Haaland can break derby record

Haaland scored five in his last outing, and three in his last derby against United at the Etihad. If he replicates that form on Sunday, he will overtake two United legends to become top scorer in the derby in Premier League fixtures. Wayne Rooney is United’s top Premier League derby scorer with eight goals from 21, with Eric Cantona next with an impressive seven goals from six outings.
Haaland has five in three league derbies so far. Impressively, he has three assists on top of that, to total eight goal contributions from 270 minutes of action – one every 33 minutes. Already, only Sergio Aguero has more goals in the derby in the Premier League era for City, with eight from 13 matches.
Aguero is the fixture’s joint-top scorer in the Premier League, with Haaland three goals from equalling the Argentine’s total, and four from setting the outright record. Two goals would equal Cantona’s impressive record, with Cantona’s ten overall goal contributions also within reach if he can get firing on Sunday. Even if he doesn’t, it’s only a matter of time before Haaland breaks more derby records.

Rodri record up for grabs

The manager barely entertained a question about Rodri’s impending record, should he feature and City avoid defeat in the derby. Rodri has not lost a game for City in 58 outings, since the February 2023 trip to Tottenham – all other City defeats in that time have come when the Spaniard has not been on the pitch.
Level with former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho, anything but defeat against United means Rodri will hold the record outright on Sunday. But when Guardiola was asked how significant that potential English football record was, the manager could not have been less interested if he tried.
That tracks with Rodri’s understated demeanour and playing style. He is always just there, reliable and consistent. His importance to City is unlike any other player – even Haaland or Kevin De Bruyne – and his return to the side in the derby will be crucial for City ahead of their season-defining month of fixtures.

Why are City worse at the Etihad vs United?

“Since I’ve been here [it has been] more difficult [at the Etihad] than Old Trafford in our period together. We lost more games here than Old Trafford, we have to perform really well to do it.” Pep Guardiola knows too well that a quirk of his tenure at City is that the away team often performs better in the derby, with back-to-back home wins improving his Etihad record from a record of just one win in five home league games to three wins in seven. Still, three defeats and a draw mean City have still found derbies easier at Old Trafford – where they have won five and lost just two of Guardiola’s eight trips.
The 6-3 win last season was flattering to United in the sense that they shouldn’t have scored anywhere near three. City controlled the game from the start and will look to do the same again. They haven’t lost at the Etihad since November 2022, unbeaten in 35 games, with 31 wins. If that record continues against United, it will be the first time Guardiola has had a positive home record in the Premier League against United, and it would also equal their longest unbeaten home record under the Catalan.
And if Guardiola can make it three home wins in a row against the Reds, he can be confident in saying he has belatedly discovered a solution to that strange derby phenomenon. In fact, City haven’t won three consecutive home league games against United since 1955 – so maybe it’s not just a Guardiola quirk.

Can City compound Ten Hag misery?

Guardiola was keen to reiterate that United must stick by Erik ten Hag if they want to progress, but refused to be drawn on whether the Dutchman’s philosophy is reflected enough in United’s play. Guardiola stressed that United’s form in 2024 is among the best in the league, and added: “We cannot deny how good he has done in the past in Amsterdam and here trying to do his best.”
In another answer, he said: “It’s not easy for United to come from an incredibly successful period with Sir Alex and cope with that, that is not easy. Sometimes I can understand it. Before in England, with the managers they had more patience. Today everyone has a lot of pressure.”
If City beat United, they move 18 points ahead of the Reds in the table and would leave Ten Hag’s men even further adrift of the top four. In that scenario, United may be left reliant on City progressing far in the Champions League to help earn the Premier League a fifth qualification spot for next season. Whether Ten Hag would be there to lead United into Europe in 2024/25 is another question, with increasing questions over his future. Derby defeat would make his position even less secure.

One game at a time

Even if City win the derby, don’t expect too many wild celebrations like Arsenal did after beating Liverpool, or like Jurgen Klopp is doing every game. There will most likely be a lap of honour for the players, before attention turns to the Champions League on Wednesday where a quarter-final place is up for grabs.
Guardiola is keen for his players to take the emotion out of the derby and the title race. The next task will be to keep Copenhagen at arm’s length in the week after establishing a 3-1 lead in Denmark. Then, attention will turn to Liverpool for a title showdown at Anfield. After that is the FA Cup quarter-final, the international break, before more important clashes with Arsenal and Aston Villa.
So any player thinking too far ahead will be wise to just focus on the next game. It’s the way City have always done it and why they have won so much. United know their best chance of winning is to make it an emotional affair to knock City off their usual game and stand a chance themselves. Equally, City know United won’t be able to touch them if they play the game and not the occasion.