Manchester City and Manchester United enter Sunday’s derby at Etihad Stadium in need of a positive result amid recent struggles.

City — 27 points from 15 matches — have won only once in their last 10 games, in all competitions during a stunning slide that began at the end of October.

The league results have been marginally improved of late, with Pep Guardiola’s side posting a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on December 4 and recording a 2-2 draw versus Crystal Palace on December 7.

While Rodri remains out for the season, Kevin De Bruyne recovered from injury to make his first starts since mid-September in those matches. He had a goal and an assist in the win over Forest.

But the four-time defending champions still are in an uncharacteristic place on the league table. And a 2-0 loss at Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday also puts City in peril of falling out of the 24 knockout-round places with two league phase matches left.

For Ruben Amorim, this will be his first derby fixture with the 13th-placed United, 19 points from 15, since taking the reins last month.

The last time Amorim opposed City, he led Sporting Lisbon to a 4-1 home win in Champions League play in one of his final matches in charge of the Portuguese stalwarts.

Since his transition, he’s presided over only one win in four league games — a 4-0 thumping of visiting Everton on December 1 in which Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee each produced a brace.

Rashford since has lost his place in the starting line-up under Amorim, who is no stranger to big derby clashes from his days managing Sporting and previously playing for their big Lisbon rivals, Benfica.

Amorim acknowledged that he may feel different given both sides’ recent struggles.

“Yeah, I’m really focused on the details. I want to improve the team, so I cannot live it like a normal derby, like it should be — two great teams fighting for the title,” he said.

“And it’s not that in this moment. So it’s just one more game with a very good opponent. Both teams are struggling at the moment, so I hope, in the future, I feel that real feeling of a derby.”

Amorim could have veteran defender Jonny Evans back with the team otherwise boasting a largely clean bill of health.

The 36-year-old centre back has been sidelined since suffering an injury in Amorim’s first game in charge, a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town on November 24, but was back training ahead of their 2-1 Europa League win over Viktoria Plzen on Thursday.

“Some players were tired in the end (of Thursday’s win), you could see it, also because of the transitions it was a crazy game in the end,” Amorim told reporters.

“But I think everyone is going to be fit and ready to win the game. (Evans is) training already.”

Luke Shaw is the one notable player sidelined with injury, while Leny Yoro and Kobbie Mainoo, who are both coming back from long layoffs, were unused substitutes against Plzen.

Amorim was not paying attention to City’s rough patch. “No, I never think about these things. We will face a great opponent,” the 39-year-old said. “I’m more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game. So I’m focused on my team.”