Match of the week – Manchester City v Manchester United, 15 December 2024
The Manchester Derby between City and United is the headline fixture in the Premier League this weekend, with the teams meeting at the Etihad Stadium on the early evening of Sunday 15 December 2024.
There is no better place to get your season-long ticket to the best football the world has to offer than DStv!
Match background
City and United will lock for what is set to be a key clash for both teams. While the Citizens are looking to fully recover from their stuttering form through November – and a resounding win over their local rivals would be a major statement of intent – the Red Devils are having an inevitably awkward adaptation to the tenure of new manager Ruben Amorim, who succeeded Erik ten Hag last month and has been tasked with returning the club from the red half of Manchester back to the top of English football.
What the teams are saying
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on how coming up against other great coaches helps him up his game:
“How many times I faced Jurgen [Klopp, formerly with Liverpool], or now Mikel [Arteta, manager of Arsenal] in the last few years. It's normal how much you face them, and they're fighting with you to be champions. I'm completely honest, I learn a lot from other managers. The problems they create. It makes you better.”
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim on the growing pains they will experience in the coming months:
“I know it is frustrating for the fans but we are changing so much in this moment with a lot of games. We are going to suffer for a long period. We will try to win games but this will take time. We have to risk it a little bit [now] and in the next year we will be better [otherwise] next year at the same stage we will be here with the same problems.”
Players to watch
Phil Foden, Manchester City
Though he has endured a struggling season thus far, Phil Foden has such a great record against Manchester United that he will surely be one of the players that the Red Devils most need to keep an eye on. The attacking midfielder will hope to spark his campaign to life in the derby.
Recommended by LinkedIn
Mason Mount, Manchester United
Ruben Amorim’s arrival has given a fresh start to Mason Mount, who had floundered under the tenure of Erik ten Hag, but has been praised for his football intelligence and adaptability by the new Portuguese coach. Mount will hope to play a key role against City this Sunday.
Head-to-head
In head-to-head stats, Man City and Man United have met in 194 matches across all competitions, dating back as far as 1891. The Red Devils have claimed 79 wins compared to 62 for the Citizens, while 53 games have been drawn.
The teams’ most recent meeting was in the FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium back in August. The game ended 1-1 (with goals from United’s Alejandro Garnacho and City’s Bernardo Silva) before the team in light blue won the penalty shootout 7-6.
You are entitled to the best football... After all, you’re a DStv subscriber! Get and stay connected to DStv and ensure you don’t miss a single game!
T0 upgrade or manage your subscription download the MyDStv app on your mobile app store or visit www.dstv.com.
You can also catch all the action while on the move. Stream all matches on the DStv Stream app by downloading it from the app store today!
Broadcast details
Sunday 15 December
18:30: Manchester City v Manchester United – LIVE on SuperSport Premier League and SuperSport Maximo 2