The Fraud Derby: Amorim’s New Boys vs Pep’s Tinkering

Club football is back, and the Etihad is about to host the Fraud Derby. On one side, you’ve got Pep Guardiola, the serial over-thinker currently wobbling like he’s in February already. On the other hand, Ruben Amorim’s shiny United rebuild is a project that somehow looks half-chaotic and half-promising.

Even though it is still very early, United are actually ahead of City on the table (a statement we haven’t said in a really long time) while Pep’s mob are languishing in 13th, looking more Europa Conference League hopefuls than title contenders. Sunday is less about points and more about which fraud gets cooked after.

Amorim’s New Boys: Hype, Hope, and Headaches

United have a new look squad. Mbeumo’s making runs that defenders in Manchester haven’t tracked since peak Chicharito. The Old Trafford crowd wants to dream again, and for once, it’s not complete delusion, at least not yet.

But let’s not get carried away. The backline still creaks, and the midfield looks like it’s been held together with duct tape and prayers. United’s entire mood swings on whether their attack clicks on the day or ghosts. Still, Amorim has something Ten Hag never had in his final months: optimism. And optimism is dangerous.

Pep’s City in Mid-Season Mode Already

City looks like they’ve fast-forwarded straight to their February slump. One week it’s a 5-0 masterclass, the next it’s Tottenham running circles around them at home. Pep’s aura is fading; it’s starting to look like he’s desperately trying to prove he still has it. New signings haven’t really bedded in, the defence leaks goals, and the aura of inevitability that defined past years has suddenly evaporated.

And yet it’s City. They can play badly for 70 minutes, flick a switch, and rattle in three goals before you’ve blinked. The problem? Right now, nobody’s sure where that switch is. City’s non-existent fans are restless, the players look tired, and this doesn’t feel like the invincible machine of old. If anything, it feels like a midlife crisis in sky blue.

Prediction: Fraud Derby or Truth Teller?

This one’s going to get messy. United’s plan should be simple: chaos ball. Hit City on the break, press like maniacs, and pray that the chances are converted. City, meanwhile, will try to hog the ball like usual and control the passage of play, but every misplaced pass will have their nonexistent fans groaning louder than a Pep press conference after a defeat.

And Let’s not forget, City didn’t even beat United last season. A 2-1 loss at the Etihad and a 0-0 snoozefest at Old Trafford proved Pep’s aura isn’t bulletproof anymore when it comes to this derby. Add in the spice of bragging rights, table positions flipped, and two fanbases who can’t stand each other, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a fraud-off of epic proportions. Someone’s reputation isn’t surviving this weekend.

We’re calling it: City 3-1 United. For the first time in a long time, City need this win more than United. Three losses in a row would be devastating for Guardiola. He probably needs the win. City will find more ways to score, and United might get a penalty from the ghost of Alex Ferguson. Besides, Cunha’s injury uncertainty makes it hard to see United pulling it off, but we would like to be wrong. What we do not want is a boring draw, which we rarely do when these two are involved.

The Weekend Elsewhere

While the Etihad circus is the headline act, there’s still some banter elsewhere:

• Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest (Sat, 12:30 pm)
  Forest at home should be routine, but Arsenal after a loss are always entertaining. Expect Arteta to scream, Forest to resist for 20 minutes, and then collapse. Arsenal 3-0 Forest.
• Everton vs Aston Villa (Sat, 3:00 pm)
  Villa look broken after that Palace spanking, and Everton smell blood. Chaos guaranteed. Everton 2-1 Villa.
• West Ham vs Tottenham (Sat, 5:30 pm)
  Spurs just remembered what “Spursy” means, and West Ham love nothing more than reminding them. Derby energy, but no quality. 1-1 draw.
• Brentford vs Chelsea (Sat, 8:00 pm)
  Chelsea are starting to look like a proper team again, but Brentford away is always awkward. Blues scrape it. Chelsea 3-1.
• Burnley vs Liverpool (Sun, 2:00 pm)
  Liverpool are back in business, Wirtz is due for his league explosion, and Burnley are just unlucky to be in the way. Liverpool 3-0.

The Stage is Set

Everything else is good, but they are the appetiser to the main course.. Pep’s aura vs Amorim’s chaos, potential fraud vs practising fraud. Someone’s getting cooked, someone’s getting carried, and the memes and nicknames are writing themselves already.

Catch the game and every other Premier League game this weekend live on SuperSport Premier League (GOtv Ch. 65, DStv Ch. 203). Stream it all via the MyGOtv or MyDStv apps, or visit their websites.