Premier League 2021/22: Man Utd vs Man City ~ Sat 6th Nov 12.30 KO

jsp

Well-Known Member
Top Poster Of Month
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
28,182
So it’s the first derby of the season.

It’s a bit odd as in recent years it tends to be away side that gets the win in the derby but in the last 2 seasons Utd have a draw and a win at home last season it even felt like City came and played for a draw very wary of the Utd counter attack threat and how vulnerable they were to that.

Team news for Utd there’s no Varane and for City no Laporte or Torres.

Utd also waiting on the fitness of Lindelof who missed the game midweek that might dictate what formation we play but I’d say it’s almost nailed on we start with the 3-4-1-2 system

DDG

Bailly Maguire Lindelof

AWB McTominay Fred Shaw

Bruno

Cavani Ronaldo

If Lindelof isn’t fit I guess it’ll he Shaw in the back 3 with Telles as left wing back.

I expect Ronaldo will start despite doing the full 90 midweek but Rashford has caused City major problems before so we may see him start alongside either Cavani or Ronaldo.
 
Forgot to mention Pogba also suspended.
 
I think he's got to play Rashford he's been a real thorn for them the ability to carry the ball up the pitch.
 
I didn't read it, but Grealish is doing well at City isn't he?
 
I don't think Grealish would have faired better at Utd than he is at City to be honest but I think Sancho would have done better at City because I think he'd have been able to learn the system quickly and slot into it probably easier than Grealish has. Grealish was used to a team where everything was tuned up for him at City it isn't like that and it wouldn't be like that at Utd so he'll need time to adapt and learn his role. Sancho wasn't the lone star at Dortmund so he knows how to play these sort of team roles where you all work together pressing from the front.

Utd's problems this season really stem from a number of key defensive players being horribly out of form at the start of the season making a load of individual errors and a last minute switch to accomodate Ronaldo in the attack.

Grealish would just be another player trying to work out for himself what he needs to do to make an impact.
 
I didn't read it, but Grealish is doing well at City isn't he?

Not really he's kind of switching between two roles for them playing high on the left where he often played at Villa and in some games playing on the left of the midfield 3 with Foden outside of him on the wing. Foden has made a much bigger impact than Grealish since he's returned from injury.

He's got 1 goal and a couple of assists which for a guy that cost £100m isn't really setting the world on fire but as the article says quite a few City signings under Pep have been slow burners almost taken a season to settle in before looking the real deal.
 
Ole didn't give much away in terms of Lindelof's fitness he remains a doubt not ruling him out to me suggests he'll play and Ole will take another risk probably because at this point he has to take them. Lose to City the gap to the top 4 potentially stretches to 6 points and the gap to the top stretches to 11.

City have been a bit of an odd side this season they lost away to Spurs and at home to Palace but delivered a real top class performance at Chelsea to beat them away, against Liverpool away it was a bit blow for blow but I felt they edged the play. In Europe they lost to PSG but Donnarrumma certainly was the busier of the two keepers.

De Bruyne hasn't really looked himself and Sterling's form still hasn't recovered to anything like it is at his best there's a good chance that neither will start tomorrow both have been huge parts of the Guardiola era but certainly with Sterling it feels like he's now being fazed out.

Cancelo seems to be the main man for them at the moment in terms of creativity playing left back and coming inside he's creating lots of chances and seeing a lot of the ball so Utd will need to make sure they don't get to overloaded down that side especially if we play the back 3 system. There's every chance City will have Cancelo, Grealish and Foden all over that side of the field so Utd need to make sure they don't allow those 3 to start pulling us out of position to much I can certainly see our back 3 becoming more of a back 5 for long spells as City will dominate the ball.

Biggest challenge with City is getting at them they've only let in 6 in 10 league games so while the attack hasn't always fired they've been able to rely on a solid defence.

For Utd I guess we need to test the sharpness of Stones he's not really played much this season but with Laporte banned he will start so can Utd capitalise on that change to the back 4. If Walker is out that would also help as it will force another change most likely Cancelo will move over to right back and I guess Zinchenko would go into left back.

Where teams can get joy is if you can escape their press and either pass or dribble your way through it this is where Rashford has been key in a lot of our recent success. The ability he has to run the ball 20-30 yards at speed and skip past players has allowed us to catch City out a few times Martial has also been a thorn in their side too but it's very unlikely he starts tomorrow.
 
Time to unleash Rashford, Greenwood and Sancho and worry about how we are gonna get the ball to them often enough to hurt City whilst the game is in progress, probably means having to revert to a back 4 though.

I've put a tenner on United to win 7-6
 
I think Ronaldo will score a goal of such exquisite beauty they might pause the game and give him a round of applause.

Really don't know which United will show up. We play like we did against Liverpool and City will set a new record. Or we keep it compact and we nick a victory.
 
I think there is something in the fact we are unbeaten in 4 against them in the league. Won 3 of those and that Ole is the only manager in the world with a winning record against City.

3-1 United.
 
That Grealish Sancho article was interesting actually and I can see the logic. Sancho came from a clear structure and set up. Grealish was the structure at Villa. Grealish is a player who can create something from nothing and at united probably would be doing just that. Sancho thrives off of link up play and at united he doesn't have that.

Anyway... Tomorrow it won't be a drubbing. I think it'll be a draw actually.
 
Cavani is reportedly injured and unavailable, according to an Uruguayan journalist.
 
100 miles away but the stale Boddingtons farts fill the air .... it must be Derby day!
 
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Bailly, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Fred, McTominay, Fernandes; Greenwood, Ronaldo.

Henderson, Dalot, Telles, Lingard, Matic, van de Beek, Martial, Rashford, Sancho.
 
That back 3/5 is going to have to be really good today. Lot of pressure on Bailly if he's the one in the middle of the three.
 
I can see a Baily sending off in the first 20 mins. Always something stupid as people are singing his praises.
 
Can only see us losing - probably by four goals: anything more and even are idiotic board will have to act
 

Login or Register

Forgot your password?
or Log in using
Don't have an account? Register now
Back
Top