(Manchester United News)
United captain Wayne Rooney admits the more recent Manchester derbies have "that extra bit of spice" compared to the ones he played in when he first joined the club, due to both teams' quests for trophies.
Manchester City have claimed the title in two of the last three seasons, while United have won five of the last eight and more English league championships than any other club in history.
Rooney describes the derby as "a game you always enjoy winning and hate losing" and is expecting another close contest on Sunday, which he insists the Reds are determined to win.
"In the first few years after I came here City were never a threat to the title or to us," he told United Review. "But it’s a local derby so it’s always been a massive game and one you always want to win, particularly for the fans.
"Over the last four or five years the rivalry has got a lot fiercer because we’ve been challenging for the same trophies. That’s given the fixture that extra bit of spice because you know that when the games come around they could have a big impact on your challenge for trophies. So there is an edge to them more than there was before."
