Carrick Responds to ‘Kings of Manchester’ Derby Taunt

Elliot Anderson walked into Manchester this summer and lit the fuse.

A £116 million signing from Nottingham Forest, unveiled at the Etihad as a symbol of a new era under Enzo Maresca, the midfielder wasted no time in poking the red half of the city. On City’s official channels, his words were amplified and capitalised: the Sky Blues, he said, are the “Kings” of Manchester.

For United supporters, it stung. For City, it fit the mood.

They have the recent history to back it up. Since United last finished above their neighbours in the Premier League – all the way back in the 2012-13 title-winning season – City have turned domestic dominance into a habit. Seven league titles. A Champions League. A stack of trophies that has left United’s return far more modest and the balance of power brutally clear.

Anderson has only just arrived in the middle of that story, but he knows which side of it he grew up watching.

“It’s been one of the biggest derbies in the world. And for as long as I’ve known, City have been the Kings of Manchester,” he said, setting the tone for his first derby long before a ball is kicked.

Maresca backs his man

If there was any doubt about how those comments would land, Maresca removed it.

The new City head coach, installed in the summer to replace Pep Guardiola, didn’t distance himself from his marquee signing. He doubled down on the logic.

“Probably the reason why Elliot said that is because he grew up in the last 15 years,” Maresca explained. “I think Manchester City were unbelievable in what they achieved. So it was normal when Elliot said that... For me the reason Elliot said that is because when he grew up Manchester City was dominant.”

That word – dominant – is hard to argue with. United have not disappeared in the derby, far from it, but they have been forced into the role of occasional spoiler rather than consistent rival.

Across the last 20 league meetings, United have taken seven wins and three draws off the Etihad giants. Enough to keep the fixture alive. Not enough to tilt the era.

Carrick won’t play the ‘Kings’ game

So when Michael Carrick was asked directly about Anderson’s “Kings of Manchester” jibe, the United manager didn’t bite.

“I’m definitely not using that phrase, at all, no,” he replied with a wry smile, shutting down the label without pretending the last decade never happened.

He knows exactly where United stand.

“I understand it,” Carrick admitted. “We are humble enough and realistic enough to know where we have come from in recent history.”

This is a coach who has already tasted what it feels like to bloody City’s nose. His permanent tenure has included a standout 2-0 win over Guardiola’s side, a reminder that United can still rise to the occasion on a big day. But Carrick is clearly tired of one-offs. He wants a pattern, not a punchline.

From one-off upsets to genuine contenders

For Carrick, the return to the Champions League is not the destination, only the first step.

“It is good, in a way, that expectation has shifted,” he said. “All of a sudden, there are different things asked of us to maybe what was asked of us a few months ago. We are in the Champions League - that in itself shows the steps we have made.”

That shift in expectation is exactly what he is trying to build on.

“Now, it is about the next stage,” he continued. “We need to, and want to be better, and we want to be challenging more. That’s where we're at. It doesn't mean that we can't and we won't. It means we still hope, we believe, and we expect that we can be and we should be, but I understand the bigger picture.”

The bigger picture is brutal: City out in front again, United chasing.

A derby with real stakes

United go into Sunday’s showdown five points behind Maresca’s side in the Premier League table. This is not just about noise, pride or social media clips. It is a chance, on their own stage, to drag City back within reach and send a message that they belong in the title conversation, not just the top-four race.

Carrick has watched City up close this week and knows exactly what awaits.

“I thought they were very professional against Porto the other night,” he said. “They are a very good team. We know we have to put in a good performance and do a lot of things right to get a result.”

He is not going into it timidly, though. United’s form has hardened his belief.

“I think we have built up confidence over a period of time. I feel like we are getting better all the time and that helps us. It is a big game, it is an important game, there is a lot riding on it. We are looking forward to it. We have got a short space of time to recover and prepare for it, but we will make the most of it.”

City arrive as the self-proclaimed kings. United arrive as the challengers who refuse to say the word. On Sunday, the only crown that matters is the one measured in points.