For the first time in years, City go into the Manchester derby mired in even more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions
Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim
Riddled with anxiety about Manchester City’s shocking decline, Pep Guardiola will endure another sleepless night as he tries to pose more problems for Ruben Amorim in the Manchester United manager’s first taste of the Premier League’s most explosive rivalry.
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For the first time in years, City go into the Manchester derby mired in even more turmoil than United after a dismal run of one win in 10 games in all competitions. Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus was City’s seventh loss in that period, an astonishing collapse for a club that has won six of the last seven Premier League titles, including their current streak of four in a row.
United are hardly in peak form themselves, having won just three of Amorim’s six games in charge since he replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag. But Amorim has already inflicted one painful blow to Guardiola this season when his Sporting side crushed City 4-1 in the Champions League in Lisbon on November 5.
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“In our jobs we always want to do our best. When that doesn’t happen you are more uncomfortable than when the situation is going well,” said Guardiola, who could have just three fit defenders available on Sunday.
“In good moments I am happier but when I get to the next game I am still concerned about what I have to do. There is no human being that makes an activity and it doesn’t matter how they do,” he added.
United are languishing in 13th place after successive league losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. They struggled to find any fluency in a nervy 2-1 victory at minnows Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday.
“I never think about these things. We will face a great opponent and I’m more focused on our problems, so we have a lot of issues here,” he said. “I’m more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game, so I’m really focused on my team.”
And the 39-year-old believes City are capable of hitting back if United allow them to rediscover their rhythm. “The great teams can respond in any moment. I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game,” he said. “The way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments.”
Saturday’s results
. Arsenal 0-0 Everton
. Newcastle Utd 4-0 Leicester City
. Wolves 1-2 Ipswich Town
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