Shifting Landscapes Promise an Intriguing Manchester Derby | OneFootball

Manchester will do battle once again on Saturday, as United host City in the 198th Manchester derby. It will be the first for the Reds’ new temporary boss Michael Carrick, with City also welcoming new faces onto the pitch for the first time in the Premier League.

United in Ruins

Last weekend, United were eliminated from the FA Cup by Brighton at the first time of asking. Having met the same fate against Grimsby Town in the League Cup, their season has been left in ruins. The Reds have no hopes of claiming silverware and will play just 40 games this season – their fewest since World War One.

Still their catastrophic campaign must continue. Despite earning just one win in their last seven matches, they remain in the running for the top four. All attention must now turn to Champions League qualification as the only prospect for salvaging any success from the season. It is Carrick who has been tasked with realizing that ambition.

Carrick Takes Charge

Following Ruben Amorim’s axing, it was Darren Fletcher who took the reins at Old Trafford on an interim basis. The Scotsman failed to win in his two matches and now passes the baton to his former midfield partner, who he played alongside for United on 158 occasions. Carrick will take charge as caretaker head coach, until a permanent successor is found in the summer for the role that ever-increasingly seems to be a poisoned chalice.

The 44-year-old, of course, already knows his way around Old Trafford. He made 464 appearances for the club, winning five Premier Leagues amongst a host of other accolades during the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson. Carrick has also managed the Reds previously, back in 2021 following the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. He won two and drew one match during his first interim stint.

Since his previous short spell at Old Trafford, the Englishman has gained managerial experience elsewhere. He took over Middlesbrough in 21st place of the Championship, leading them to a fourth place finish. Although they lost out in the playoffs, the former midfielder’s managerial stock skyrocketed.

However, after failing to reach the playoffs in the last two seasons, Carrick was ultimately sacked by Middlesbrough last summer – who are currently second in the Championship under different management. This leaves his coaching career in an awkward spot as he now returns to Manchester with six months to prove his abilities – and he will not be eased into the job.

Derby Day Drama

Pep Guardiola has now been at the Etihad for a decade, enjoying a period of unprecedented success, whilst Old Trafford has been regularly engulfed in turmoil. However, despite at often times a stark contrast in the fortunes of the two teams, their meetings have provided credence to the old cliche that form goes out the window on derby day.

It has not been rare to see the Reds prevail, which should offer belief to their new caretaker boss. Ralf Rangnick is the only United manager to lead the side in a match against Guardiola’s City, that has failed to record a victory over the Catalan in the derby. Carrick will only have one opportunity to avoid joining him on that list.

AFCON Stars Return

Both Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo will be available for selection to Carrick, news that must have come as music to his ears. The Reds have floundered in attack in recent weeks in the absence of two of their best forwards. However the duo will return to Manchester in time for the derby following the elimination of both Cameroon and the Ivory Coast at AFCON.

City have also been strengthened by an AFCON returnee. Following Algeria’s exit, Rayan Aït-Nouri has rejoined the Blues’ squad, helping to ease some of their defensive woes. The full-back came off the bench in the 88th minute against Newcastle in midweek, but was still able to provide an assist.

Semenyo Shining

Aït-Nouri is not the only African arrival to bolster Guardiola’s squad in the past week. Antoine Semenyo completed his $85M move from Bournemouth to the Etihad, and has hit the ground running in blue.

The Ghanian scored and assisted on his debut: the 10-1 demolition of Exeter City in the FA Cup. More impressively, he followed that performance up with two goals at St James Park in the Carabao Cup semi-final (even though his second was disallowed incredibly harshly). The winger is set to make his Premier League debut for the Blues at Old Trafford, where he will hope to continue his scintillating form.

City’s Young Centre-backs

City have been left short-handed at the back, after both Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias limped off the pitch against Chelsea. In need of solutions, the Blues recalled a 20-year-old centre-back from Watford, who has gone straight into the team. It has also prompted a chase of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi, although he will not be available on Saturday.

Guardiola has fielded a centre-back pairing of Max Alleyne and Abdukodir Khusanov, aged 20 and 21 respectively, in each of City’s last three games. The youngsters have impressed, with even City’s boss admitting it has been a ‘surprise’. A clean sheet against Newcastle at St James Park displayed the duos quality in midweek. However, the hostile environment of an away Manchester derby will provide the latest test to the inexperienced partnership.