Manchester Derby Arrives at a Defining Moment for United and City

There is just something different about derby week in Manchester.

United and City meet again at Old Trafford on Sunday, and even this early in the season, this one feels important.

Manchester United haven’t had the smoothest start in the Premier League. There have already been a few frustrating moments and a few questions around the team. But their 4–0 Champions League win on Thursday gave Old Trafford something to feel good about again.

Benjamin Sesko scored. Matheus Cunha scored. Bruno Fernandes got one too, and Lisandro Martinez was also on the scoresheet.

Maybe it was exactly the kind of night United needed before a derby.

City, though, are coming from the other direction.

They have started the Premier League season with three straight wins, and Enzo Maresca now gets his first taste of a Manchester derby as City manager.

But form can get a little strange in these games.

A team can look great one week and then suddenly everything changes when United and City walk out against each other. The crowd is different. The pressure is different. Every mistake feels bigger.

For Michael Carrick, Sunday is another big test. United showed some good signs in Europe, but doing it against City is another thing completely.

And for City, this is a chance to keep their perfect league start going — at the home of the team they would probably enjoy beating more than almost anyone else.

So yes, it’s still early in the season.

But when Manchester turns red and blue for a few hours, nobody really cares what month it is.

Sunday should be fun.