Pep Guardiola says Manchester City are no longer daunted by going to Old Trafford.
The Blues went 34 years without a win across town at their neighbours United, between 1974 and 2008, but have won five of their last seven visits there in the Premier League.
Guardiola takes his defending champions on the short journey across Manchester again on Wednesday, needing Derby Day victory to go back above title rivals Liverpool at the top of the table with three games left in the season.
Even though he is expecting a backlash following Sunday's humiliating 4-0 defeat at Everton, Old Trafford no longer has a fear factor for City and their players.
“The reason why is the fact this club in the last decade grew a lot and it’s not scary to go there,” said Guardiola.
Old Trafford and Man Utd have lost that fear factor which made teams tremble
“Before it was maybe more difficult. But the players Manchester City have had in the last decade have made this game a little bit more equal. The only question is the Premier League, winning the title. In the three seasons since I’m here, we did better than them, but here it’s about winning the title, not beating United.”
City are looking to make it 11 straight wins in the Premier League, and are four victories from making it back-to-back title triumphs.
Wednesday’s game represents the biggest remaining hurdle between them and retaining the championship, with Guardiola expecting United — in a battle with Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal over two places in next season's Champions League — to put up a major fight.
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“I expect the best United, I’m sure,” he said. “Football players try to do their best, and that’s going to happen. We prepare for their strong points and weak points.
“It’s a derby and all the times we play against United, the derbies are always special games and the players do their best for the fans and the club. I know in the beginning how strong United will be in terms of their intensity, and we’ll have to handle it. We did it in the past. We’ll try to do it again.
“United lost the last game 4-0 and I know what our reaction would be [to such a result]. That’s what’s going to happen tomorrow. We have to accept it - that’s the challenge.
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“For me, United remain an incredible team, of course. The last 20 or 25 years, always there, But the past three or four years can happen in terms of a long history.
“My opinion about United whenever we’ve played is top managers, good players, always the same. But the league is competitive, not just United. Burnley drew at Chelsea [on Monday, a day after], Crystal Palace won at Arsenal, that’s why I’m so surprised we were able to reach 100 points last season.”
City will be without midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, the midfielder's injury-plagued season continuing with a hamstring problem suffered in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Tottenham.
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Guardiola said he is hopeful De Bruyne can play “one or two games” before the end of the season — and dismissed suggestions Riyad Mahrez, a £60m summer signing from Leicester last summer, could leave after just a year over a lack of playing time.
“Riyad will be with us for the next season here, and the next one and the next one,” he said of the winger, who has started just 13 games under him in the league. “I don’t need to speak with him. He will be with us next season. He is a player for us. We are delighted with him and the way he plays. He’s happy, we’re happy.
“Everyone knows the competition we have here.”
