Every unhappy team is unhappy in its own way. Both Manchester clubs are going through dark times, but the circumstances of their crises differ significantly. There are some common threads, of course, like the goalkeeper mess. Or the number of wins in the new Premier League season after three rounds: one for City, one for United. But the nature of their troubles remains unique to each.
Manchester United: A Breakdown Still in Progress
United is in a prolonged decline that essentially began in 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson left. Since then, there have been flashes and decent stretches, some even long-lasting, but overall, the club has been steadily deteriorating in every sense. It’s comparable to betting on horse racing in-play 1xBet IE, where you’ve stopped placing hope on a horse you once worshipped. The symptoms of this breakdown show up at every level:
Managerial Carousel
Rúben Amorim, like his predecessors, quickly turned from a promising specialist into a tired meme subject. Even Erik ten Hag, who won two trophies, is mostly remembered as the man who ousted Ronaldo and kept insisting “everything’s fine.”
Players Who Shine After Leaving
Depay became the top scorer for the Netherlands, Di María dazzled at PSG, Rashford thrived at Villa, Antony at Betis, Greenwood at Marseille, and McTominay became a Serie A star. Success only comes outside of United.
Chaotic Transfer Policy
The club continues to spend massive sums on questionable newcomers, without building a system, only amplifying the chaos.
All of this is part of a larger process of identity degradation. And by the looks of it, that process is far from over. Once, it was unimaginable to see United in 15th place in the Premier League. Today, it’s frightening to imagine what’s next, perhaps regular matches against teams like Grimsby.
Manchester City: Pep Is Losing His Structure
The city’s situation is certainly not as bleak as its cross-town rivals. There’s no talk of a full-blown stagnation or regression, at least not yet. But the crisis is dragging on. It began in the fall of 2024 and has spilled into the new season. The win over Wolverhampton in the opening round gave false hope of a return to the machine-like version of the team, but it was followed by two defeats against Tottenham and Brighton. For the first time in nearly five years, United heads into the derby sitting higher in the table.
It’s as if something broke in Guardiola. He used to make mistakes and get fixated, but always maintained control. It was like how some bettors occasionally spiral and start placing random bets, only to eventually get back on track by following responsible gambling principles. Now, for the first time in his career, it seems he’s lost control over the game, the team, and himself. A control freak without control is a troubling sign.
Here are the key symptoms of the current crisis:
- Questionable transfer signings like Donnarumma and Cherki don’t align with Pep’s philosophy of structure and control;
- Loss of tactical clarity: The usual solutions that once stabilized the team in tough moments are missing;
- Rising chaos: Instead of the familiar structure, disorder reigns, and Guardiola himself seems to be operating on autopilot.
It used to feel like Pep would always find a way, a tactical tweak, an emotional jolt, or a shift in formation. But now, that’s not happening. Maybe he won’t steer out of this. Maybe he should’ve exited in sync with Klopp. And yet, we’re talking about the man who’s better than anyone at finding new possibilities within the confines of a green rectangle. It’s too early to write him off.
Conclusion: Coaches Are No Guarantee of Success
There was a time when having a great coach felt like insurance against failure. But today, both Manchester clubs prove otherwise. United continues to lose its identity despite changing managers, while City under Pep looks confused for the first time. And it’s not about the coaches’ quality — it remains high. The problem runs deeper: systemic breakdowns, loss of identity, and chaos that can’t be cured even by the most precise tactical injections. While some clubs are building, these two still seem to be searching for what they’re even trying to build. And the derby, once a clash of titans, increasingly resembles a meeting between two teams desperately trying to remember who they used to be.
