Premier League 2018/19: Man Utd vs Man City

jsp

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I don't think Utd can think about the ramifications of us winning we don't have that luxury we need the points for ourselves if our rivals win the league as a result then so be it.

As for the game changes have to come after that performance but I don't think it can be a complete overhaul of the team.

DDG

Dalot Lindelöf Smalling Shaw

Fred McTominay Pogba

Lingard

Rashford Sanchez

I think Matic, Lukaku and Martial have to be dropped after their performance at the weekend they were shocking and I'd consider dropping Rashford to if we really want to send a message but we just don't have an entire team of backups waiting to come in.

The big one would be dropping De Gea his head has clearly been elsewhere and his form has been off but I don't think he was that bad vs Everton lets be honest he's earned loyalty during a dip in form.

Even if this team plays at it's best if City turn up they'll beat us as they're just on another level but Spurs showed you can get in behind them so I'd play the front 2 and go for the diamond in midfield to try and get extra numbers in there as this is where city look to dominate games.

I think we will lose but I hope and pray we can at least make it a contest.
 
I think Man City missing De Bruyne will be big for them but they have so much quality, the two Silvas are quality with a capital t!

I really really hope our players will be up for this and if they’re not and produce the same lazy performance then they deserve to be dropped, sold, thrown off a pier....

Would pretty much go with the line up jsp has posted. Will be good to have Shaw back but we all know Young is going to start this one. Matic looked horrendous vs Everton albeit I know he was returning from injury.

I’m optimistically predicting a draw.
 
I don't want to be to harsh on Matic he didn't look anywhere near fit you wonder if he's one who's playing with an injury that's holding him back.

As for them missing De Bruyne they've barely had him all season and they haven't really missed him.
 
City could be missing a few of their bigger players and still run the show, we just dont have the desire or ambition of the City side.

I heard something on Talksport which I agreed with in that Pep hasn't just made that side technically better, but he has got the entire side giving their absolute 100% and that is what makes that side so good.

Anthony Martial decelerated into tackles against Everton and just generally never gets back and ambles around, your never going to get anywhere with a bunch of players that arent giving 100%.

Ronaldo was the only player ive ever seen that didn't get massively criticised for tracking back and he could get away with it.
 
they said on the radio, before I tuned off, Martial lost the ball and just stood there while the player who took the ball ran the length of the pitch and either scored or created. Not good enough that attitude.
 
Martial is a funny one, has bags of ability and if he applied himself he could be great, but I just dont see that mentality with him atall.

He excites fans when he has a good game with the way he runs at players, but like many others, doesnt do it enough of the time.
 
we don't seem to have any workers, Herrera does, but not the ability. Likewise Jones and Smalling.

The only players we have with application and abilty are Shaw and Rashford. We need more players like that.

As for the city game. I can't see anythig but a loss, possibly a heavy loss.
 
Rashford was as bad as Martial on Sunday in terms of work rate he runs his balls off at centre forward but put him on the wing and he's just as bad as Martial both of them were a disgrace at the weekend.

Martial I just think is a player who's never had to try hard he's so naturally talented that he hasn't had to fight against the fear of being cut because from a very young age he was marked as a potential superstar which I think has made him complacent. He's ludicrously talented but when it's hard he goes into his shell and doesn't fancy it if he's up against a full back who's quick and gets the better of him early on he gives up and hides not wanting the ball anymore. Solskjaer sees the quality but even he's called him out saying he needs to start scoring the ugly goals the back post tap ins and involving himself in the game make the runs that ask questions even who you know you won't get the ball he doesn't attack space he only ever wants the ball into feet. I personally think he's found a bit of a comfort zone he's happy being what he is I don't think he's got that ruthless attitude to want to be the best in the world he's happy being good whereas the top players want to be great.

A lot is being made of Everton running further than us at the weekend and it is true but this Utd side is on it's backside it's been savaged by injury and played a lot of games with a depleted squad that is clearly unfit. Everton haven't had any midweek football after Xmas which I think gave them a physical edge the disappointing thing was just how far behind we were.
 

This one really seems to rattle Pep every time it comes up there's nothing wrong with it and it's a good tactic City flood so many players forward that it's vital they don't let teams counter attack so to do that they try and win the ball back but they know that if they don't make sure they foul them.

Ole knows his team is built to counter attack and City will dominate the ball so he's making sure the message is out there so the ref doesn't let them get away with it because he knows they'll be at it.

What is funny is they try to use stats to discredit it City have 170 fouls compared to Utd 195 yet my guess is City average 65-70% possession in games whereas Utd average is probably more like 50-55% so City are fouling a lot more relative to the possession as you can't commit a foul if you have the ball most of the time.
 
We should be above petty snipes, if we lose its not becasue they give away cheap fouls. It's becasue they are far superior.

Pep has his team working hard and they press and doing so you will likely give away fouls.

I wish our players would work half as hard as the city players.

Fergie used to use tactics like this, but he had teams that could compete and anything for a slight advantage to win tight games. There is no way we can compete against this city side, and it just looks a little pathetic.
 
I think it's clever from the manager he's raising the topic and the message will get to the ref but will the ref react to it because clever fouling is a tactic in football now because it's so easy to stop the game and the refs rarely get the cards out when you do it in the opposition half.

Think it sends another message that he's not afraid to take on Pep and maybe his players shouldn't be afraid of City players they need to expect this sort of stuff and deal with it.

I doubt it'll make much difference they hardly need anymore motivation they have to keep winning to win the title and having failed to get to the CL final again the league is the big one.

I was more surprised that Pep took the bait to be honest but he can be very chippy when people challenge his methods or suggest there's foul play to it.

His assistant Arteta is caught in their own documentary telling players to do it.
 
DDG
Darmian
Lindelof
Smalling
Shaw
Young
Fred
Periera
Pogba
Lingard
Rashford

Subs Romero, Dalot, Mata, Matic, Alexis, Lukaku, Martial

Looks like 3-5-2 with Darmian in a back 3 which is crazy apparently we’ve played a back 3 7 times this season 0 wins, 2 draws, 5 defeats. Could be 4-3-3 with Young in the front 3

McTominay not in match day squad has to be injury as he’s played well recently no centre backs on the bench Jones obviously injured again where even is Bailly these days?
 
If Young is starting in a back three then I give up honestly. Pereira needs to have the game of his life. We will have a threat on the break with Rashford and Lingard but this is going to be so tough.
 
I would imagine if it's a back 3 Damian would be in there with young at right wing back. I actually think it's a back four with darmian at right back and young on the left flank.
 
Sky had it as 4-2-3-1 with Young left of the 3 behind Rashford and Pogba at 10.

If that’s the case my guess is it might be Periera In. the 3 with Pogba sitting alongside Fred.

Periera was an attacking player until pre season putting him in midfield would be bold.

To me it looks 3-5-2 with Darmian on the right of a back 3 possibly to try and go one vs one with Sterling.
 
Why didn’t we show this effort vs Everton? Baffling! We definitely have more energy without guys like Matic and Lukaku in the team.
 
Good start but got to make it count on the scoreboard.

Reminds me of Wolves should have been out of sight but didn’t kill them off.

Shows you the character of this lot it’s a chronic attitude problem in that team they slack off in some games but when they really fancy it they’re a handful for anyone.
 
I think City will take control second half and get it done.

Team that gets the first goal wins it.
 
You’d think City will have a spell when they will get some great chances but we’ve started the second half okay.
 
1-0 City. Ouch. It’s barely deserved but they are now ripping us apart. Aguero just hit the post.
 
Lingard FFS he’s had 3 good chances and blown them love his energy and graft but he is so wasteful. The difference in quality in attack is massive here.

That goal was a bit to easy another player allowed to move the ball on to his stronger foot and shoot easily under little pressure. Shaw has to force that ball wide at this level you cannot let people inside and shoot.

Utd need to get this back quickly.
 
De Gea has been a one man band for us for so many years but his level has fallen way below where he has been in the past.

Sadly City are too good for us. We haven’t played bad but we haven’t been clinical enough and the gulf in class in attack is so evident.
 
Fred with 2 mistakes ball given away then not fouling Sterling, Darmian sucked in to mark Aguero leaving Sterling open bur that’s poor from De Gea his form really has gone down the toilet.

Do we have to consider dropping him for Romero?
 
Fred gives the ball away far too much to be really top class. He shows great energy and when you think he’s having a good game he does something stupid.

Would I drop De Gea? No because class is permanent but you wouldn’t be surprised if he is because his confidence must be at rock bottom.
 
Seriously Lukaku has the worst first touch I’ve seen. Can’t believe Everton got £90m out of us!
 
3 games to go 9 points needed team can’t score can you risk that De Gea won’t keep making mistakes? He’s not getting much help from defence but he is costing us points now I think he’s had enough slack and like others who’ve let standards drop I think he has to be benched.

I love De Gea and I’d still give him a new deal but for me he has to be dropped vs Chelsea Romero rarely lets us down but this is how bad it has got.

As for the other parts of the field just out classed all over defence, midfield and attack they have better players we matched the effort and commitment but quality shines through in the end.

It’s going to be some job to catch them.
 
yeah, I would drop De Gea too. And drop our offfer of 350 grand a week to a more realistic wage.

Do De Gea and Pogba really think Marid are going to want them?
 

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