Bruno Fernandes has called on Manchester United's fans to give the side a 'big push' during the Manchester derby against City on Saturday afternoon.
Erik ten Hag's side go into the clash against the Blues having won each of their last eight matches in all competitions. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola's men - who currently sit second in the Premier League table - were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in midweek at the hands of Southampton.
City won the last derby clash 6-3 at the Etihad in October, with Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both scoring hat-tricks for the home side, while Antony and Anthony Martial (2) were on the scoresheet for United.
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Reds midfielder Fernandes, who is expected to captain United on Saturday, is well aware of the threat that City pose, and the Portuguese star has called on the club's supporters to back the side throughout.
"It is a big derby for us, as we lost away against them in a bad way and we need to do something different, also because we are playing at home," Fernandes told club media. We will have our fans there and they will be pushing for us, like they have been doing in the last couple of years during those tough moments.
"I expect Old Trafford to be as it has been in the big games, the other games, and I think the point of change of this team was the Liverpool game.
"I think the fans will be like that again and even better. They will give us a big push."
Since the top-flight defeats to Brighton and Brentford on the opening two weekends of the season, Ten Hag's men have won 20 of 25 matches. While the Reds are in a good position in the Premier League table - and still competing on all four fronts - Fernandes has insisted that the team must continue to improve and work hard in the coming months.
He added: "After those two games, everyone has been talking about that for a long time, for us it is still in our mind because we shouldn't have started the season in that way. We obviously deserved, at the time, for the teams to beat us but we should, and could, have done better in those two games and, if anything, the reaction of the team from now until then, it has to carry on.
"We haven't achieved anything yet and we know that there is a long way still [to go] and we are in the right direction, so we must follow that direction and take instructions from the manager and keep the good vibes, good moments, good performances and good spirit in the group.
"Doing the best, our best for ourselves, for our team-mates and our team, our manager, our staff and mainly for our club and our fans."
City currently hold a two-point lead over United in the Premier League table, with Arsenal sitting at the top of the tree with a five-point lead over the Blues.
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