

For City's philosophical architect, this represents a novel predicament. Three points from nine represents his worst-ever start to any league campaign in a distinguished coaching journey that has traversed Europe's elite leagues .
Across the city , United's Portuguese tactician labors to establish a coherent philosophy for his significantly reinforced squad. That his team required a stoppage-time spot-kick to vanquish newly-promoted Burnley reveals uncomfortable truths. A success rate that fails to convince against non-promoted sides continues to be the uncomfortable reality that stalks Amorim's tenure.
But there remains a peculiar contradiction about this specific fixture . Home advantage appears meaningless when Manchester's footballing titans collide . The away side has triumphed in an overwhelming majority of recent encounters.
This reversal of conventional wisdom bears particular resonance . Of Guardiola's sixteen home league defeats during his Etihad tenure , a quarter have been delivered at the hands of United, including last season's dramatic 2-1 reverse when Amad Diallo's brilliance graced proceedings.
Guardiola and Amorim confront this challenge with personnel dilemmas that would test even their considerable intellectual resources . City's defensive crisis has intensified with a quintet of protective specialists all consigned to the treatment room .
Further forward , Omar Marmoush's misfortune in national colors exacerbates the non-participation of a pair of inventive influences, leaving Guardiola with constrained forward selections.

As autumn light softens across the Etihad Campus , this historic rivalry will develop with both clubs determined to create positive trajectory in campaigns that have thus far lacked coherence.
For Guardiola seeks to prevent the ignominy of becoming the first City team since 1995-96 to start with such inadequacy. Amorim needs a defining success that would justify both his appointment and his philosophical principles.
