 0-3 City (Premier League)

June 2023: City 2-1 United (FA Cup final)

All time Manchester derby head-to-head record

There have been 194 competitive Manchester derbies since the first one in 1881. United have won 79 of them, City 61, with 54 draws.

City have won the last three at the Etihad, scoring 13 goals in the process. However, United triumphed in the most recent one to lift the FA Cup at the end of last season. 

Amorim reveals reason for Garnacho and Rashford omissions

Speaking to UK broadcaster Sky Sports, United coach Rúben Amorim has revealed Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford have been left out for "selection" reasons. 

"We try to evaluate everything: training, performance, game performance, engagement with the team-mates, pushing the team-mates up..."

That sounds like the proverbial boot up the backside for both players. 

Rúben Amorim: "Both teams are struggling at the moment"

“We will face a great opponent and I'm more focused on our problems. So we have a lot of issues here, so I'm more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game. So I'm really focused on my team.”

"I just want to improve the team so I cannot live it like a normal derby, like it should be – two great teams fighting for the title. And it's not that in this moment. So it's just one more game with a very good opponent.

"Both teams are struggling in the moment, so I hope, in the future, I feel that real feeling of a derby. But I know that it's really important for our fans. But my goal now is to improve the team, win games and I will try to win this game."

Pep Guardiola: "The less emotional you are, the better"

“It’s an important football game. It’s important emotionally for our fans in the stadium and it’s special, but always in these types of games I would say that the less emotional you are you will be better.

“I think in our jobs always we want to do our best and when it doesn’t happen you’re more uncomfortable. Not just managers, but especially the people under scrutiny for every step we do as a team.

“You think more about what can you do, I feel the past few weeks with the situation [the way it] is with the results… I’m really pleased for the way we played and have a certain authority in what I’ve done in my career so that I know when we play good or not.

“We have to shoot more, yeah, do less mistakes, yeah, but the game is there. The rest of the games we were there. I know the reason why, that’s why you move forward, keep working, this is what we have to do.”

…but now it’s blue

City secured their first league title since 1968 in 2011/12 and have hardly stopped since. They’ve won the Premier League eight times in 13 years, including six times in the last seven, and four in a row. United have failed to win the title since Sir Alex Ferguson retired from management at the end of 2012/13.  

Manchester was red…

Up until the 2011/12 season, Manchester United were very much the dominant force in the city, especially in the Premier League era. Before May 2012, The Red Devils had won 19 league titles to their City's’ two. That includes eight in the first 21 seasons of the Premier League. The gap has shrunk a bit since then…

Inside the Man United dressing room

Here's a little peek behind the scenes into the Manchester United dressing room (where you won't see either Alejandro Garnacho or Marcus Rashford, both dropped, as we mentioned). The Red Devils wearing...red today, to the shock of everyone. 

City's Manchester derby arrival

The look on the faces of Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Rúben Dias in these snaps epitomises how it's been going for City of late (i.e. not well). They're not used to it, but a win against United in the derby and all will be forgotten about (to a certain extent, anyway). 

Amorim’s Guardiola thrashing

Rúben Amorim may be new to the Premier League but has recent experience of giving City and Guardiola a good hiding, which should bode well for United. Cast you minds back to the start of November and matchday four of the Champions League league phase (it feels weird to say ‘league’ twice in a row, doesn’t it?). Phil Foden fired City in front but Amorim’s Sporting CP roared back to win 4-1, inflicting a third straight defeat on the Sky Blues. 

Manchester United’s start under Rúben Amorim

Amorim coached United to a point away to Ipswich in his first game in charge, which was followed by home wins against Bodø/Glimt (3-2) and Everton (4-0). The momentum was brought to an abrupt end, though, by back-to-back losses away to Arsenal (0-2) and at home to Nottingham Forest (2-3).

A Europa League win away to Viktoria Plzen has at least shifted momentum a bit, but United won’t be overly delighted by beating a team who are second in the Czech First League. Four points from four games in the Premier League so far for Amorim which isn’t great. 

Where are Garnacho and Rashford?

According to Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst, who covers United, both Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford trained this morning, which suggests they are not injured. Both appear to have been dropped from the matchday squad completely. 

Man United team to play Manchester City

No Garnacho or Rashford for United, and no reports of any injuries...This is how Amorim's 3-4-3 will be carried out at the start of the game. 

Onana; Maguire, de Ligt, Martínez; Dalot, Fernandes, Ugarte, Mazraoui; Mount, Diallo; Hojlund. 

Manchester City team to play Man United

Here's how City will line up for today's game. I'm going to say that's a 3-2-4-1, although that looks quite an attacking '2' to me. Let's see how Pep makes it work (or doesn't, as in recent times). 

Ederson; Walker, Dias, Gvardiol; Gundogan, De Bruyne; Bernardo, Nunes, Foden, Doku: Haaland.

Erling Haaland unable to stop Manchester City slump

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been described many a time as a ‘cheat code,’ although he hasn’t been able to crack the code in recent weeks. The Norwegian scored 10 goals in his first five Premier League games this season but is now on a run of just four goals in nine appearances in all competitions, which would be OK for plenty of forwards but is almost a drought by his standards. 

Manchester City: last five games

11 December: Juventus 2-0 City (Champions League)

7 December: Crystal Palace 2-2 City (Premier League)

4 December: City 3-0 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)

1 December: Liverpool 2-0 City (Premier League)

26 November: City 3-3 Feyenoord (Champions League)

Manchester City’s recent struggles

Can you remember the last time Manchester City only won one of their last 10 games? It wasn’t that unusual back in the day, but it certainly is now. Guardiola has never suffered such a poor run in his career, which is pretty astonishing in itself considering how long he’s been around, although less so given the players he's had at his disposal. 

Five defeats in a row between October 30 and November 23 were followed by a 3-3 Champions League draw against Feyenoord, in which City were 3-0 up going into the closing stages. Since then, there have been defeats to Liverpool and Juventus and a draw with Crystal Palace. A home win over Nottingham Forest has been the only bright spot in that time. 

Manchester United team news

Unusually, it seems, for a top club these days (no sniggering, City and Liverpool fans), United go into the game with only one player unavailable. That’s left-back Luke Shaw, who has a hamstring injury. Veteran defender Jonny Evans could come back into contention after recent fitness issues. 

Manchester City team news

Guardiola only has three fit senior defenders, with Nathan Aké, Manuel Akanji and John Stones all sidelined. To make matters worse in that area of the field, Rico Lewis, who has played both at right-back and in midfield, is suspended. Long-term injury victims Rodri and Oscar Bobb remain unavailable, so Pep might have to get creative when naming his starting lineup. 

United stuck in the bottom half of Premier League table

Despite their recent struggles, winning at City is no easy task. Even if United achieve that, there will be no real short-term benefit. Three points at the Etihad would see them move up just one place, from 13th to 12th, above Tottenham. It would, however, move them to within five points of fifth-placed City. 

City hoping to capitalise on Liverpool and Arsenal slip-ups

A win for Manchester City today would see them move level on points with third-placed Arsenal, who surprisingly drew against Everton at the Emirates on Saturday. With The Gunners and Liverpool both dropping points, Guardiola's guys have a chance to make a big move at the top of the standings. A win will move to within six points of The Reds, who are the league leaders, although they'll have played a game more. 

Manchester United looking up under Rúben Amorim

United are looking up under new coach Rúben Amorim but that’s mainly because they’re all the way down in 13th place in the table. Even though standards have slipped in recent years, that’s pretty shocking after 15 games. 

Have things got any better under Amorim? Well, he only took charge of his first game three weeks ago and this will only be his seventh game in the Red Devils’ dugout. There’s not been much of an improvement in terms of results, although the belief is the players are coming around to his favoured 3-4-3 system after a crash course. 

Are Manchester City out of the title race?

Given how successful City have been in recent years under Guardiola, it feels absurd to ask this question in December. But they’ve been uncharacteristically hopeless in recent weeks and go into the game nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, who surprisingly slipped up at home to Fulham on Saturday. City still have 23 games left to play, but even so, that’s a huge gap to make up. 

EPL

When is Man City - Man United? how to watch on TV, stream online | EPL

If you’re still on the hunt for a way to watch today’s game, then you’re in luck! For those of you in the United States, there is a way and our Andy is here with the details. 

You can also watch a Man City vs Man United live stream on fuboTV, which offers new users a free trial

What time does Manchester City - Manchester United kick off?

The game between Manchester City and Manchester United gets underway at 5:30 p.m. local time, which is 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT. What better way could there possibly be to start a Sunday? There’s around 90 minutes to go until kickoff, in which time I’ll be bringing your team news, build-up, stats, trips down memory lane…and plenty more! Don’t go anywhere.

Hello and welcome to live text coverage of Manchester City - Manchester United!

Hello and welcome to one of the most high-anticipated games of the Premier League season! It’s the Manchester derby at the Etihad. Can City turn around their awful not-seen-since-before-they-were-rich form? Can United pile more misery on Pep Guardiola, Erling Haaland and Co? We’ll find out soon enough.