This was Amad, mad finish at the Etihad. And so a star is born. Amad Diallo has been the stand-out player, the talisman for Ruben Amorim, the one who has responded the most to the new Manchester United head coach – and his name with be etched into the club’s recent history after a transformative, match-winning performance against Manchester City. Already a cult hero among United fans, he has launched that status into the stratosphere.

Gary Neville, on TV pundit duties, dismissed it as the “Donkey Derby” such was the overall lack of quality on show, but this will be forever known as the “Diallo Derby”. The 22-year-old earned the penalty from which United equalised and scored a superb winning goal to turn the encounter on its head, all within three late minutes.

In a game riddled with the fear of not losing, rather than defined by the determination to win, the young Ivorian was the fearless outlier although United will argue that they should have scored even before his late, stunning interventions.

Pep Guardiola clawed his head in disbelief as City, moving towards what would have been a vital victory, having won just once in their previous 10 games, blew it. There can be no other description for the late implosion as they were again undone by unforced errors and careless mistakes. Not just the defeats are hurting them, but the manner of them.

City led through Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header but paid a heavy price as they betrayed their vulnerabilities and invited United on to them. That is almost unheard of – the champions had no shot on target in the second half – and the invitation was accepted with Diallo the clever, quick, elusive forward that United have craved.

With Marcus Rashford dropped and surely on his way out and Alejandro Garnacho also omitted, it was a big call for Amorim. But that is what he was brought in for. That is the belief he has, and wins like this reinforce him and turn doubters into believers.

Making such decisions simply cannot backfire and so headlines on United being condemned to a third Premier League defeat in a row – the first time Amorim would ever have suffered three successive league losses as a manager – were binned in place of those heralding Diallo and the Portuguese’s coaching acumen.

It was one game; United remain in the bottom half of the table; they remain a little laboured and lacking in creativity at times but, maybe, come the end of the season this will be looked back upon as the time when it began to change for them.

Diallo made a huge impact last March as he came off the bench to score the dramatic late winning goal as United knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup on their way to winning the trophy. But that was a cameo under Erik ten Hag. This was the performance of a player who is turning into the real deal.

At the end he stood in front of the jubilant away end and kissed the United badge as Kobbie Mainoo pointed to the name on his team-mate’s shirt.

Clubs, including United, and the media have been guilty of over-hyping young players too early in the past (and I have already written “a star is born”!). Afterwards Amorim warned against this. “We have to be careful with Amad,” he said. “Let’s not do the same mistakes in the past we have done with young guys.”

True. But Diallo belongs and knows he belongs: hence hitting back at Rasmus Hojlund for not passing to him in the midweek Europa League win at Viktoria Plzen and hence how he played here. He was relentless. Amorim had called that spat “perfect”. But it was not as perfect as this.

Amorim also talked about feeling the “belief” and here it was in spades. Diallo had been the standout player before the 88th minute but from then onwards he changed everything the way match-winners do.

City are lacking defenders more than anything, with just three available, and Guardiola deployed Matheus Nunes as a left-back. It did not work, especially when Nunes under-hit a back pass to Ederson. Diallo had run in behind all afternoon and did so once more to latch on to the ball with Nunes sprinting back and panicking, crashing into his opponent. The penalty was given and Bruno Fernandes stroked it home.

What happened next said everything about the state of City and what Amorim is trying to do at United. And what Diallo can do. United could have been forgiven for accepting the point, with such a late goal, but they pushed on and exploited City’s frailty as Lisandro Martínez played the ball through and with Diallo again collecting it. He lifted it over Ederson but the angle was tight, surely too tight, only for the winger to adjust brilliantly and finish.

Looking back at the goal it was even worse for City, with no defender reacting quickly enough. Nunes hesitated, Gvardiol did not see the danger and Rúben Dias – having played Diallo onside – was jogging. And Diallo ran away from all of them.

The only downside for United was another injury to Mason Mount, as he left the pitch close to tears early on. There was also a hugely impressive performance from Harry Maguire, brought back into the heart of the three-man defence where he dominated Erling Haaland. In fairness to Haaland, though, he had no service and precious little support.

At full-time there were boos around the Etihad as the stunned City fans watched on in almost disbelief. They were not alone. It was Amadchester.

08:11 PM GMT

‘New week, new life’

You get the feeling the Rashford story is going to run and run but if there’s one thing we can take away from today, apart from those two dramatic late goals, it’s the phrase: ‘New week, new life’.

An inspirational message to tell yourself tomorrow morning, perhaps.

Thanks for following, see you next time and if you have the time why not follow our Sunday night football blog, where Chelsea are beating Brentford 1-0 and Spurs are 5-0 (FIVE-NIL) up at Southampton.

08:04 PM GMT

Amorim continues to defend Rashford decision

Amorim has been fielding more questions in his press conference about Marcus Rashford and whether he has concerns about his lifestyle.

“I’m going to say again it was not a disciplinary thing, it’s the small details, you can see the games like I see, there are some things that have to change. But it is a new life, it’s not a disciplinary thing, it’s the performance in training, the performance in game and then I have to change, to choose players.

“Jonny Evans did everything right, he was at home, and also he is really important for us. If it was disciplinary, I would say that here and it will be a bigger problem but it was not that. It was just that I want to improve my players and you understand that for so long, for example with Rash, we tried a thing and it doesn’t work.

“Let’s continue to do the same thing or try something different? So it’s as simple as that. If they train well with the talent they have we will be so much better with them. Both of them. But they have to work hard, they do, today they trained really hard so it’s a good thing. New week, new life, let’s see the next one.

He was then probed about the way Rashford’s dresses, which suggests a disciplinary motive?

“You can dress in the way that I really don’t like but it is not a disciplinary thing. It’s like the small details. It’s more like performance in training and games and then I have to change. New week, new life, let’s see.”

07:46 PM GMT

Guardiola: I’m not good enough

Speaking after the match Pep Guardiola says City’s current slump is his fault.

“I’m the manager and I have to find a solution and so far I didn’t find it, this is the truth,” he said.

“I have to keep working. I’m the boss, I’m the manager, and I’m not good enough, and that’s the truth.

“I have to talk to them [the player] about the way they have to play, the way they have to press, the way they have to build up, but I am not good enough – that’s the truth.”

07:35 PM GMT

Amorim: Rashford decision ‘not disciplinary’

Ruben Amorim has spoken to Sky Sports again about the omission of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the match-day squad for the Manchester derby, insisting that his decision to drop of his two star players was not for disciplinary reasons.

“It was nothing special,” he told Sky Sports. “Finish one game, start a new week. New week, new life. So, if they train well, they will compete for a place in the team, if they are better than all the guys and all the situations inside and outside the pitch, they were playing because they are really talented and we need a lot of Garna and Rash.

“I think it’s an important thing to say. It was not a disciplinary thing, it’s something that we have to do to improve our standards as a club. We are doing that outside the pitch, inside the pitch, and it was just a normal week and they will get used to doing this and that thing will improve the quality of the squad.”

07:09 PM GMT

Bernardo Silva: ‘We made stupid decisions and deserved to lose’

Bernardo Silva is apoplectic with rage and has fronted up to the cameras with a face of thunder.

“We totally deserved what happened. At this level, if it’s a game or two, you can say that you’re being lucky or unlucky; if it’s 10 games, it’s not about that.

“If minute 87 of the game in a derby you’re winning 1-0, corner for your team and the ball ends up with your keeper and a penalty for them, my friend if you make these kind of stupid decisions when it’s three minutes or four minutes to go, you deserve to pay for that.”

“Of course if you look at the game, my feeling was there was only one team that could win that game, but at the end, we lost – and it’s not one game, it’s a lot of games lately.

“We have to look at ourselves. It’s not about, ‘Oh we’re playing so well and it’s a bit unlucky’. No, it’s the decisions that you make.

“Today in the last minutes, we played like under-15s and you pay the price.”

“It’s not about one person, or two, it’s everyone. It’s 10 matches now this has been happening, there needs to be better communication between everyone.

“It’s not just the pass from Matheus to the keeper, it’s everyone who was involved. This just cannot happen, we have to do better in these situations, we cannot make mistakes like this at this level.

“We have to do better individually and collectively because it’s not good enough for Manchester City.”

06:57 PM GMT

Fernandes hails ‘unstoppable’ Diallo

Bruno Fernandes has hailed the match-winning display of Amad Diallo.

“He’s been doing great things, we believe in his quality,” he told Sky Sports. “He’s capable of doing these things, he won a penalty, he scored our goal. Unbelievable.

“I don’t want to say too much because he needs to keep his level, because when he’s like this he’s unstoppable.

“He can’t be just OK with this, he needs to keep working hard, as he has been, but we know he can do this every week, he’s getting his chances deservedly because he’s working hard, and it just shows that when you work hard things will come to you.”

On how nervous he was for the penalty.

“I already missed a big chance, which I tried to clip towards the goal, but unfortunately it went away from the goal.

“For the penalty it was of course a moment of nerves. You need to calm yourself down. I’m always ready in these big moments and I had to deliver because it was too much of a big chance to miss.”

On getting used to Amorim’s demands:

“It’s a process, we know what he demands, he says it doesn’t matter what happens in the game just so long as we stick with what we need to do, keep to the plan, keep our changing positions, keep supporting each other.”

Diallo also spoke but he is a man of few words, in broken English.

“We wanted to win this game, in the second half we wanted to do better and we’ve showed we can win every game.

“I want to thank God for this and let’s enjoy for today and focus for the next game.”

Diallo’s interview may not exactly have been very enlightening but his journey has been.

And you can read all about his remarkable journey right here.

06:45 PM GMT

Boos ring out at Etihad

A smattering of boos at the final whistle from City fans. Nothing like the jeers that greeted the end of the Feyenoord game but that’s eight defeats in 11 now for the champions.

06:43 PM GMT

Keane: Guardiola will be ‘shell-shocked’

Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane says Pep Guardiola will be “shell-shocked” after watching his side snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

06:31 PM GMT

FT: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 2

AMAD DIALLO WINS MANCHESTER DERBY!

This match has been incredibly low on quality, particularly from United, but somehow they have won it.

They produced two moments of quality in the whole match, with Amad at the heart of both, and took both to snatch the unlikeliest of victories.

City weren’t exactly amazing but they did more than enough to take the three points and now the crisis deepens further.

06:26 PM GMT

90 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 2

GOAAAL!
Unbelievable scenes! What a goal that is from Amad Diallo.

Martinez sends another lovely searching pass from deep and Amad Diallo is off after it. He gets there before Emerson and with his first touch toe-ends the bouncing ball over Emerson and then from the narrowest of impossible angles, sends the ball goalwards and through the legs of the retreating Gvardiol.

Where has this come from?! Guardiola is staring into space and scratching his beard in utter bewilderment.

06:22 PM GMT

88 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 1

GOAAL!

Bruno Fernandes bides his time, collects himself and then shows all the composure in the world to send Emerson the wrong way with a lovely side-foot to the goalkeeper’s left.

United had been threatening in the last 10 minutes but this will be a real smash-and-grab if they can hold on.

06:20 PM GMT

86 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

PENALTY TO UNITED.

Amad pounced on a poor backpass from Nunes and tries to go around Emerson.

But Amad can’t shoot as it’s on his wrong foot so he waits for Nunes ot make the challenge, waits for contact and goes down.

Stonewall penalty.

06:18 PM GMT

83 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

Another half-chance comes United’s way and is squandered. Martinez picks out Mainoo with a lovely cross but the academy graduate gets too much on his attempted header and steers it over the bar when a defter flick was required.

06:16 PM GMT

80 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

Yoro goes long to Antony, who hares down the right and plays Amad into the area. He shows some lovely footwork to create a chance to cross but holds on to the ball for too long and gives the ball to a surprised Bruno Fernandes, who can’t sort his feet out and he passes the ball out for a goal-kick. Quality has been found sorely wanting today.

06:13 PM GMT

77 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

Substitutions klaxon:

Grealish on for Doku.
Leny Yoro on for Matthijs de Ligt
Antony on for Mazraoui
Joshua Zirkzee on for Hojlund

06:10 PM GMT

74 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

BIG CHANCE!

And that’s a glorious chance missed by United! They finally put together a well-worked move, thanks to the determined running of Noussair Mazraoui, who evades three challenges before passing to Hojlund. The Dane plays a delightful through ball to Bruno Fernandes, who has time to set his sights and shoot. He goes for a deft, angled clip over the advancing Emerson but he puts it wide. He goes to ground, his head in his hands. That was a proper chance.

06:06 PM GMT

70 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

Can Manchester United muster any more goalscoring opportunities in the 20 minutes that remain?

At present they are struggling to get out of their half, and a long punt to Hojlund is in vain as the Denmark international is caught offside. It’s pretty poor fair from the visitors now, who are being kept at arm’s length.

06:03 PM GMT

68 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

Substitution:
De Bruyne off. Mateo Kovacic on.

De Bruyne’s last action was to chance his arm from 25 yards. He produced plenty of power but his rising shot cleared the bar, and that’s him done for the day.

06:01 PM GMT

65 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

There are calls for a penalty from the away supporters but Anthony Taylor, and the VAR, are unmoved.

Hojlund raced into the area and as the ball came to him tried to hold off Diaz to fashion a shooting chance, Diaz challenged robustly, made no contact with the ball and made contact with the strikers knee as they both went to ground.

Although there was contact it would have been a weak penalty award. Contact doesn’t necessarily equal foul.

05:58 PM GMT

63 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

And there’s a rare chance for United. Bruno Fernandes picks up the ball form the left some 35 yards out, cuts inside and curls an inswinging cross into the area where Amad glances a header goalwards to force a save from Emerson. In truth it never really had enough power on it to beat the Brazilian but he still did well to move his feet and tip it wide. Better intent from United.

05:53 PM GMT

57 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

It’s been a bit of a scrappy affair so far, with United looking particularly fragmented and disjointed.

They are showing plenty of fight but they are chasing shadows at present as City paint their pretty passing patterns around them waiting for the gaps to appear.

05:47 PM GMT

53 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

Man United give away the ball cheaply in their own third as Bruno Fernandes tries to take a short free-kick which is intercepted by Haaland. Doku receives the ball on the left and forces a corner, which to Fernandes and United’s relief this time comes to nothing.

05:44 PM GMT

49 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

United launch another raid with Bruno Fernandes at its heart. He finds Amad with the outside of his right foot and his compatriot works space for a shot, only for his ambitious attempt from 20 yards out to be blocked by Nunes.

05:41 PM GMT

46 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

We’re back under way and no changes have been made to either side.

Amorim, one assumes, would have required his charges to show more forward intent and a greater cutting edge once they do venture into the final third.

United manage to work a route forward down the right flank from where Amad weaves into the area only to be crowded out by a swathe of light blue shirts and then, not for the first time this afternoon, is flagged offside.

05:37 PM GMT

Rashford’s omission an ominous portent

There is no escaping it: Marcus Rashford’s omission for the 195th Manchester derby feels an ominous portent. It was his goal that prised the fixture wide open here at the Etihad nine months ago, only for City to rebound in a convincing 3-1 victory. For Ruben Amorim not even to grant him the chance of an encore suggests Rashford is remote to the manager’s thinking. It is a bleak state of affairs: at 27 years old, he should be at his athletic and professional peak, not marooned on the periphery for both United and England.

05:21 PM GMT

Half-time: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

City are now looking to double their barely deserved advantage.

They work a nice passing move on the left, from where Doku crosses again. Foden is lurking on the edge of the area to pick up the pieces, and after showing quick feet to dodge past two defenders, he tries his luck with a low shot that fizzes narrowly wide of Onana’s right post.

And the whistle blows for half-time.

On balance, the hosts created the better chances, albeit largely from set-pieces, but it was an even match until they made they rather fortunate breakthrough from that deflected De Bruyne cross. Great header from Gvardiol though, who has ow scored four goals this campaign.

For United, that’s an eighth goal conceded from a set-piece this season, the second highest of any Premier League team, and 42 per cent of all the goals they have shipped this term. The visitors have also been lacking up front. Their only chances were Amad’s shot wide, which was offside anyway, and Ugarte’s wayward effort from range.

If things stay as they are, City are moving to within six points of leaders Liverpool.

05:12 PM GMT

39 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

That’s embarrassing from Kyle Walker. He trips Hojlund as the United striker runs across him. A furious Hojlund races over to confront the City captain and the pair square up forehead to forehead. Walker then collapses as if butted. Both get a talking to and a yellow card from referee Anthony Taylor.

05:09 PM GMT

36 mins: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

GOAL!!! 

There has not been too much goalmouth action so far but United have looked vulnerable on set-pieces and Man City take the lead from a corner, fairly fortuitously.

De Bruyne takes it short and is closed down by Diallo but the Belgian tried the cross anyway and it takes a bizarre swerving trajectory off the Portuguese to fly into the area, where Josko Gvardiol rises ahead of Hojlund to plant a header past the helpless Onana.

05:05 PM GMT

32 mins: Manchester City 0 Manchester United 0

It’s been an evenly balanced first half-hour so far, but you get the feeling this United side have no intention of rolling over for the six-time champions. City are at times having to kick long to avoid the press, which is giving United quite a good deal of possession. After winning the ball back high up again United work a shooting chance for Manuel Ugarte, but the midfielder delays too long before pulling the trigger and his shot balloons well over.

04:59 PM GMT

26 mins: Manchester City 0 Manchester United 0

A seemingly glorious chance emerges there for United as Amad is played through on goal. The Portuguese fluffs his lines by pulling his shot wide, but is relieved to see the assistant referee’s flag had been raised as he had shot off slightly too early.

04:56 PM GMT

23 mins: Manchester City 0 Manchester United 0

Another Foden shot is blocked and Man City win a corner, which is curled straight on to the head of Diaz, who beats Maguire to the ball but heads just over, while Hojlund engaged in a Scandinavian grappling match with Haaland in the six-yard box.

04:53 PM GMT

20 mins: Manchester City 0 Manchester United 0

Man City are probing for a way through and it is a joy to watch De Bruyne’s no-look passes and slick slide-rule touches.

He almost puts Doku through with a fantastic, angled pass, but Martinez is there this time. Moments later Doku tries the same thing and almost sets Haaland away but again United are alive to the threat.

From another swift piece of interplay between De Bruyne and Doku, the winger’s cross is cleared by Dalot, but only as far as Foden. The England midfielder lets fly with a volley but the first shot of the game fizzes just wide.

04:46 PM GMT

12 mins: Manchester City 0 Manchester United 0

One of United’s most committed pressers had just gone down and looks as though his race is run already.

You have to feel for Mount, who has had such a disappointing career at United as a result of constant injuries.

He leaves the field looking devastated, to be replaced by Kobbie Mainoo.

04:43 PM GMT

10 mins: Manchester City 0 Manchester United 0

United are coming more into the match now and are earning that right to compete by pressing furiously.

They have forced City into ceding possession several times and Dalot and Amad Diallo are looking particularly lively, the former sending over another cross, which has too much air n it, and the latter weaving into the area only to be stopped by Ruben Diaz.

04:38 PM GMT

7 mins: Manchester City 0 Manchester United 0

Man United launch their first transition and Diogo Dalot races down the left flank. The Portugal international sends over a decent cross towards Hojlund but Emerson, back after a three-match absence, is there to collect.

04:37 PM GMT

5 mins: Manchester City 0 Manchester United 0

Nunes and Doku combine well on the left and De Bruyne picks up the ball, arcing it to the far post, where Erling Haaland is lurking, but Manuel Ugarte does well to get back and head the ball out for a corner, which comes to nothing.

04:35 PM GMT

3 mins: Manchester City 0 Manchester United 0

The match starts with City trying to assert their authority by dominating possession early on.

De Bruyne looks determined to pull the strings and he is bundled to ground by an unsavoury challenge from Rasmund Hojlund, who has decided to make his presence felt early on.

04:32 PM GMT

1 mins: Manchester City 0 Manchester United 0

As ‘Blue Moon’ rings out at the Etihad the United players bunch up in a huddle where Bruno Fernandes issues a last-minute rallying cry for his team-mates to turn up against the auld enemy.

And they’re off.

04:27 PM GMT

Omens good for United?

It’s not all gloom and doom for United. Lest we forget the last time these sides played they shared a 1-1 draw in the Community Shield (albeit City triumphed on penalties) and before that they beat their city rivals in May in the FA Cup final.

The omens are good for Amorim too. It was only last month that he masterminded a 4-1 win over Guardiola’s side in one of his final acts as Sporting head coach.

04:22 PM GMT

Richards concerns about Nunes role

Micah Richards, the former City defender, has said that he is pleased to see Foden back in the fold but harbours some reservations about Matheus Nunes playing in what looks like a left wing-back role.

“The key for me is having De Bruyne and Foden back in that midfield, to give City that creative spark,” he said on Sky Sports. “I’m not to sure about Matheus Nunes playing out there at left-back, though, if that’s where he plays. I have visions of him trying to chase Amad Diallo on that wing and, if that is the case, it could be a long night for him.”

04:07 PM GMT

Amorim explains Rashford bombshell

“We try to evaluate everything, training, game performance, engagement with team-mates,” Amorim said in his pre-match interview. “Push the team-mates up, everything is done on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players and so – my selection: simple.

“I don’t want to send a message, it’s simply an evaluation. And they know it, the players are really, really smart. And so everyone understands my decision and I have to choose — simple selection.”

It’s pretty clear he is sending a message. And it is a simple one. And that message is Rashford is not good enough to make the starting XI just now. And neither, therefore, is Garnacho.

You can read more on this developing Rashford story here.

03:59 PM GMT

Neville: United a different level of bad

Gary Neville is not exactly sounding overly optimistic about his former side’s prospects of victory today.

“I’d be surprised if City didn’t win today, as bad as they’ve been in the last few weeks – below par,” he told Sky Sports. “I think United are at a different level of bad at this moment in time, and I think that still there’s a lot to do.”

03:45 PM GMT

Guardiola: I will quit if I lose the dressing room

Pep Guardiola insists he will quit as Manchester City manager if he feels he has lost the dressing room.

Critics have also questioned whether his injury-depleted squad is showing a lack of confidence and effort during the dramatic slump.

But Guardiola insists the players are still firmly behind him – even though he concedes that, after losing seven of their last 10 games, there may be more defeats on the horizon.

“The important thing is how we are inside, how the players feel and the staff,” said Guardiola. “There is one thing when I would say ‘Pep you have to think about it,’ and that’s when I lose the team.

“When I feel they do not run. When everyone says the manager has lost the team, and they don’t follow me. In that moment not one more minute I will be here. But at the minute it is there and more than ever I am there – there is no doubt about that.

“The players aren’t stupid, they know it. They have tasted the highest level in consistency. We have always found a way to win the games, now we don’t find a way, even playing with good moments we have in games.

Guardiola says he will know when it is time too stand down but, having signed a new two-year contract extension during last month’s international break, insists he has no regrets about that decision.

“Absolutely not, I would regret leaving now,” said Guardiola. “I could not sleep, even worse than now, if I thought I was leaving in this situation.

“Impossible. They could sack me, it can happen, but leaving now, no chance. If my boss Khaldoon [Al Mubarak] is not happy with me, they can do it. But leaving now in that position, no chance. No, no, no.

“When I feel it is time to leave, I will leave. What we have done, we have done. The satisfaction to do it is done. I don’t have any targets to make my time here any different, impossible.”

03:30 PM GMT

Garnacho also out, Foden and Nunes start

Quite the bombshell there from Manchester United then.

Here are the teams:

City make two changes to the side that began their defeat to Juventus on Wednesday.

Matheus Nunes and Foden both start, but Kovacic has clearly not recovered in time. Rico Lewis is suspended following his red card against Crystal Palace last weekend, while Jack Grealish is benched.

Hojlund, Mount and Manuel Ugarte a rewarded for recent strong performances with a place in the starting XI, and Harry Maguire also earns a recall.

Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Zirkzee are on the bench, while Rashford, as reported earlier, is not in the squad. Intriguingly, Alejandro Garnacho is also missing from the squad.

03:23 PM GMT

Rashford OUT

And talk of the (Red) devil... news on United’s No 10 is just reaching us from our correspondent at the Etihad.

Marcus Rashford has been dropped from United’s squad against City.

United have put the England striker’s absence down to selection reasons. Rashford was substituted in the 56th minute of Thursday’s 2-1 win away to Viktoria Plzen after a disappointing showing.

Telegraph Sport revealed this week that United remained opened to offers for the 27-year-old amid concerns over his lifestyle.

03:11 PM GMT

Rashford’s days numbered?

Man United will be buoyed by their come-from-behind victory over Viktoria Plzen in midweek, with the caveat that they were truly awful in the first half. Rasmus Hojlund spared his side’s blushes, coming on in the second half to score twice in a 2-1 win. There were encouraging signs too from Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount, who look as though they may well thrive under Amorim’s tutelage.

It was not a good night, however, for Marcus Rashford, Joshua Zirkzee or goalkeeper Andre Onana, whose howler it was that gifted Plzen their opening goal. Onana was also culpable for poor keeping in the 3-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest last weekend, which is an obvious cause for concern for United fans. The hope is, that is just a blip in form. Rashford’s diminishing returns, however, appear more long term. Jamie Carragher, for example, says the time has come to bring Rashford’s United career to a close. Although, offloading the Academy graduate is not as straightforward as United might hope, as Sam Wallace explains. James Ducker, meanwhile describes why Rashford appears so lost at Old Trafford.

03:00 PM GMT

City’s perfect storm

The best explanation for City’s crisis has been injuries to key players, The Ballon d’Or winner Rodri is out for the season, depriving City of their defensive shield, midfield tempo-setter, master of dark arts and occasional goalscorer. Creators-in-chief Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden have also missed a large chunk of the season through injury and illness and the defence has also been decimated by injuries to Ruben Diaz, Manuel Akanji, John Stones and Nathan Ake. Oscar Bobb has been sidelined with a long-term injury all season and Mateo Kovacic, Rodri’s deputy, has missed recent weeks. In fairness that is more than half a team.

That has left a lot of heavy lifting to do for the players who are fit and has arguably overworked them. Consequently, Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker are both showing their 34 years.

For today’s encounter Ake, Akanji and Stones remain out, and Kovacic is touch and go. On the plus side De Bruyne is now match fit, having got through 90 minutes last time out, even if City did lose at Juventus, and Erling Haaland remains the division’s joint-leading goalscorer with 13 goals. Phil Foden might also return, and if you’re wondering what on earth has happened to last season’s PFA Player of the Year, FWA Footballer of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season, this illuminating piece by James Ducker will help.

02:49 PM GMT

The desperation derby

Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the Manchester derby. It is a match which captures the imagination not just due to the bragging rights at stake but primarily because this is a rare case of the fixture occurring while both clubs are suffering a crisis of form.

In the red corner you have a Manchester United side who are trying to discover their identity under a new head coach, with mixed results. In the league Ruben Amorim’s side have managed one win, one draw and two defeats – with both losses coming in their last two top-flight matches. United are clearly a work in progress and their new head coach has said they will require time to find their feet.

In the blue corner you have a Manchester City side in the midst of a collapse in form unprecedented both in recent times and in the history of their all-conquering and omniscient manager Pep Guardiola. His side have mustered only one win in 10 matches, which has left observers rubbing their eyes at what they are witnessing from the six-time champions, and left Guardiola scratching his head and his face in his desperate search for a solution.

That said, everything is relative, and a win for City will restore confidence and take them level on points with third-placed Arsenal, and six points behind early pacesetters Liverpool. The best United can hope for is a move up one place into 12th place, but only if Tottenham Hotspur fail to win at rock-bottom Southampton later this evening.