Manchester United have come closer than usual to competing with Manchester City this season – especially since the sacking of Ruben Amorim in January. City were comfortable 3-0 winners in the first derby at the Etihad in September and have once again led the way in the table, but there has been some fight shown at Old Trafford.
Pep Guardiola’s side were second best in the reverse fixture in a 2-0 defeat and sit nine points ahead of third-placed United in the table. City need just four points from five games to mathematically finish on top again, but it looks like both sides will be playing Champions League football next season.
At youth level, the end of the season is gearing up for an almighty tussle between the clubs as well. They could face each other in the Under-21 playoff semi-finals if they both beat their quarter-final opponents – City are defending champions and knocked United out last year – with both teams eyeing a trophy.
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And there are two competitions still alive at Under-18 level. The two teams will contest the FA Youth Cup final in the coming weeks, and before then there is a shootout in the northern division of the Under-18 Premier League.
United won on Wednesday to move three points behind City with two matches to go, but the young Blues have three left as well as a superior goal difference. Four points from their upcoming home fixtures with Derby on Saturday and Stoke on Tuesday will see them crowned champions.
Spearheading their attempts to get over the line will be 16-year-old striker Teddie Lamb, who is also locked in a personal battle at the top of the scoring charts with United wonderkid JJ Gabriel. Two goals for Gabriel on Wednesday moved him two clear, but Lamb has needed less time for his strikes and will hope to end the season with a flourish.
Lamb is in the groove, having scored in each of his last seven games in league and Youth Cup. A high-profile move from Leyton Orient last summer has not fazed the teenager, who is exceeding his own expectations in his first year at the City Football Academy.
“For me, as a striker a lot of it is psychology on and off the pitch and then finishing drills – different scenarios where you can impose yourself in the game, in and around the box just to get the finishes in that you don’t usually get in each game or training,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “They’re challenging, they try to make it as realistic as possible and you always get joy from getting goals.
“I didn’t think I’d be as good as I was but when you get here and get all the coaches helping you and giving you the confidence it is incredible. The trust from the coaches as a first year who has never played 18s before to put their faith in me and I think I’ve been repaying that pretty well.”
Gabriel is just 15 and looks it, one of the smallest players on the pitch using his dribbling skills and awareness to outwit defenders and score his goals. Lamb, at 16, is 15 months older but has more of a physique of a typical No.9 to enable him to hold his own in physical battles even with lots of room and time for more growth.
Plenty of work has gone into that this year, but it is Lamb’s hunger for goals that drives him and will stand him out in a game where they remain one of the most valuable currencies. For all the talk of the death of traditional centre-forwards, City are showing how they can still be produced in elite teams that want to keep the ball.
“He is one of the best players in terms of mentality that I have ever seen,” said Under-18s coach Oli Reiss, speaking to the Manchester Evening News. “A proper striker, I like him and he has a huge quality and potential and a big future I think.”
Whatever lies ahead, Lamb’s immediate aims concern finding the back of the net so that City can edge out United in their two remaining competitions. Unless he can be knocked off his scoring run, he and City will take some stopping.