Manchester derby has been known for high scoring matches, plenty of red cards and the odd late goal, and ahead of this weekend’s fixture, research from Grosvenorsport.com has revealed how Pep Guardiola’s City have the upper hand over United when it comes to injury-time winners.
Manchester City have claimed 13 priceless points from scoring in the last ten minutes of Premier League matches this season, and they sit eight points clear of city rivals Manchester United going into this weekend’s match. Four of the five late goals have been scored by Raheem Sterling, including injury-time winners against Bournemouth and Southampton.
Pep also leads rival manager Jose Mourinho for total injury-time winners in the Premier League since the pair arrived in Manchester during summer 2016. The Spaniard has claimed nine points from injury-time winners compared to Jose Mourinho’s three, whilst only conceding six goals in the last ten minutes of matches compared to the seven United have let in under the Portuguese.
Compared to his predecessor, Manuel Pellegrini, Guardiola already has more injury-time winners. While Pellegrini’s sides did score an impressive 47 goals in the last ten minutes of Premier League matches during his tenure, the Chilean only managed one injury-time winner in his three years at the Etihad.
Former United boss Louis van Gaal did manage to claim two injury-time equalisers in his two years at United, but never mustered any winners. Mourinho has one injury-time Premier League victory to his United record, going back to Marcus Rashford’s 92nd minute finish away to Hull in August 2016.
That said, the study from Grosvenorsport.com shows history is on United’s side when it comes to late derby winners in the Premier League. They have won three Manchester derbies thanks to injury-time goals, the first coming in 2010 when Michael Owen’s 96th minute goal secured a 4-3 victory at Old Trafford.
Paul Scholes’ header in the 93rd minute gave United a 1-0 win at the Etihad in the same season, while Robin van Persie’s 93rd minute free-kick sealed a 3-2 win at City two years later. City have yet to win a derby in injury-time, but the analysis shows this weekend could be the time for City to do it.
Steve Munns, Head of Sport Grosvenorsport.com, said: “The Manchester derby is never short of surprises, and with the amount of late goals City have scored it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them snatch a winner in dramatic style.
“While they’ve never won a derby in injury-time, Pep’s team has a fantastic record of winning games at the death. An impressive 28% of City’s points this season are down to equalising and winning goals in the last ten minutes, so there’s every chance they could grab a late winner at United given their recent heroics and we go 28/1 that they do it in injury time.”
“’Fergie time’ has always been used to refer to late United goals, and they had a habit of snatching wins late on in games under Sir Alex Ferguson. However, the way Guardiola and City are going, we may be seeing the advent of ‘Pep time’ in Manchester.”
