Elliot Anderson’s Manchester claim adds edge to City’s Old Trafford derby

Manchester City head to Old Trafford on Sunday with a perfect start to the Premier League season and a potential flashpoint surrounding new signing Elliot Anderson, whose description of City as Manchester’s leading club is likely to sharpen the atmosphere for his first derby.

Anderson comments add derby edge

Anderson joined City from Nottingham Forest in the summer for £116 million ($156m) and quickly drew attention by calling the champions the “kings of Manchester”. The 23-year-old England midfielder could receive a hostile response from the home support when City meet Manchester United.

Enzo Maresca said he understood the reasoning behind Anderson’s view, while acknowledging United’s greater historical stature. The City head coach believes Anderson’s perspective has been shaped by the period in which he grew up, with City having enjoyed sustained success over the past 15 years.

Maresca said City’s achievements during that era had been exceptional and that the club had been the dominant side in Manchester for much of Anderson’s lifetime. He stressed that the broader historical picture would look different when considering earlier generations.

City receive O’Reilly fitness boost

City will have Nico O’Reilly available after the England left-back recovered from a back problem. O’Reilly was forced out of the previous two matches after pulling up during the warm-up before last weekend’s win against Coventry.

• Nico O’Reilly is fully fit and available for the trip to Old Trafford.
• Jérémy Doku remains unavailable as he continues to deal with a calf injury.
• Anderson is preparing for his first Manchester derby following his summer arrival.

Maresca prepares for first derby as City manager

The match will be Maresca’s first Manchester derby since taking over from Pep Guardiola, although he previously experienced the fixture while working on City’s coaching staff. He has also encountered major local rivalries elsewhere in his career, including Juventus against Torino, Sevilla versus Betis and Olympiakos against Panathinaikos, which he described as the most intense of those occasions.

Maresca said the importance of the game was clear to the club and its supporters, but he wants his players to remain focused on their usual approach. His priorities are City’s game plan, their pressing and finding the best route to victory rather than allowing the occasion to distract the squad.

Strong City start meets mixed United form

City have won each of their opening three league fixtures, while Michael Carrick’s United have taken four points from their first matches. The visitors also have a slightly longer recovery period after playing Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday; United were in action against Sabah on Thursday.

Maresca does not expect the differing schedules to decide the contest. He said teams regularly have to adjust to uneven turnaround times and expects United to be fully prepared for a derby that carries major significance for both sides.