Local bragging rights will once again be at stake when Pep Guardiola’s side travel to Old Trafford on Saturday evening and City will be aiming for an upturn in fortunes after losing three of our four encounters with the Reds last season.
The 183rd instalment of the fixture will be the first played without the presence of the fans for whom this game means so much, but De Bruyne says that feeling is shared by the players, who are well aware of the derby’s significance.
“I don’t think anyone needs to tell any player how important the derby is,” he said.
“I think everybody knows the importance because wherever you play there is one derby you are going to play for each team.
“It doesn’t matter if you are in Belgium, Germany or England, the derby is always an important game, especially for the supporters because it gives them the bragging rights and that is no different in Manchester.
“The derby has become bigger here. With us doing so well and battling for titles, it became a much bigger derby than maybe 20 years ago. In the end, the derby stays the same.”
United come into the game having won four consecutive games in the Premier League, but a midweek defeat to RB Leipzig saw them crash out of the Champions League in the group stage.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes the derby is the ideal game to bounce back from that disappointment and it is something De Bruyne agrees with, though he refutes the idea that, in the circumstances, a win would be more valuable to the opposition.
“I don’t think it is more important [for them],” he added.
“We need to be careful because everything that has happened this week, it is a good game for them to change the switch.
“They will want to show a different side to what happened in Leipzig and we need to be aware of that.
“In the end it is similar for them as it is for us, both teams want to keep momentum from the last few weeks and it is important to do that.”
A quick glance at the form guide would suggest the Old Trafford setting makes it advantage City ahead of this game.
United have the best away record in the Premier League, but have won just four points at home so far this season.
The old cliché suggests form goes out the window in derbies and De Bruyne is inclined to agree as he admitted he thinks United’s recent struggles at Old Trafford will be irrelevant on Saturday.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” said the Belgian.
“This is a different game and I can understand that when you are a big club like Manchester United that teams are going to set up more defensively when they play away and that is maybe where they had some issues.
“I am not too sure as I have not seen every game.”
City’s own form has certainly been cause for celebration in recent weeks and we travel across Manchester on the back of a five-match unbeaten run, during which we have not conceded.
So often it is the exploits of De Bruyne and his fellow attackers which earn rave reviews, but the midfielder says the performance of our defence is breeding confidence throughout the team.
“I think the last few games we have had chances, but we didn’t particularly score all the time,” he said.
“I think the games are tighter and there is more two or three nil score lines but when you keep the clean sheets it is not necessary to score more goals.
“I think [clean sheets] gives everybody confidence and also the ‘keeper and at the back.
“If you are keeping more clean sheets, you are going to be more assured that you are going to play well and that helps everybody.”
