A NEW era for the Manchester derby begins this weekend alongside a planned collective show of strength from both sets of fans.

Sunday’s game at Old Trafford will be the first of these derbies to pit Manchester United manager Michael Carrick against new Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca, who begins the huge task following on from Pep Guardiola at City.

Guardiola defined the City Football Group, Etihad Stadium era of City, a club that almost feels separate from the Maine Road-based one that preceded it. 

The fans, and some working at the club, do their best to retain the links to the Moss Side version of City. One of the reasons Guardiola was so successful and well-liked was that he understood that side of the club and its history.

Across the top leagues, it is those supporters who carry the history and tradition of a club with them (the very things that owners use to sell the club) who usually end up being the ones exploited or pushed out by high ticket prices.

Season ticket holders are seen by some owners as an inconvenience, as they prefer to sell tickets to matches as one-off, premium events, heading towards the kind of ticketing seen at this summer’s World Cup.

To their credit, and on the back of work by independent supporter organisations such as the 1894, the MCFC Fans Foodbank, and Trade Union Blues, City have now frozen prices for three years in a row.

City are not the only club that has lost something in the modern era of the game. 

It is something that is threatening clubs across the Premier League and Champions League as clubs become more blatant in their treatment of fans merely as customers paying for a product. United fans know more than most about struggles against unsuitable owners.

Fan groups have played an important part in pushing back. The game would be in a much worse situation now were it not for the work of these supporter collectives over the years.

This was recognised in Parliament on Tuesday in an event involving the Football Supporters’ Association called Beyond Matchdays: Celebrating Supporters In The Community.

MPs acknowledged the work done by supporters’ groups in their respective communities up and down the English football pyramid.

“At a time when the social fabric of the country seems weaker than ever, I really appreciated the chance to highlight how football can be, and is, a positive vehicle for building community and securing better outcomes for all when we work together,” said Nick Clarke of the MCFC Fans Foodbank.

United also know all about trying to recover following the departure of a legendary, club-defining manager, a process that is still ongoing long after Alex Ferguson left his role in 2013.

The 2026-27 season feels like the start of a new era for them as well as City, in that it is the first to begin with Carrick as the confirmed, full-time manager at Old Trafford as opposed to the interim manager title he had after replacing Ruben Amorim in January.

And like those at City, United supporters’ groups have mobilised to keep ownership in check as best they can, especially when it comes to ticketing.

The 1958 supporters’ group did so recently on the back of messages, almost threats, sent from the club to supporters saying that if they didn’t attend a Champions League game, their season ticket would be deactivated for an upcoming Premier League fixture.

One such message from the club was shared on social media. “You don’t have a ticket for the Sabah game on Thursday — please do not come to Old Trafford,” it said.

“Tickets are still available to purchase. If you don’t purchase a ticket, your ST will be deactivated for a future PL game, and it may impact your away eligibility.”

These messages arrived on the back of what the club say is a crackdown on ticket touting, but the approach threatening season ticket holders has led the 1958 group to take action.

In a continuation of their protests against the direction in which the club has moved, first under the Glazers’ ownership and more recently since the arrival of Jim Ratcliffe, supporters’ group the 1958 have pushed back against this targeting of regular matchgoers in this manner.

“Supporters are now facing serious sanctions which can remove their right to attend matches,” the 1958 said in a statement.
 

“We believe nobody should face such action without being told clearly what they are accused of and being shown the evidence used to justify it.

“This goes beyond individual supporters or supporter groups. If this approach is allowed to stand, it should concern every match-going Red.

“No loyal supporter should be treated as guilty without being given a fair opportunity to understand and challenge the case against them.”
 

Both clubs go into this weekend’s derby with a sense of optimism, but also uncertainty. It adds an element of intrigue to this latest meeting, and though City go into the game as favourites, United fans will believe they can win.

In recent decades, this fixture has a history of one club being the dominant force and the other being an underdog. Under Ferguson, United were expected to win; under Guardiola, it was City. This first one of the Carrick and Maresca eras feels more competitive and unpredictable.
 

Before the game, though, both sets of fans can go some way towards securing a win of their own by joining the protests planned for 3pm at the Bishop Blaize pub near the ground.