Manchester derby: Stats and opinion ahead of United v City

Manchester United lead second-placed Manchester City, the defending league champions, by 15 points going into Monday’s derby. It would appear then, with eight games to go, the title is heading back to Old Trafford and City are playing to ensure second spot.

Nevertheless, it is a game both will want to win.

• Monday’s match will be the 165th meeting. Of the previous 164, Manchester United have won 69, Manchester City 45, with 50 draws.
• Manchester United and Manchester City are two of the three teams yet to lose in the Premier League this season when they have taken the lead. Arsenal are the other.
• Only Manchester City (14) have kept more Premier League clean sheets than Manchester United so far this season (11).
• Manchester City topped both the defensive and goalscoring charts on their way to the title last season, with Manchester United second in both categories. This time around, while City again have the best defensive record in the division (26 conceded), they are fifth in the goalscoring table (55 scored). United have scored the most goals (70) and have the second best defensive record (31 conceded).
• Manchester United have scored the most goals (27) in the opening half-hour of league matches this season, while Manchester City have scored the most goals (28) in the final half-hour of games.
• Manchester United have kept six clean sheets in a row in the Premier League, and have not conceded for 627 minutes in the top flight.
• Manchester United’s win over Sunderland last week helped them become the first team in English top-flight history to win 25 of their opening 30 games.
• Manchester United’s 77 points tally is the joint highest, along with Chelsea in 2004/2005, after 30 games of a top-flight season in England.
• Since Roberto Mancini took over at Manchester City, he has won two of his six Premier League meetings with the United, losing three and drawing one.
• Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has failed to score in any of his last nine competitive appearances, despite playing for 549 minutes and attempting 24 shots at goal in that period.
• Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has managed to score, on average, one goal every 178 minutes in the Premier League this season – not as often as last season, when he averaged a goal every 113 minutes