The Belgian joined the Cityzens in 2015 and has worn the sky blue jersey on 413 separate occassions to date, scoring 106 goals and providing 143 assists - more than double second-placed David Silva's total of 61 - in the process.
How he would love to add to either column if it meant walking away from the Theatre of Dreams with a much-needed victory.
Six Premier League titles, five League Cups two FA Cups and one Champions League have been earned in the past decade by a player who will leave the Etihad Stadium with his head held high and who'll hand Pep Guardiola the conundrum of which player will be required to fill some mighty big shoes from the start of the 2025/26 campaign.
Although City and United are a disappointing fifth and 13th in the Premier League respectively, the three points are still as important as if they were both contesting the title.
There's a genuine risk that Guardiola's side won't even make it into European competition next season if they're on the end of one or two more reverses in their final eight league games of the season.
From Ruben Amorim's point of view, getting into the top 10 has to be his aim for the Red Devils who are currently seven points adrift of Bournemouth in 10th position.
Man United could do the double over City for the first time since 2019/20
Were United to win in front of their own fans, it would be the first time since 2019/20 that they would've done the double over their nearest rivals, and on a positive note, they haven’t lost any of their last three meetings with Man City in all competitions (W2 D1).
However, and somewhat ominously for the hosts, City have won more Premier League away games against Man United than any other side (9).
What's more, five of those nine wins have come under Pep Guardiola, the most of any visiting manager in the competition.
Just over a month ago ahead of United's game against Arsenal, Amorim was quoted as saying that "I will not have the time that Arteta has. I feel that. It’s a different club, so we just need to survive."
Unfortunately, nothing has really changed for the Portuguese since then. Despite having a sensational record at Sporting, Amorim has the worst goals conceded per game ratio of any permanent Red Devils manager at home in the Premier League (1.89).
They’ve shipped 17 in nine home games under him, and his side have gone eight Premier League matches at Old Trafford without keeping a clean sheet, their longest run since between April and December 2021 (a run of 12 games).
United have also picked up just two points in eight Premier League home games this season against sides starting the day in the top half (D2 L6), scoring five and conceding 19 times in these matches.
From a personal perspective, Amorim has at least won both meetings against City in all competitions this season, beating them in the Champions League with Sporting and the Premier League with Man Utd.
If United win on Sunday, he will become just the third manager to beat Pep Guardiola in three consecutive meetings, after Jurgen Klopp with Liverpool (twice) and Thomas Tuchel with Chelsea in 2020/21.
Another small crumb of comfort is that Man City have lost six of their last 11 away Premier League matches (W3 D2), which is as many as they had in their previous 37 away games combined (W26 D5 L6), though they’ve only lost more than six away games in one of the last 13 seasons (seven in 2019-20).
Erling Haaland is ruled out with injury, and given that he has been directly involved in nine goals in eight appearances against United for City (six goals, three assists), the Red Devils will breathe another sigh of relief even if his replacement, Omar Marmoush, has taken to the English top-flight like a duck to water.
Bruno Fernandes is still the go-to guy for Man United
Fernandes remains the go-to guy for United, and he's been involved in 21 goals at Old Trafford for the Red Devils this season in all competitions (12 goals, 9 assists).
If he assists in this game it will be third time he’s got both 10+ goals and 10+ assists in a season at Old Trafford (also 2020/21 and 2022/23), more than all other players combined since 1992/93: Dwight Yorke in 1998/99 (12G, 10A) and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2006/07 (14G, 11A) are the others.
Given that there have been only three 0-0 draws in the last 10 years in this particular fixture, goals are virtually guaranteed, and at least two goals have been scored in all of the last 12 games between the sides.
Another three fixtures in the last decade have ended 1-0, and on two of those occasions, United were the winners, so if Amorim's men are able to keep things tight at the back, a slender home victory might well be on the cards.
City and United supporters will know that the former have been the dominant force in the city in recent years, but the latter still have the edge in terms of derbies won in the Premier League era.
Since 1992/93, the Red Devils have won 26 games, with City inching ever closer, thanks to 20 wins.
Across all competitions, Man United's 80 wins are 17 more than their rivals have managed, and as with any derby, no quarter is going to be asked or given by either side in this one and only the strongest will survive.
A super Sunday spectacular awaits...
