"Wrong side of Manchester" - Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim sends message to De Bruyne as latter confirms Manchester City exit

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim praised Kevin De Bruyne following the news of his departure from Manchester City at the end of the season. Amorim joked that the midfielder was on the 'wrong side of Manchester.'

On Friday (April 4), De Bruyne announced that he will leave City at the end of the ongoing season, ending a 10-year journey at the club.

Meanwhile, Manchester United will host Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday (April 6). The two sides have met before this season at the Etihad (December 2024), with United securing a 2-1 victory over their local rivals.

In the pre-match press conference of the 196th Manchester derby, Amorim was asked for his reaction to Kevin De Bruyne announcing that he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season. Amorim replied:

“That is easy. He was like one of the best players in the Premier League. The time passes for everyone, so it’s a natural thing. He improved the league. He was on the wrong side of Manchester [laughs] so I wish him good luck. It was a pleasure to see him in Portugal a lot of times so I hope he enjoys the rest of his life.”

Ahead of the match, Manchester United are in the 13th position while Manchester City are in the fifth position on the Premier League table.

‘‘I don't see it happening though’’ – Chris Sutton predicts the scoreline for Manchester United vs Manchester City

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has backed Manchester City to get the better of Manchester United in the upcoming Premier League game.

The excitement around the clash isn't huge, as both teams are struggling at the moment.

Writing in his column for the BBC, Sutton questioned Amorim’s decision to use Joshua Zirkzee ahead of Rasmus Hojlund during their 1-0 league loss to Nottingham Forest on April 1. He then predicted City to secure a 2-1 win in the upcoming Manchester derby.

‘‘Manchester United are short of goals, and I don't understand why Ruben Amorim went with Joshua Zirkzee to lead their attack ahead of Rasmus Hojlund in Tuesday's defeat at Nottingham Forest. I see Hojlund as a number nine, while Zirkzee is a nine-and-a-half to a 10 - anything but a centre-forward. It cannot be helping Hojlund's confidence, because it is quite obvious Amorim doesn't fancy him when he is desperate for results and he is not picking him."

He continued:

‘‘People are saying United played well against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, and they dominated the ball, but they looked a bigger threat when Harry Maguire came on at the end of the game. Is there a chance of big Harry playing up front from the start here? That would be funny, but it is not going to happen."

‘‘Manchester City will have to try something different in their attack too, with Erling Haaland out injured. They have not clicked often enough this season, especially in the bigger games, and I still don't feel you can trust them to turn up the way they always used to - but this time I have a feeling they will find a way through. If Amorim did manage to get the better of Pep Guardiola for a third time this season, then United would probably be selling T-shirts to mark the achievement. I don't see it happening though," he concluded.