In the midst of a horror run, Manchester City will hope the rivalry and rancour of derby day can provide a lift as Manchester United visit the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won just once in their last 10 games with both their Premier League title challenge and hopes of qualification for the Champions League knockout rounds taking a significant blow. To make matters worse, Guardiola is facing a defensive crisis this afternoon with Rico Lewis suspended and several other regular starters out, leaving the Catalan coach to consider radical solutions to spark a turnaround in form.
For Ruben Amorim, this will be a first taste of a famous fixture as the Portuguese manager continues to search for his best system and side. Amorim was pleased with the fight his team showed in the Europa League win on Thursday night but a mixed record since his arrival reflects the teething problems evident throughout his tenure so far. Can he become only the sixth manager to win their first Manchester derby in the Premier League era?
Follow all of the latest from the Manchester derby in our live blog below:
Why Ilkay Gundogan’s assessment of Man City is so alarming for Pep Guardiola
And Pep Guardiola wasn’t the only Manchester City employee questioning their direction after the Juventus defeat, as Richard Jolly explains:
Pep Guardiola ‘questioning himself’ as Man City suffer another defeat
Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie at the Allianz Stadium left Guardiola’s side languishing in 22nd place in the standings.
Manchester derby LIVE
A very good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s LIVE coverage of the Manchester derby. These are rocky times for Manchester City as both domestic and continental campaigns threaten to come off the rails amid a wretched recent run, with Pep Guardiola admitting that nine defeats in ten games had taken a significant toll on him and his squad. Can their cross-town rivals pile on more pain as Ruben Amorim experiences derby day for the first time as Manchester United manager?
Kick off is at 4.30pm GMT.