Manchester City finished 19 points clear of Manchester United last season and are already nine ahead of Jose Mourinho’s side heading into Sunday’s derby at the Etihad at the start of November.
Pep Guardiola and Mourinho arrived in Manchester in the same summer and fireworks were expected as an intense rivalry renewed. However, Mourinho has not even tried to agitate a man he once hounded relentlessly during their time in Spain. Privately, the United manager knows they are not operating in the same space as their neighbourhood rivals. While United have underwhelmed under Mourinho, Guardiola has taken City to new heights.
It’s represented by the fact there is not a single United player in our Manchester derby combined XI, comprised of the highest WhoScored rated players by position that have made at least five Premier League appearances this season (excluding injured and suspended players).
This may surprise few. City have been the best side in the Premier League by 27 points since the start of last season, after all. However, it’s notable that there is no space for United duo Paul Pogba and David De Gea, arguably their only genuine world class players. De Gea is regarded as the best goalkeeper in Europe but the Spaniard has endured a tough start to the season, only keeping one clean sheet in 11 league games thus far. By contrast, Ederson has kept the most clean sheets in the division (7).
De Gea has made more than double the amount of saves Ederson has this season and is the better shot-stopper but Guardiola certainly wouldn’t swap his goalkeeper for United’s No.1. Ederson has completed 81.9% of his passes, ranking seventh in Europe’s top five leagues (5+ appearances), while De Gea languishes down in 80th (53.5%). Ederson’s distribution qualities makes him integral to the way City play and is why Guardiola would never consider another goalkeeper.
As for Pogba, Guardiola sensationally revealed in April he had been offered the chance to sign the 2018 World Cup winner by his controversial agent at the start of 2018. Pogba’s displays have divided opinion among supporters since his return to Old Trafford in 2016 but the France international has largely been excellent for United this term. He is their highest WhoScored rated player in the Premier League (7.14) but would rank 9th-highest in City’s squad (5+ apps).
