The ghosts of the Red Devils' smash-and-grab win back in April ensured Pep Guardiola's side had extra reasons to be wary heading into this fixture
It was a defeat that had no tangible impact. When Manchester United came to the Etihad Stadium in April and shocked Manchester City with an impressive and unexpected comeback, it did stop Pep Guardiola's men winning the Premier League title that day, it just delayed the inevitable.
You could even argue that without that result City would not have been able to clinch their 100-point season with Gabriel Jesus' last-minute goal at Southampton, a moment that has gone down in the club's history.