Manchester City vs Manchester United: Derby of desperation & decline

Sunday’s heavily anticipated Manchester derby has all the makings of a must-win showdown for crosstown rivals Manchester City and Manchester United.

What’s going on at the Etihad Stadium?

Man City’s sustained period of dominance in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola is on the brink of an epic collapse, with the four-time consecutive champions enduring their worst run in recent history.

Juventus were the latest side to take advantage of the Cityzens’ unfathomable fall from grace, beating the Etihad outfit 2-0 in midweek UEFA Champions League action.

As a result, one of the best football managers ever to grace the beautiful game has gone winless in three consecutive Champions League group-stage fixtures for the first time in his managerial career.

More importantly, Guardiola’s men have gone from looking up to looking over their shoulders, finding themselves stuck only a point clear of 25th-placed Paris Saint-Germain.

Horror run

Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie condemned Man City to their seventh defeat in their last ten outings in all competitions.

That’s as many losses as they suffered in their 105 previous matches combined, while they’re now experiencing their worst winless streak at Europe’s top table since 2014/15.

Man City only pulled off one win in that sequence, accounting for the club’s worst ten-game run since 2008. But a sizeable list of unwanted feats doesn’t end there.

Juventus’ comfortable home triumph has deepened the defensive crisis at Man City, making them the leakiest team in Europe’s traditional top-five leagues since the start of November.

Guardiola’s charges haven’t kept a clean sheet across their last eight travels, so entertaining Man Utd at the Etihad must be a relief.

Perfect chance to claim bragging rights

Stars may have aligned for new United manager Ruben Amorim to claim what would potentially be a season-defining victory in his first-ever touchline appearance in the Manchester derby.

There’s no doubt that this is the worst Man City in over a decade.

However, the Red Devils faithful would be well-advised not to pile too much pressure on Erik ten Hag’s successor.

Man Utd’s project under the ex-Sporting CP boss is still a work in progress, and the Red Devils need every encouragement they can get after a string of embarrassments down the final stretch of Ten Hag’s reign.

On the other hand, Amorim had started his life in Manchester on a three-game unbeaten streak, only to slump to a 2-0 loss at Arsenal in his first high-profile fixture in charge.

Mixed feelings

Nottingham Forest then toppled United 3-2 on their home turf, putting them at risk of losing three Premier League games on the trot for the first time since December 2015.

However, United quickly got back on track in Thursday’s UEFA Europa League game at Viktoria Plzen, overturning a second-half deficit to win 2-1 at the Doosan Arena.

United’s come-from-behind win at Plzen marked their first away success on the continental front in 20 months and marked their first six-game unbeaten start to a new European campaign since 2013/14.

Fresh off ending a rotten seven-game winless streak on the road, Man Utd will resume their domestic duties in high spirits, seeking redemption for last weekend’s fiasco at Old Trafford.

Before the Tricky Trees’ first victory at the Theatre of Dreams since 1994, Amorim had the unpleasantry of being in the dugout for United’s first-ever set of four consecutive league encounters against Arsenal.

What’s at stake?

After setting a negative record at the Emirates, Man Utd could make more unwanted history at the Etihad.

The Red Devils are staring down the barrel of a fourth successive away top-flight loss to Man City for the first time in the Premier League era.

It would likely be a knockout punch on Amorim’s desperate attempt to steer his side back into contention for a top-four finish.

As for City, anything other than three points would probably extinguish the last ember of hope for their return to the title race.

Given the circumstances, failure is not an option for either manager.