Manchester United

With Manchester United struggling to get out of the bottom half of the table and Manchester City fighting for a Champions League spot, neither club's season has gone in the direction most would have expected.

As they battle it out in the Manchester derby on Sunday, we asked our fan contributors for each club to let us know why this could be the match that ignites their end to the campaign.

United fan Alex Turk at Turk Talks FC, external says it will happen because, after all, they have "done it before"...

And this is the view of City fan Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany, external, who says a win against United will add "a bit of fire" and "exorcise some demons" from a difficult season...

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Manchester United possessed the ball well against Nottingham Forest but without any real purpose.

Forest are always tough to play against because they don't leave that much space behind but United just didn't look that exciting. They struggled to break down Forest's strong defence and Joshua Zirkzee being their outlet as a nine didn't help because he wasn't really occupying the box.

But derbies are different and they can go either way on the day.

It is easier to get up for a derby than probably any other game - other than a cup final. They are special and you are playing for pride and bragging rights so it motivates players a lot more.

Even if you are having a bad season, it is the one game you can really get yourself up for.

When I played for Everton and Liverpool, I had that feeling and in the week leading up to the match, it would be all you speak about. It is often the first fixture you look for.

I expect the game against Manchester City to be completely different to what we saw against Forest.

Neither team really come into this game in great form, or at their best in terms of consistency, and I think City will leave more gaps behind, rather than how Forest played on the transition and sat deeper.

Ruben Amorim's backline will have to defend brilliantly and perhaps also play in transition if they are to do the double over City this season. Rasmus Hojlund needs to start over Zirkzee if they are to play in the transition because it is not something that the Dutch forward is strong at.

United struggle centrally in terms of personnel - defensively they can look disorganised and not having a focal point striker means they are finding it hard to put chances away.

Bruno Fernandes is trying to drag the team and you can see his frustration.

But anything can happen in a Manchester derby.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

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Manchester United have beaten Leeds United 13-1 to keep themselves in the Under-18 Premier League North title race.

The Under-18s were knocked out of the FA Youth Cup in their semi-final against Aston Villa on Monday, but bounced back with an impressive league victory at Carrington this lunchtime.

Captain Victor Musa scored a first-half double hat-trick, which saw Manchester United lead 9-0 at the break.

Highly-rated 14-year-old Joseph Junior (JJ) Gabriel also got on the scoresheet with two goals, after coming on as a substitute late in the game.

"As low key as it has ever been."

Manchester United fan Tom Mortimer and Manchester City supporter Lewis Brown preview the weekend's derby on The Football News Show.

Watch on BBC iPlayer

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Manchester United are looking to complete their first Premier League double over Manchester City since 2019-20, following their 2-1 win at Etihad Stadium in December.

City have won more Premier League away games against United than any other side (nine). And five of those nine wins have come under Pep Guardiola, the most of any visiting manager in the competition.

Bruno Fernandes has been involved in 21 goals at Old Trafford for Manchester United this season (12 goals, nine assists). If he assists in this game, it will be the third time he has got 10 or more goals and 10 or more assists in a season at Old Trafford (also 2020-21 and 2022-23).

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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That was a fascinating Ruben Amorim news conference.

He made it clear what he sees as improvements are being made to ensure next season is far better than this one, said no manager can expect the three and a half years Sir Alex Ferguson got to deliver success to Old Trafford, and refused to talk about a long-term plan, stating firmly on a couple of occasions he simply would not do it.

To me, that basically said if Manchester United are not significantly better next season than this - and I don't think he was saying 10th is better than 13th - he expects to be in massive trouble.

That is a fair call. It is also a big task.

Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are certainly not going away. But Newcastle and Aston Villa are progressing and will spend - if they can - in the summer. And that is without talking about Nottingham Forest, Brighton and the other sides who have been too good for United this season.

United might win the derby at Old Trafford, or they might not. But there is a bigger picture. And Amorim knows what it is.

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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim says he "cannot think" they will need "a lot of years" before they are competing for the Premier League title again.

It has been 12 years since the club last lifted the league trophy and, after not finishing outside of the top two between 2006 and 2013, they have only finished within those positions twice since.

Amorim has struggled to ignite their top-flight form since replacing Erik ten Hag earlier in the campaign and they find themselves languishing in 13th.

"I understand, I am not naive. I don't want to think we need a lot of years to be competitive, I cannot think like that," Amorim said.

"That is why I am putting pressure on myself. I know we are not going to be the biggest contender in the next year or two years. We are doing a lot of things, putting some standards in, sometimes we change players so they have to adjust to our new standards.

"I know it is difficult to do that in just one year, I know it is going to take time, but I will not think like that and say I need a lot of years. I cannot manage like that.

"We are preparing something we have to change next year. I am not saying we are going to win the title next year - I am not crazy. We are suffering a lot to be next year a lot better and that is our goal.

"I don't want to be that guy here saying we need a lot of time."

Manchester United face Manchester City on Sunday, looking to do the league double over them for the first time since the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

"The Premier League is so difficult. I have a lot of people saying Sir Alex Ferguson took three or four years to win something - it is not possible these days because you have to give three interviews before every game so the pressure is so much different," Amorim added.

"We are Manchester United. There are a lot of good things. No matter the pressure, we have to be there with the big ones."

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Manchester City at Old Trafford (kick-off 16:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Kobbie Mainoo is returning to training but Amorim confirmed the midfielder "cannot play a full game" and they will need to assess him. Matthijs de Ligt also has an "issue" that will need to be assessed before the match.

• Mason Mount "can start" on Sunday but they will "have to manage his minutes still".

• On whether this latest injury return will be the making of Mount: "For the team, it is not to speak about that too much - let Mason Mount train a lot of times, getting the load in his body and forget about that because the mind sometimes is more important than the body."

• On the form of Alejandro Garnacho: "I think he is doing the right things. Like any player in our team, he has to choose better, especially in the last third. All the players have to improve, maybe Bruno [Fernandes] is the one who can do something - assist, score easily - but Garnacho is improving the way he [passes] defenders, the way he runs. He needs more goals and assists, that is clear. He wants to improve and is improving, but is not in a great moment."

• The United boss said Kevin de Bruyne, who confirmed he will be leaving Manchester City at the end of the season, was "one of the best midfielders in the Premier League" and he had "improved the league". He also joked the Belgian "was on the wrong side of Manchester" but he wished him luck for the future.

• On City's form this season: "I am more focused on our problems. I think we have bigger problems than Manchester City. They had that run in that moment - but they improved. They can play in different ways, it is really hard to think how they can face us. They have maybe the best coach in the world. They have top players but I am so focused on my team."

• Amorim said United "need a lot to catch them [City and other teams] and they will improve again next season" but he just wants to "focus on our strengths and bring one or two players, big players" in over the summer.

• He added: "We need to focus. We are doing all the stuff to be so much better next season. I cannot manage this thing of 'in four years we will try something'. We need to be so much better. This is a massive club."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary of Man Utd v Man City at 16:30 on Sunday

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Manchester United winger Antony has been identified as a top target for Arsenal, with the 25-year-old Brazil international impressing during a loan spell at Real Betis. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Manchester United have made 24-year-old Udinese and Italy striker Lorenzo Lucca their top target going into the summer transfer window. (Sun - subscription required), external

Marcus Rashford will have to consider taking a wage drop if he is to seal a permanent move to Aston Villa from Manchester United this summer. (Football Insider), external

Kobbie Mainoo remains fully committed to Manchester United despite interest in the 19-year-old midfielder from Real Madrid and Inter Milan. (GiveMeSport), external

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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BBC Sport Chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions on the Premier League.

Rob asked: Hi Phil, I'm intrigued to hear what you would do as manager/sporting director at Manchester United regarding Marcus Rashford when this season ends. Assuming he continues to perform well at Villa, would you try to welcome him back/discuss ideas with him, or has that ship now sailed?

Phil answered: Hello, Rob. This is a really interesting question. Rashford has done well at Aston Villa and looked much more like his old self, but I believe Ruben Amorim has looked at Rashford, on and off the pitch, and decided he is not for him.

He made that pretty clear. There is always room for discussion when his Villa loan spell ends but, based on what Amorim has said publicly about Rashford, I do not see any way those bridges can be rebuilt.

Follow the rest of Phil's Q&A, and the rest of the day's football news on our daily live page

Highlights and analysis from nine midweek Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 2-1 Fulham

• Nottingham Forest 1-0 Man Utd

• Liverpool 1-0 Everton

• Newcastle 2-1 Brentford

Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle are showing interest in Como's 19-year-old Senegal winger Assane Diao. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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We asked you about Alejandro Garnacho's future at Old Trafford. Here are some of your comments:

Joseph: Keep Garnacho and let Ruben Amorim improve his football. He has the potential to be a fantastic talent. Let's not waste it. We got rid of Anthony Elanga and look at hime now. You could say the board has no brains at all!

Jon: Unfortunately, the numbers, facts and data do not lie. I have spent the season watching him and things are just not improving at all. His performances are getting worse!

Greg: This is exactly why other young players flourish away from Old Trafford. There isn't another club in this country where the expectation on a 20-year-old is so ridiculously high. Compare him with Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah at the same age.

Richard: Get rid of him. He is too inconsistent.

Eric: Garnacho is an excellent talent - young and exciting. Needs to step up, yes, but if the players around him improve, so will he. Confidence is lacking and he tries too hard. But his decision making is starting to improve, and it will even more with more experience.

Emily: Keep Garnanacho. He is United's best player by far.

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

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Watching Anthony Elanga blitz through Manchester United's defence to score the decisive goal for Nottingham Forest on Tuesday was tough for the visitors' fans.

The forward rarely showed such dynamism when wearing a United shirt, but his speed, close control and devastating finish stood out on a night of low quality in front of goal.

At the opposite end of the pitch, United's (in theory) most effective dribbler, Alejandro Garnacho, cut a frustrated figure throughout.

And that is not a new story for the 20-year-old.

Linked with a move to Chelsea in January, it has been a difficult season for Garnacho, and questions about his suitability for Ruben Amorim's tactical set-up are increasing.

The stats do not offer mitigation either.

This season, in the Premier League, he has averaged 1.4 chances created per game, ranking him 72nd out of all players who have played 900 or more minutes.

Perhaps most damningly of all, his dribble success rate - for players attempting more than 50 - is just 30.8%, which places him rock bottom in 58th place.

In fairness to Garnacho, he does get plenty of shots off in a game, averaging three and a half per 90 minutes, but that merely makes his shot conversion rate worse – his figure of 5.9% ranking him down the list once again (71st out of 80).

Even when comparing with Garnacho's own numbers, the figures make disappointing reading.

He is still digging out the same number of shots as in 2023-24, with an average of 3.5 a game - but in other metrics, he is down.

Last year, he created 1.6 chances per game. That is only a small decrease on this season's 1.4, but that was over more games than he has played in 2024-25.

And then there's the dribble success rate.

Last season's 42.8% was nothing sensational, but it was middle of the road for similar players as opposed to rock bottom.

It suggests a forward who heads down blind alleys with the ball at his feet, usually losing possession and offering little product.

Amorim said on Tuesday that Garnacho is "sometimes trying too much" and "sometimes doesn't make the best choice".

Perhaps that is understandable for a young player finding his way in the game, but his on-pitch demeanour can perhaps make it hard to warm to him.

Being outshone by Elanga, who is the latest ex-United player to thrive away from Old Trafford, surely only makes it rankle more for supporters.

What United choose to do with another academy product who is not delivering on his potential could be a common theme over a tricky-looking summer.

Should Amorim do more to get the best out of Garnacho or is it on the player to improve? Is he even the right fit for United?

Tell us what the future holds

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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When Ralf Rangnick replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in December 2021, he quickly concluded Anthony Elanga had a bright future.

Rangnick clearly knew Elanga had pace - and felt his direct style was a threat to opposition defences, which in turn could create space for others.

Crucially, he also felt Elanga was aware of the space around him and did not forget his defensive duties, even if his preference was to go forward.

That he featured in 26 out of Rangnick's 29 games in charge says it all about the current Austria coach's view.

Sadly for Elanga, Erik ten Hag had a different outlook.

The Dutchman did not feel Elanga had the quality needed to be enough of an influence on his squad. That meant he was jettisoned in 2023 after a single campaign under the Dutchman.

The problem was the attacking players who came in the same summer – Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund – have failed to deliver. The wide attacking players United already had – Antony, Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho – were inconsistent at best, Anthony Martial was injured and Marcus Rashford's form fell off a cliff.

Ten Hag's assessment was probably right. United were third then, as Nottingham Forest are third now. Maybe that is Elanga's level. What he really did not bargain for was the Old Trafford side hurtling backwards at such an alarming rate.

Third to them now seems light years away.

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Diogo Dalot remains confident Manchester United are taking the right steps towards a return to their former glory.

Even though United lost their 13th league match of the season against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, the 26 year old was keen to take the positives.

"[Our fighting spirit] shows how much we wanted it and shows how much we want to change the situation, to not be in the position that we are, especially in the Premier League," Dalot said.

"And if we want to be competitive in the future, we have to start behaving like this and we have to perform like this.

"I think the results will come in the end, but this little bit will have to come first if you want to compete for the Premier League and the biggest titles. We have to start creating these habits and then try to be consistent. Then, I think the results will come by itself.

"We still have to suffer a little bit but in terms of trying to get out of this situation and trying to improve but I think we are on the right track."

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Harry Maguire's cameo upfront against Nottingham Forest has dug up some frightening stats for Manchester United's centre-forwards

BBC Sport's Alex Brotherton, it notes that Maguire had more shots in nine minutes than striker duo Joshua Zirkze and Rasmus Hojlund had in the whole match.

But that is not the most alarming stat of all.

As first spotted by xG Philosophy, external, Harry Maguire accumulated more expected goals at the City Ground than Rasmus Hojlund has managed to find in any of his past 15 appearances for the Red Devils.

His figure of 0.6 has only been beaten twice by Hojlund in the Premier League all season, actually against Forest at Old Trafford in December with 0.74 and at West Ham for Erik ten Hag's final game in charge (0.61).

Numbers like this will only add fuel to the fire for those who think United need a new striker this summer.