AGENCIES

Manchester United have the opportunity to knock Manchester City off their perch when they travel to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday even if they will not be the main beneficiaries of a surprise Premier League win.

United are a long way from a gripping three-way title race also featuring leaders Liverpool and Arsenal as 15 points separate the city rivals but sixth-placed United would take immense satisfaction at denting City’s hopes of winning a record fourth successive Premier League crown.

City are unbeaten in their last 18 games in all competitions and warmed up for the derby with a 6-2 FA Cup win at Luton Town in which Erling Haaland scored five times. United also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in midweek and were in a decent run of league form themselves until a 2-1 home defeat by Fulham last weekend.

“We are also on a good run, the spirit is very good,” manager Erik Ten Hag said on Thursday. With City having won five of the past six Manchester derbies in all competitions but City manager Pep Guardiola insisted United have been as good as any Premier League team since January.

“They have the biggest quality,” Guardiola said. “In 2024 they lost just one game, the consistency is there.”