Manchester United can claim a league double over Manchester City for the first time in five years and Ruben Amorim needs that victory more than ever in a season where the club are headed for their worst finish in Premier League history.
United have only two wins from their last seven games but form is rarely a factor in the Manchester derby and Amorim can take heart from the fact that his side snatched an unlikely victory the last time the two sides met.
But while City, who corrected their course after plummeting down the table, look primed to qualify for the Champions League and potentially win the FA Cup, United have lost their way to cast a pall of gloom over the home of the 20-times champions.
A 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday left United 13th in the table after 13 defeats. A loss to Pep Guardiola’s City side would see the Old Trafford club equal their forgettable 2023-24 record of 14 defeats in a Premier League season.
With forwards Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund misfiring, a desperate Amorim threw defender Harry Maguire into the attack in the forlorn hope that a big man could strike against Forest.
The pressure has been mounting on the Portuguese manager who has admitted he does not have time to turn things around.
“We know that this season is going to be like that – win momentum, lose momentum. We continue going into the next match,” Amorim said.
But one big man he will not have to worry about is City striker Erling Haaland. The Norwegian netted twice on his last visit to Old Trafford but an ankle injury will keep him out until the end of the season.
That would come as a huge relief to any defender but United will still be on high alert with City’s January recruit Omar Marmoush on a hot streak having netted in his last three games.
“He has a good sense, good numbers for the short time he’s been with us. Dynamic, good pressing, really pleased for him,” Guardiola said after the Egypt international scored on Wednesday in City’s 2-0 win over Leicester City.
GABRIEL SIDELINED
Arsenal travel to Everton in the early game on Saturday without defender Gabriel, the third of Mikel Arteta’s players to have been sidelined with a season-ending injury.
The Gunners are 12 points behind Liverpool and running out of games to catch Arne Slot’s team, who need 13 points from their last eight games to seal the title.
“With eight games to go, every game is a challenge – starting with Fulham, who are having a very good season as well,” Slot said.
“We are not working on theories about how many points (are needed). We are taking the challenge of Fulham.”
Seventh-placed Aston Villa, who are three points off the top four, host Forest in third, with boss Unai Emery trying to balance domestic ambitions with their Champions League quarter-final against his former club Paris St Germain next week.
At the other end of the table, Tottenham Hotspur host bottom side Southampton, who are trying to avoid finishing the season as the worst team in Premier League history.
With 10 points from 30 games, a draw would bring Saints level with the 2007-08 Derby County side that finished the campaign with a paltry 11 points.
