Manchester United enter this weekend’s derby against neighbours City with perhaps the greater share of momentum, and we are looking ahead to this crucial clash near the summit of the table by walking you through the key Manchester United vs Manchester City talking points.
The 188th edition of the Manchester Derby arrives with palpable anticipation, and the implications for both sides has added a sprinkle more excitement to this weekend’s billing.
The hosts Manchester City will be eager to close the gap with league leaders Arsenal to just two points with a win. The Gunners face their own local rivals Tottenham 24 hours later, and given their dismal away record against their fellow North Londoners, City will be pushing for all three points on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the red side of Manchester are in the midst of a purple patch as Erik Ten Hag’s imprint as manager is starting to be felt. A first derby win at Old Trafford since March 2020 would move the Red Devils within a point of the champions, and also pip Newcastle to third place ahead of a midweek clash with Crystal Palace the following Wednesday.
Manchester United vs Manchester City Key Talking Points
Pep Guardiola and His New-Found Selection Headache
Manchester City’s puzzling exit in the Carabao Cup this week, a competition they have won in five of the last six seasons, may have compounded several squad selection doubts surrounding this weekend’s derby.
Since the resumption of club football following the World Cup, manager Pep Guardiola has opted for a bold change in personnel with the likes of 18-year-old Rico Lewis stepping in at right-back ahead of the mercurial Joao Cancelo, while Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez have been preferred to Phil Foden, who netted seven goals prior to the international cut-off.
Whether this trend continues remains to be seen, but he recently described Lewis as “our little Philipp Lahm” and that when he plays “he makes everyone better”.
The Spaniard also bizarrely promised he has “a few ideas, thoughts, ridiculous ones against United.” What these are remain safe in his footballing depository for the time being, but a lacklustre display in mid-week against 20th-placed Southampton, in which they failed to register a shot on target for the first time since 2018, could result in some big-hitters being benched.
Casemiro Key in Disrupting City’s Rhythm
As is the case with stopping any Pep Guardiola team, the ability to disrupt their rhythmic possession-based football is key.
The Citizens have averaged just over 65% possession across all domestic games this season, and attempting to grapple with their suffocating pressure can be an arduous task. Fortunately for Manchester United, they managed to acquire one of, if not the, most effective midfield enforcers in world football in the summer, and his impact has been quickly felt.
Among a host of United’s standout performers that include free-scoring Marcus Rashford and a resurgent Luke Shaw, Casemiro’s unspectacular yet wildly effective efforts in midfield may quickly get lost, but his quiet influence will be key to disrupting City’s passing lanes on Saturday.
Casemiro – 2022/23 so far pic.twitter.com/HALt6G3dNr
— 🫵🏽 (@idoxvi) January 6, 2023
The five-time Champions League winner has started 10 Premier League games in the red of United, losing just one in the process. They have a 57% win rate when he is not in the squad, which is in stark contrast to the 70% win percentage when he lines up in midfield.
His bullish defensive work is shown in his stats since making his league debut back in early October – he ranks in the top five for possessions won and interceptions, and in the top two for tackles, duels won and clearances. This, coupled with the fact that the Brazilian turns over the ball and re-establishes possession 15.8 times per 90 puts him firmly among the most effective midfielders in the league already, and he will be integral to United’s chances this weekend.
United Enter The Derby in Scintillating Form
Erik Ten Hag has radically changed the culture at Old Trafford, evidenced by his decision to bench the club’s standout performer Marcus Rashford recently after he showed up late to their pre-game meeting against Wolves.
There is no denying they enter this fixture, which they have lost on three successive occasions, with genuine momentum – it is their best run of form since January 2019.
Indeed, none of the eight clubs they have swept aside in their current winning streak come close to the calibre of Manchester City, but they will take comfort in the fact they have shored up the defensive unit, while developing as an explosive force on the counter-attack which could spell danger for their neighbours.
Three consecutive Premier League clean sheets is no mean feat, particularly when you take into account they conceded more goals than Burnley last season, who were relegated to the Championship. Remaining resolute in their guarding of the goal is a tall order against City, who are the highest scorers in the league, but they themselves have netted in each of their last eight league matches – the best run of any side this term, so if they can keep their opponents at bay, they may be able to pick them apart as Everton and Southampton have in recent weeks.
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