Ole Gunnar Solskjaer often had the rub of the green against Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side over his three years in charge in the opposite side of the city, matching City's four wins over nine encounters - only losing twice in six Premier League meetings.
Despite previously positive results, the final home game of Solskjaer’s tenure as Manchester United manager ultimately turned out to be against City. Despite only a two-goal margin, it was utter domination from Guardiola’s side in early November, with hardly a look-in for a United team second best to an opposing outfit in cruise control.
On that near-fateful day at Old Trafford in November, the visitors set a pass completion record, with Guardiola not even having to turn to his substitutes such was the ease of the victory.
Solskjaer did survive the subsequent international break, only to fall foul against Watford and find himself sacked before he could grace Old Trafford again. Now, it’s onto Ralf Rangnick to do the deeds at the Etihad Stadium, where United have won each of their past three outings. Almost a year ago to the day, goals from Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw saw United take the full share of the points by a two-goal margin on City's home turf.
Whilst results as a whole over recent years may almost reflect as though the two Manchester sides are level-pegging, it has been in the league standings where a gulf has really emerged. United haven't finished above City since they last lifted the Premier League trophy in 2013, finishing second twice (including last season) but ending 19 and 12 points adrift of City on those occasions respectively.
Only 10 years ago, the sides were in an intense scrap for the title, finishing level on points, split only by a moment that no United supporter will want to remember. Fast forward a decade and United sit 19 points behind Guardiola’s league-leaders, still with 11 matches to play.
As has been a common theme at City in recent years, it has been a season filled with perfection, only seriously tainted by an early Carabao Cup exit to West Ham United. In the league, they have only failed to win on six occasions, an equal split of draws and defeats. However, the dropping of points have often been preventable, with draws coming twice against Southampton and one loss suffered at the hands of Crystal Palace.
More recently, Tottenham Hotspur secured a league double over City, winning at the Etihad for their only win in a recent run of five league matches in which they suffered four defeats. They were similarly unconvincing the subsequent weekend, only scraping a one-goal win at Goodison Park after an officiating error denied Everton a stonewall penalty.
The confirmed absence of Ruben Dias is a blow for City, with the centre back having sustained a hamstring injury in the first half of their midweek FA Cup win against Peterborough United. Nonetheless, Guardiola can afford to utilise the cavalry ahead of the second leg of their Champions League tie with Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday night, with a five-goal advantage after a rout in Portugal seeing them already home and dry.
United have been bolstered by the return of two players ahead of Sunday. Rangnick has confirmed that Edinson Cavani "looks good to be involved" in his first Manchester Derby after missing the previous three during his time at the club. However, the United manager did suggest, "I don’t think he could play for more than half an hour. He’s ready for coming on as a sub but I don’t think he can be in contention to start that game."
Scott McTominay is back training after an illness that saw him sidelined for United's last two matches. Rangnick confirmed, "He has been training the whole week. He has been out one week only but he was really seriously ill and lost some weight. I think he could be in contention for the starting XI but I will decide on that after the last training session."
The interim manager did, on the contrary, insist that "there are still some question marks over other players".
There will be question marks over whether Harry Maguire returns to the starting side having been left on the bench against Watford, with Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof helping to keep a clean sheet last weekend. No doubt, the derby will be a hotspot for criticism for under-fire players such as Maguire, with others such as Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo in need of improvement.
"With Marcus Rashford, we have another player where I will insist and continuously be behind him and with him, to develop him," Rangnick said. "We have seen that with other players in the past and I don’t see why this shouldn’t happen with Marcus. He's got abundant talent, he’s got the pace, the physicality. He’s got everything you need for a modern striker, not only if he is playing from the wing or in the centre. I will put all my energy in that to help him to take the same pathway that other players did in the last three months."
Ronaldo, in continuation, has encapsulated United's issues of late, scoring only once in 12 matches in all competitions despite having ample service. Since Rangnick took charge, no team has created more than United’s 160 in the Premier League, marking the improvement in standard of performance. "Taking our chances - this is what it is all about," the interim manager insisted. "We have created a lot of chances in our last 10-11 games."
Repetition of such rife creation will be key for United to extend their current record on City's patch, though United will have to execute to stand any chance of not allowing a repetition of November's mismatch. After all, Guardiola has lost four home games against United - more than against any other opponent in his managerial career.
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