The Statistics Behind a Disheartening Manchester Derby

Pep Guardiola is known for his pragmatic approach, yet one can’t ignore the possibility that Kevin De Bruyne’s heartfelt farewell on social media earlier this week influenced his inclusion in the starting XI for what was his 21st and final Manchester derby.

Meanwhile, young teammate Nico O’Reilly had been turning heads with his performances lately, so his selection to start was somewhat expected.

This marked a significant milestone, as at just 20 years and 16 days old, O’Reilly became the fourth youngest defender to feature for Manchester City against Manchester United in a Premier League match, following in the footsteps of Micah Richards (18 years, 168 days), Richard Edghill (19 years, 45 days), and Matija Nastasic (19 years, 256 days).

Before kick-off, United had a tantalising opportunity to claim the double over City for the first time in 15 years. However, entering the match with their 16th different centre-back pairing of the season—the highest in the Premier League for the 2024/25 campaign—suggested they were grappling with significant defensive issues under Ruben Amorim.

As expected, Bruno Fernandes captained the home side, marking his sixth appearance as captain in a Manchester derby, pulling him level with notable figures such as Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs. Only Vincent Kompany (13) and Steve Bruce (7) have captained more Manchester derbies in the Premier League.

Fastest yellow card in a Manchester derby since 2006/07

The match began at a frenetic pace, catching Manchester City off guard as Ruben Dias received a yellow card just 38 seconds in—the fastest in Premier League Manchester derby history since records began in the 2006/07 season.

After 25 minutes, while United managed only 14 passes in the attacking third, they had entered City’s penalty area seven times without registering a shot on target.

Such lack of activity in front of goal contributed to a rather subdued atmosphere at the Theatre of Dreams when the half-time whistle blew.

What was meant to be a fiercely competitive clash for both teams turned out to be a largely lacklustre first half, with neither side exhibiting the urgency expected, apart from Alejandro Garnacho and Nico O’Reilly—each of whom made four touches inside the opposition box prior to the interval.

During the first half, there were only eight shots taken, with just two Premier League Manchester derbies recording fewer in the opening 45 minutes since records began in 2003/04, showcasing a lack of attacking intent from both teams.

United’s failure to score in the first half was telling, with only Leicester City (7), Southampton (11), and Crystal Palace (12) having worse first half goal totals than United’s 13 this Premier League season. City, on the other hand, won merely 28% of their first-half duels, marking the lowest for any team in the league.

Given this, both coaches, Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim, wore expressions of disappointment as they made their way toward the tunnel.

Things hardly improved in the second half, although Mason Mount’s return to Old Trafford may have infused some positivity for both the player and the club.

Casemiro could take solace as he exited the pitch after becoming the first player to win over 10 duels in a Premier League Manchester derby (11) since Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Joao Cancelo both won 12 in March 2020.

In reality, the much-anticipated ‘Super Sunday’ fixture failed to ignite excitement.

Guardiola’s squad maintained a grip on possession, registering 58.5% and completing 338 passes in the opposition half, whereas United managed just 174. However, without Erling Haaland leading the line, City’s attack lacked bite.

Omar Marmoush excelled with a perfect pass completion rate from his 14 passes, deserving more from his teammates, as he accounted for three of City’s five shots on target (nine overall).

In contrast, United mustered only two shots on target from 13 attempts, ultimately squandering their chances.

Bruno Fernandes continues to shine

Bruno Fernandes stood out amongst his peers, once again showcasing his class.

He led the team in winning possession with seven recoveries, equalling Garnacho and Bernardo Silva for the game’s highest. His three successful dribbles also topped the match stats.

Fernandes achieved a pass completion rate of 93%, slightly below Victor Lindelof (93.3%) and Mason Mount (100%). However, while Mount only made seven passes and Lindelof 15, Fernandes managed an impressive 43 passes, with 40 successful connections.

For much of the game, players from both sides struggled to make an impact, resulting in a 0-0 draw—only the third goalless Manchester derby since the beginning of the 2016/17 season across all competitions.

City could take some satisfaction from their consecutive clean sheets in Premier League matches for the first time since May 2024. However, they now face their own challenge, having failed to score in successive away league matches for the first time since December 2020.

As for the hosts, under Ruben Amorim’s stewardship, only Leicester City (12) have more games without a goal than United (8) in the Premier League—an alarming trend as the season progresses.