Man Utd and Man City labour to goalless draw neither deserved to win

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This was a footballing war of attrition in the truest sense - Getty Images/Alex Dodd

How the mighty have fallen. Manchester United will regard this goalless draw against Manchester City as something of a victory. Not that either side did enough to win it.

And that was the greatest indictment of them all for clubs so associated with thrilling, attacking go-for-it football. We know United have, for so long now, been nowhere near their previous heights but for City this was a frustrating encounter in which they failed to threaten.

“These are the kind of games where the whole world is watching,” United head coach Ruben Amorim had declared. The world probably wished it had not bothered.

The outcome? Suddenly City’s hopes of finishing in the top four, even the top five, and guaranteeing Champions League qualification is in real jeopardy. They remain in fifth but seventh placed Newcastle United are just two points behind with two games in hand. It is a good result also for Aston Villa and even for Chelsea who remain in fourth.

Given how momentous previous derby games have been this was shockingly poor. For United it was not even their most important game of the week – that comes on Thursday, away to Lyon in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final with the ultimate prize being, again, Champions League qualification.

In fairness they carried the greater threat and maybe it would have been different had Alejandro Garnacho not hesitated when he burst clear after just 30 seconds, allowing Ruben Dias to bundle him over on the edge of the penalty area.

The free-kick was wasted but, then, so were so many more half-chances and almost opportunities with Phil Foden, still a shadow of the player he can be, failing to take City’s best opening as he somehow fell over when sent through on goal by Omar Marmoush. His appeals for a penalty were rightly ignored.

There were two decent saves from Andre Onana to deny Marmoush, who at least showed some intent, and another from Ederson to beat out a snapshot from United substitute Joshua Zirkzee.

And, well, that was it. United remain in 13th. The league is over for them. For City the ramifications of not winning could be greater.

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07:23 PM BST​

Guardiola on what City did wrong​

The players know it. There is a process when the ball is on one side the players need to be in the right position. Today that was not good enough.

Against a 5-4-1 it’s so narrow and congested. We should have been in some positions that we tried to get in but weren’t good enough to punish them.

The last games we much much better, back four better, just our process was not [good] but we know that, when we lose the ball in certain positions they are a strong team and punish you, but we knew that.

It will take time, the players gave everything today,

We will prepare for the upcoming games, there are a few things I’m happy with what I saw, but now we need to achieve the target of qualifying for Champions League then next season is next season.

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07:17 PM BST​

Fernandes on De Bruyne​

De Bruyne made the Premier League better. If City is where he is and Manchester United haven’t won many trophies in this period, that is because of Kevin. He deserves all the credit, he has done fantastic.

Ten years in the Premier League is a lot. Kevin keeps being world class and it was a pleasure to watch him so close, it as a pleasure to play against him and he’s going to stay in the history of the Premier League, not only of Man City.

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Pep Guardiola embraces Kevin De Bruyne - Getty Images/Carl Recine

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07:15 PM BST​

Neville on the ‘disease’ of over-coaching​

I don’t think there was one player who walked off the pitch at the end disappointed at drawing the game 0-0. They walked off thinking ‘we’ve done ok here, we got away without making a mistake’. It was really disappointing.

I apologise for my co-commentary actually, I think I let it get to me and I was boring on there as well.

City and United are in a difficult moment. But this robotic nature of not leaving our positions, of being micro-managed within an inch of our lives, of not having any freedom to take a risk to try to win a football match is becoming an illness in the game, it’s becoming a disease in the game.

If you think of Pep Guardiola’s teams across the last 10 years that’s what his teams do but we are seeing poor imitations of that across the board now.

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07:08 PM BST​

Pep Guardiola on chants aimed at Phil Foden​

Lack of class. But it’s not United it’s the people. I don’t understand people involved in this. It’s lack of integrity, class and they should be ashamed.

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07:03 PM BST​

Roy Keane on United’s attacking woes​

I think they need to show more courage. You go back to teams I played under, and I know you’ll say this team isn’t as good as that, obviously not, but there’s a responsibility, when you’re playing for Manchester United, to win football matches.

What we’ve seen today, as much as we’re all disappointed with it, what were we expecting? They don’t score enough goals and they’ve not done for the last year or two and that’s not going to change.

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07:01 PM BST​

Amorim on how long it is going to take to turn United around​

I’m not naive or crazy, I can see the moment we are in, I can look at the opponents and understand there is a big gap, but as a leader I cannot say we are going to take all of the time to close the gap.

Even if we bring in more players we have to hurry and show urgency to do better because we don’t have much time at a club like this. We are in a rush.

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07:00 PM BST​

Amorim on United being a ‘transition’ team​

We have so many aspects to improve. Everywhere we need to improve in every aspect, build up, transition, decisions in the final third. Every player can improve, they are here because they showed something at other cubs. They have the quality, we are still a team that plays on transition, we need to spend more time in final third to have more opportunities.

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07:00 PM BST​

Amorim’s thoughts on United’s display​

I think we had some chances to win the game. We tried to use the space in transitions, defending in a low block, but we had our chances.

We had some moments with the ball, we pushed City into their half, we were closer to a goal but we can accept a draw. We were closer to the goal, they had more possession but that is normal.

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06:48 PM BST​

A game that suited Casemiro​

11 - Casemiro made 11 tackles against Manchester City today, the joint-most by a Manchester United player on record (from 2006-07) in a Premier League game, along with Owen Hargreaves v Liverpool in December 2007 and Patrice Evra v Portsmouth in August 2008. Bite. pic.twitter.com/pbCW43sbdq

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 6, 2025

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06:38 PM BST​

A sit-in protest against rising ticket prices​

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06:36 PM BST​

Bruno Fernandes speaking post-match​

Happy with the performance but not the result, we need points in the league. We played against a very good side and I think we were more dangerous but missed the killer instinct. We had chances in the first half but we needed to score one. City want to have the ball, they overload areas and the sides so you have to be patient in your pressure.

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06:34 PM BST​

More from Neville at full-time​

I think the congratulations and love-in that I’m watching says both teams are happy with a 0-0.

The best Man City and Man United teams would be very disappointed with the way they’ve approached the end of that game.

It looks like it’s Sunday afternoon and they’re going to go for a roast dinner together now.

They’re micromanaged to an inch of their lives, so robotic and it’s symptomatic of a lot of games that we’re watching nowadays.

I’m disappointed, it’s a Manchester derby, it should have more blood, thunder, and risk and courage involved in playing the game and winning the game than that.

It's a deadlock at Old Trafford as the Manchester derby ends 0-0 with neither side able to break through pic.twitter.com/wYNsmo5pyg

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 6, 2025

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06:29 PM BST​

Gary Neville on the styles of play in the Premier League​

It’s like we’ve got to a point in football where teams are frightened to death to give the ball away, make a mistake, take a risk.

They’re all so obsessed with shape... nothing off-the-cuff is happening in lots of games.

This has got to stop. The excitement and beauty of the Premier League is the sort of thrust and energy and excitement, and doing things a little bit differently. [This] 45 minutes is a non-entity, it’s not good enough from either team.

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06:24 PM BST​

FT: United 0 City 0​

The game ends with United probing around the City penalty area, but like the rest of the game there is no decisive moment of quality. City miss the chance to jump above Chelsea, and Guardiola will need to go back to the old drawing board because that was an alarmingly lifeless attacking performance. Another creditable showing from Amorim’s United against one of the bigger teams, which is something for fans to cling to going into next season.

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Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho reacts at the final whistle - PA/Martin Rickett

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06:21 PM BST​

92 minutes: United 0 City 0​

United finishing the stronger, but the Stretford End is left cursing into the spring air as John Brooks points for a City goal kick when they wanted a corner.

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06:18 PM BST​

90 minutes: United 0 City 0​

There will be four minutes of added time.

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06:16 PM BST​

88 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Wonderful cross from Fernandes, whipped first time with his right foot. Gvardiol won a vital defensive header in his six-yard box, flicked behind for a United corner. Dorgu then scuffs a shot well wide. We are running out of time to find a winner.

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06:14 PM BST​

86 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Mason Mount with a foul on Rico Lewis. The United sub has to be a little careful on a booking, he does not want to go the same way as Eddie Nketiah yesterday who was sent off after coming off the bench. Casemiro tackles cleanly against Grealish. He has had a solid game in the middle of the pitch for United.

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06:12 PM BST​

84 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Yoro with a mistake that leaves him little choice but to drag Marmoush down. Yellow card given. Groans from the United crowd as Garnacho fails to adequately control Zirkzee’s pass but then City give the ball straight back to them.

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06:10 PM BST​

82 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Mazraoui mops up well and passes by to Onana with Doku chasing him down. United are looking quite comfortable again, moving the ball around City and looking untroubled defensively.

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06:08 PM BST​

80 minutes: United 0 City 0​

If either team is going to win this match, United would be the more deserving. Garnacho’s strike deflects wide for a corner, from which Kovacic and Casemiro get in a tangle. Loud shouts for a penalty, but Kovacic pulled out of the challenge and the United midfielder dived.

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Casemiro of Manchester United is challenged by Mateo Kovacic - Getty Images/Michael Steele

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06:06 PM BST​

78 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Excellent save from Ederson to deny Zirkzee. A swept effort with his left foot, not unlike Robin van Persie’s first United goal against Fulham. Dias was nowhere near close enough to block the chance but Ederson reacted smartly. The Lewis charged down Mount’s rebound on the volley.

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06:03 PM BST​

76 minutes: United 0 City 0​

The Stretford End in full cry as Zirkzee forces Dias to run the ball out for a throw-in. United lose the ball though, and then Mount fouls Bernardo to stop the City break at the expense of a yellow card. Still we wait for the game’s first goal.

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06:02 PM BST​

74 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Another pair of City changes: O’Reilly replaced by Rico Lewis while Jack Grealish is on for Gundogan. That should mean Bernardo into midfield with Doku switching to the right. Guardiola gives O’Reilly a hug and slap on the back, the youngster has been one of City’s brighter spots.

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05:59 PM BST​

71 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Fernandes and Casemiro combine down the right, and the Brazilian’s cross drops for Ugarte who sent a shot swerving wide of the post from the edge of the box. That is Ugarte’s final contribution: Mount replaces him, while Zirkzee is on for Hojlund.

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05:57 PM BST​

70 minutes: United 0 City 0​

City building a modicum of pressure and win a corner. Headed clear but Marmoush unleashes a fierce strike on the volley with his right foot which is straight down the throat of Onana. Fantastic technique, either side of the goalkeeper and it is one of the goals of the season. Zirkzee and Mount are stripped and ready to come on.

What a hit from Omar Marmoush! pic.twitter.com/x6IyCQ2qf7

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 6, 2025

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05:55 PM BST​

68 minutes: United 0 City 0​

City’s forwards are starting to win their one-on-one battles with the United back three, this time Doku holds off Mazraoui to win another free-kick. The game is still waiting for that moment of telling quality from either side. Doku then bursts away Dalot who drags the winger back at the expense of a yellow card

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05:52 PM BST​

64 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Marmoush turns Lindelof and wins City a free-kick on the edge of shooting territory. Right of centre, around 30 yards from goal... cracking effort from Marmoush, up and over the wall but Onana was across the beat the shot away.

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05:50 PM BST​

62 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Vociferous appeals for handball from United fans after Dias slides to block Dorgu’s low cross with his left arm trailing behind him, but the ball hit his chest. Dias slipped there. He was both lucky and unlucky. Another correct call from the referee, no penalty.

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05:49 PM BST​

60 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Mazraoui gives the ball straight to De Bruyne on the edge of United’s defensive third, who gives it straight back. That rather sums up the game so far.

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05:49 PM BST​

60 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Mazraoui gives the ball straight to De Bruyne on the edge of United’s defensive third, who gives it straight back. That rather sums up the game so far.

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05:45 PM BST​

57 minutes: United 0 City 0​

City are growing into this as an attacking force but they are unable to find the telling pass or shot at the moment. Guardiola has made his first change: Doku replacing Foden. That is a surprising change, it may be that Foden has a knock. Maguire is coming off for United too, replaced by Lindelof. Was that a planned change?

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05:43 PM BST​

54 minutes: United 0 City 0​

United continue to threaten with attacks from their right flank, but Ederson punches a cross clear in acrobatic fashion. Finally, some needle in the game and Ugarte and Dias exchange some choice words. Dias hung out a leg to trip the United midfielder.

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05:40 PM BST​

52 minutes: United 0 City 0​

City under pressure after failing to clear their lines, and Casemiro almost heads the ball into Hojlund’s path in the six-yard box. Dias with an important header clear. The Old Trafford crowd were pleading for the players to shoot. City break, but De Bruyne shoots straight at Onana.

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05:38 PM BST​

49 minutes: United 0 City 0​

De Bruyne whips a cross across the face of goal, but he did not get enough curl on it to find Marmoush. A little more tempo to City’s attacks in ther last few minutes.

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05:36 PM BST​

47 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Fernandes in a promising position down the right but his cross deflects into the arms of Ederson. Foden then helps City cut through a half-hearted United press.

City then produce their most dangerous moment! O’Reilly whipped a pass into Marmoush at the edge of the box and the ball ran through to Phil Foden was looked through on goal, but he stumbled and lost his footing as the crucial moment.

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Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui in action with Manchester City’s Phil Foden - Reuters/Peter Powell

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05:34 PM BST​

We are back under way​

Within the first 30 seconds, Bernardo is booked for a foul on Garnacho. No changes from either side at the break.

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05:33 PM BST​

Roy Keane’s half-time view​

It’s a real lack of quality, there is no atmosphere. Obviously City are dominating possession but United are sitting in like they normally do and they probably look more of a goal threat. There’s no energy in the stadium, the players are going to have to do something. This is a friendly derby!

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05:19 PM BST​

HT: United 0 City 0​

“A non-entity” is how Neville just described the first 45 minutes and who could argue? United will be the happier team: they have looked more dangerous with their attacks and are at least the team executing their gameplan. City have looked muddled and toothless in possession, Guardiola surely needs to bring Savinho and Doku on and go back to playing with wingers.

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There was not too much for Guardiola and Amorim to be pleased about - Reuters/Peter Powell

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05:16 PM BST​

45 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Fernandes is playing well, finding space in midfield and drawing fouls. There will be just two minutes of added time to play. The last five minutes have been utterly uneventful, Gary Neville on Sky compares the ambiance to a pre-season friendly.

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05:10 PM BST​

39 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Gundogan with a shot that whistles wide of the far post, probably the closest City have come. The move started with a Nunes dribble that attracted Casemiro and Ugarte and opened up the space. Casemiro then shoots straight at Ederson after Dalot tees him up.

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05:09 PM BST​

A game being played at walking pace​

There is no speed or tempo to this game. It’s being played at walking pace. City are keeping the ball and not doing anything with it. United are happy for them to have it and hoping for a break or two. It feels like a old team against a very mediocre team. It’s a hard watch of a first period thus far.

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Patrick Dorgu tackles Matheus Nunes - Getty Images/Darren Staples

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05:07 PM BST​

36 minutes: United 0 City 0​

City’s set-up is one they used against Chelsea, with all of their attackers inside leaving space for the full-backs to push forward. It is the inverse of the system we came to know so well under Guardiola, with wingers high and wide on the touchline underpinned by at least one full-back moving into midfield. It is not proving very effective thus far.

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05:03 PM BST​

33 minutes: United 0 City 0​

City with another spell of possession, but it is pretty sterile and all in front of United’s defensive shape. Amorim will be pleased with his team’s showing so far, they are well set up tactically. They just need some more moments of quality on the ball.

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05:01 PM BST​

Fernandes pulling the strings​

Lovely from Bruno Fernandes. Knits it so well as a No 10. A clever cushioned chest into Hojlund. Receives it ball and releases Garnacho with a measured first time pass. Trots forward, picks up the ball again and finds Dorgu rushing into penalty area. The shot is wild. Moments later he stands up a scooped pass for Ugarte who slips and miscues shot wide.

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05:00 PM BST​

29 minutes: United 0 City 0​

United are carrying a threat in transition, with Ugarte snapping into a challenge on halfway to start a break. Garnacho had Fernandes sprinting on his outside, but the pass was dribbled rather than fizzed and forced Fernandes to check. From there, he had to try a difficult chipped cross to Ugarte who could not get enough on the volley. Fernandes not happy with Garnacho, and then Dorgu who is caught offside.

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04:57 PM BST​

26 minutes: United 0 City 0​

United reprising the approach we have seen them use to good effect against Arsenal: sitting off in a 5-4-1 with the midfielders playing narrow and the back five squeezed up to deny any space between the lines.

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04:54 PM BST​

23 minutes: United 0 City 0​

United’s back five and midfield is City’s best playmaker at the moment. The home team keep giving the ball away on the edge of their own defensive third but City have not fully punished them.

And then United threaten at the other end! Really slick move with Dalot feeding Fernandes and leaving the space for Garnacho to hold the width on the right. He picked out Dorgu with a clever pull-back behind the retreating blue shirts but the wing-back’s touch was too heavy and the chance was gone.

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04:51 PM BST​

20 minutes: United 0 City 0​

United have played very little football so far but have had the game’s two most dangerous moments. This time Garnacho was free as a bird at the back post from Dalot’s cross but he hesitated when it was calling out for a bullet header. The ball bounced into the turf and City cleared.

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Garnacho reacts to a missed chance - Getty Images/Darren Staples

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04:50 PM BST​

A key City hire in attendance​

Hugo Viana, Manchester City’s new director of football, is part of the away delegation in the directors box. Also there is the man he succeeds at the end of the season. Txiki Begiristain. In Viana’s in-box will be to find a replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, of course, as part of what will probably be a significant re-build at City in the summer despite the vast spending in the January transfer window. Viana, of course, arrives from Sporting where he worked closely with Ruben Amorim who left to become Manchester United’s head coach.

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04:49 PM BST​

18 minutes: United 0 City 0​

De Bruyne with a tame shot from the edge of the box straight at Onana. City enjoying the lion’s share of possession and territory. United have picked a midfield to defend with Casemiro and Ugarte but they are already suffering for their clunky play in possession.

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04:46 PM BST​

16 minutes: United 0 City 0​

There is plenty of space for United’s left wing-back Dorgu but they have miscued a couple of attempted switches of play.

Marmoush runs through an alarming gap in United’s defence but to his credit Maguire recovered to block his shot. From the resulting corner, there are some City appeals for handball but nothing doing.

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04:44 PM BST​

13 minutes: United 0 City 0​

A stoppage of two minutes or so while Foden receives some treatment. He was caught on the foot by a sliding challenge from Casemiro but looks fit to continue. It was more the follow-through, so no suggestion of a card for Casemiro.

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04:43 PM BST​

Guardiola playing tactical tricks as usual​

Interesting set up from Guardiola. It’s a 4-3-3 but with some flourishes. So De Bruyne is operating as a false nine with Foden and Marmoush split either side. Bernardo’s positioning is always intriguing. He’s on the right of the midfield three but very defensive. At times he’s becoming a right back with the right back Nunes pushed on.

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04:42 PM BST​

11 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Foden takes a shot from the edge of the box which trickles just wide of Onana’s near-post. It is not exactly a vociferous atmosphere, which seems a theme at a number of Premier League grounds just now. There is not a great deal of jeopardy at either end of the table, and a top-four battle does not set pulses racing for City fans.

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04:39 PM BST​

9 minutes: United 0 City 0​

Ugarte caught on the ball which presents Foden the chance to accelerate through United’s midfield but the flag goes up for offside against De Bruyne. Moments before, Mazraoui did well to mop up defensively under presssure from Marmoush.

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04:37 PM BST​

7 minutes: United 0 City 0​

City looking fairly comfortable now, with O’Reilly showing his composure on the ball to draw a foul from Dalot near the touchline. Kovacic’s chipped pass forward is aimless and skips through to Onana.

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04:36 PM BST​

4 minutes: United 0 City 0​

City settling down with some possession, their attacking shape looks quite fluid with De Bruyne, Marmoush and Foden all popping up in striker-like areas. It is a pretty one-paced engine room today with Casemiro, Ugarte, Kovacic and Gundogan. It could mean we are in for a rather sedate tempo.

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04:33 PM BST​

2 minutes: United 0 City 0​

What an explosive start: City’s high line breached by Garnacho inside the first minute, and he does what all forwards should and cuts his run across the path of Dias who tripped him right on the edge of the box. John Brooks gives a free-kick and a yellow card, which was the correct call to give the referee due credit.

Fernandes’ free-kick is straight into the wall, but that is a shaker for City so early in the game.

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Manchester City’s Ruben Dias fouls Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho - Reuters/Peter Powell

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04:31 PM BST​

KICK OFF!​

United get the game under way. Straight away, when City are defending De Bruyne is in a very advanced position with Marmoush to the left.

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04:29 PM BST​

The players are out at Old Trafford​

Manchester United’s home is half in sunshine, half in shade. This is not one of the more seismic renewals of this rivalry, but City do kick off in the knowledge that they can go above Chelsea into fourth.

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04:21 PM BST​

Let the De Bruyne farewell tour begin​

The Manchester City fans have just broken into a chorus of “oh, Kevin De Bruyne” as the players leave the pitch following their warm-up and ahead of kick-off. It is no surprise to see Pep Guardiola start with De Bruyne, captaining the side, in what is the first game since it was announced on Friday that the midfielder will be leaving at the end of this season after 10 outstanding years at City. It means every game now will be part of the De Bruyne farewell tour. He will hope it ends with an FA Cup final appearance at Wembley.

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Kevin De Bruyne warms up - Getty Images/Darren Staples

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04:17 PM BST​

The warm-ups are underway​

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Kevin De Bruyne warming up ahead of his final Manchester derby - PA/Martin Rickett

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Manchester United players warming up ahead of kick-off at 16:30 - Getty Images/Phil Duncan

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Luke Shaw is on the bench for Manchester United - PA/Martin Rickett

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04:13 PM BST​

‘City’s starting XI is something of a surprise’​

City’s starting XI is something of a surprise. There are not a lot of legs in midfield with Gundogan, Kovacic and De Bruyne all starting and Bernardo further ahead. Gonzalez starting on the bench is a surprise as is both Doku and Savinho. Maybe Guardiola feels O’Reilly and Nunes will provide plenty of width and penetration from deeper down the flanks.

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04:11 PM BST​

United looking for rare double against their noisy neighbours​

Victory for Manchester United would secure their first Premier League double against City since 2019-20, after they won 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in December.

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04:07 PM BST​

Full-time in 2pm matches​

Good news for Manchester City, they can climb into the top four with a victory after Chelsea could only draw 0-0 at Brentford.

Meanwhile, it has finished Fulham 3-2 Liverpool – the league leaders’ first away defeat all season. They are still 11 points clear. It is also finished Tottenham 3-1 Southampton. The result means that Southampton are officially heading back to the Championship.

Follow all the reaction from the 2pm matches right here.

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04:00 PM BST​

Guardiola: ‘We want to win, it is our derby’​

Speaking to Sky Sports

On Kevin De Bruyne’s selection:

There’s emotion. One decade here. But I’m pretty sure he will be focused on what he has to do.

Omar Marmoush has adapted really well. His numbers are there but he has helped us with his work ethic and makes incredible movements in behind.

On O’Reilly starting:

He’s still young, he’s on in his position. He has to improve but his physicality and with set pieces, we are not strong in that department without Erling Haaland. He has developed really good. I want two left footers in the left side.

We have been better in the last two games. It [the last Manchester derby defeat] was a long time ago, imagine if we had won in the first leg?

It’s completely new, it was a long moment where we were not good and we have to finish well in the last eight Premier League games.

On if he enjoys playing at Old Trafford:

Comfortable is not the word. When we achieve what we achieved, you have incredible respect for all the opponents in the stadiums. It’s a beautiful place to come, but we take every away game seriously. Of course we want to beat them, it’s our derby.

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03:58 PM BST​

Fans arriving at Old Trafford​

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A half-and-half Manchester scarf is shown by a fan outside Old Trafford before the match - Reuters/Peter Powell

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Mounted police patrol outside Old Trafford before the Manchester derby - Getty Images/Darren Staples

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A Manchester United fan ahead of kick-off at Old Trafford - Getty Images/Michael Steele

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03:51 PM BST​

Elsewhere in the Premier League​

In Sunday’s 2pm games, the champions-elect are having a shocker at Craven Cottage. Elsewhere, it’s Brentford 0-0 Chelsea and Tottenham 2-0 Southampton – unless Southampton can summon a remarkable comeback they will be officially relegated.

Follow the action via our dedicated Premier League clock-watch blog.

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03:44 PM BST​

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03:40 PM BST​

Inside Man Utd’s dressing room​

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03:36 PM BST​

Amorim: ‘I expect to win’​

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is always desperate to uphold the club’s standards. For him, the Manchester derby this afternoon is no different.

“I expect to win. That is really important,” he said on Friday. “Of course we know that it’s going to be a massive game. I know the environment, I felt it against Arsenal and I will feel it even more before the game from our fans.

“We just want to play well and be really competitive. That is really important for us and our fans, we know that, and we want to win to improve our position in the table.

“I’m not focused on the [doing the league double against City], when you coach a club like Manchester United, you cannot be focused on winning two times, our focus is on improving, to go up in the table and win games.”

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03:27 PM BST​

Manchester City team news​

Kevin De Bruyne starts for the visitors – making his last Manchester derby appearance. De Bruyne is one of four changes to the Manchester City side that defeated Leicester City on Wednesday.

Jack Grealish, Savinho and Jeremy Doku drop to the bench at Old Trafford.

Team to play Man Utd: Ederson, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Gundogan, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden, Marmoush

Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Grealish, Doku, Nico, Reis, Savinho, Khusanov, Lewis, McAtee

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03:25 PM BST​

Manchester United team news​

Well the team sheets are in at Old Trafford. Luke Shaw makes the bench for the first time since December, as does Mason Mount.

Team to play Man City: Onana, Dalot, Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro, Dorgu, Ugarte, Fernandes, Casemiro, Garnacho, Hojlund

Substitutes: Bayindir, Amass, Kukonki, Lindelof, Shaw, Eriksen, Mount, Obi, Zirkzee

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03:19 PM BST​

Kevin De Bruyne to leave Manchester City​

In case you missed it, Kevin De Bruyne announced on Friday that he will leave Manchester City at the end of this season, when his contract expires.

“Seeing this, you probably realise where this is heading,” De Bruyne wrote. “So I’ll get straight to it and let you all know that these will be my final months as a Manchester City player.

“Nothing about this is easy to write, but as football players, we all know this day eventually comes. That day is here – and you deserve to hear it from me first.”

De Bruyne has helped the Manchester club to six Premier League titles, as well as their maiden Champions League in 2023 along with countless other trophies.

Dear Manchester. pic.twitter.com/2EdhVYOLti

— Kevin De Bruyne (@KevinDeBruyne) April 4, 2025

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03:11 PM BST​

Early Manchester City news​

Erling Haaland will not feature in today’s derby, nor he will play for much of the rest of the season after sustaining an ankle injury against Bournemouth in the FA quarter-final.

Meanwhile, City are still without midfielders Rodri and three centre-backs: Manuel Akhanji, Nathan Ake and John Stones.

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03:09 PM BST​

Early Manchester United news​

A huge boost for Ruben Amorim as Kobbie Mainoo returned to training ahead of this afternoon’s derby. However, he is not expected to play the full 90 minutes – having not played since the start of February.

Meanwhile, Matthijs de Ligt is facing a late fitness test after picking up an injury during United’s 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.

Luke Shaw is still not available for selection but close to a return, while Amad and Lisando Martinez are out longer term.

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03:00 PM BST​

Preview: A season to forget for both Manchester clubs​

Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the Manchester derby. It has been a season to forget for both Manchester clubs in the 2024-24 season, though the 196th instalment of this fixture nevertheless is still cause for excitement.

Back in December, Amad Diallo was Manchester United’s hero in the derby at the Etihad Stadium, with his 90th minute goal completing a late turnaround to beat out-of-sorts Manchester City’s 2-1 in the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola’s side were on course for a much-needed three points after Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header under Amad was fouled inside the box by Matheus Nunes, with United talisman Bruno Fernandes stepping up to convert the spot-kick.

However, United and Amorim have failed to build on that memorable win at the Etihad Stadium. Their latest 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday was their 13th defeat of the season, one short of equalling a club record in the Premier League era. The result at the City Ground was an even harder pill to swallow as academy graduate Anthony Elanga struck the decisive blow.

Meanwhile, Manchester City tightened their group on a top-five place with a comfortable 2-0 win over Leicester City on Wednesday with goal from Jack Grealish – his first Premier League strike since December 2023 – and Omar Marmoush sealing the victory on home soil.

It will be interesting to see if Kevin De Bruyne plays a part at Old Trafford, with the Belgian announcing on Friday that this will be his final season at City, meaning this will be his last Manchester derby appearance.

The 33-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has scored 106 goals and made 174 assists in 413 appearances for City since joining the club in 2015.

Stay with us, as we bring you build-up, including team news and analysis, as well as full-text commentary of the game at Old Trafford, which kicks off at 4:30pm.

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