Manchester United-Manchester City Preview

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says he and his players will "do everything to win that game" as they prepare to visit local rivals Manchester City.

Ten Hag was brought in from Ajax to replace Ralf Rangnick before this season, and despite a poor start to the campaign, four consecutive league wins has given United fans hope ahead of Sunday's derby.

And Ten Hag recognises the importance of the match and what his team must do to get a result.

"I know it's the most important game here in the Manchester area for the fans," Ten Hag told reporters.

"It excites me. I want to be involved in these games. It's a good fight that gives so much energy. You do everything to win that game."

However, Ten Hag's men will be facing a City side full of confidence, five points ahead of United and currently unbeaten in the league having won five and drawn two of their opening seven matches.

And Citizens manager Pep Guardiola was also quick to highlight the significance of the fixture, saying: "It's important, big rival in the city.

"We will try to figure out what we're going to do and what we can do to beat them. No more than that.

"In these kind of games you don't have to make extra emotion, everyone knows it. The stadium will be full... I'm looking forward to it."

Manchester City - Erling Haaland

The striker has scored a hat-trick in each of his last two Premier League home games for City, doing so against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. No player has scored a hat-trick in three consecutive Premier League home games before, but he could achieve it against City's bitter rivals.

Manchester United - Antony

The new arrival scored on his Premier League debut in Manchester United's 3-1 win against Arsenal last time out, and will be full of confidence heading into this derby match of scoring again.

- Manchester City are looking to win three consecutive Premier League games against Manchester United for the first time since a run of four between April 2013 and November 2014.

- The away side has won 21 times in Premier League meetings between Manchester City and Manchester United - no fixture has been won by the visitors more often in the competition's history.

- Manchester United have won their last four Premier League games, having lost four in a row before that. They last won five consecutive league games in April 2021 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

- This will be Erik Ten Hag's first Manchester derby in charge of Man Utd - each of the five previous Red Devils managers to take charge of one in the league have lost their first (David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rangnick), with Alex Ferguson the last to win in March 1987.

- Manchester City have won their last seven Premier League home games, scoring at least three goals each time. The last team to win eight straight top-flight home games while scoring three or more goals were Tottenham between March and September 1965.

Updated October 1, 2022