Premier League 2023/24: Man City vs Man United - Sun 2nd Mar - 15:30 KO

[SuperRash]

I feel like if we all pray before Sunday, we may get something out of this!

I think the line up will probably be similar to last night if all players that were out are still out. I would say Mainoo for Antony may well be the only change. Bruno (if fit) could move to the right so we can pack the midfield a bit more.

 

[Justin Cider]

ONANA
BAYINDIR SCHMEICHEL HEATON VAN DER SAR
ROCHE STEPNEY WALSH VAN DER GOUW
BARTHEZ BOSNICH

CARROLL
ROMERO
HOWARD
TAIBI
FOSTER
LEIGHTON
VALDES
KUSZCZAK
LINDEGAARD

0-0 to United​

 

[JammyRed]

We can win this.







If the whole of City’s squad come down with a virus.

 

[Justin Cider]

Lovely positive start to the thread, it's refreshing .... not expecting it to last mind ....

 

[Justin Cider]

Wouldn't be surprised if Kambwala comes in at RB, he's really the only player we've got that has the pace/strength to match Doku, Dalot to LB

 

[Mr C]

I can't see anything but a battering to be honest.

It's not being negative, it's honestly looking at our season compared to theirs.

Of course there is always an upset in football, I pray this is the day. Maybe Hojlund will be a surprise inclusion. Who else is going to score.

I guess varane/maguire from a corner.

 

[Justin Cider]

Looks like City will be nearly at full-strength, only Gvardiol(50% chance of playing) and Grealish(50%) possible absentees, hardly any great loss if they miss out, certainly Gvardiol who has been a major disappointment.

And yet we are likely to be missing 8

The footballing Gods taking the mickey again .... Give us a break ffs

 

[Jayc1860]

ETH can right some wrongs with me here if he shows the ability to change his set-up. According to probably 99% of footballing pundits this cannot end well anyway. We would be starting the game by setting up our team to compliment City and if the manager doesn't change the system or even formation here then he simply doesn't have any clue whatsoever.

We just can't beat City playing this way. It's impossible.

 

[justintime]

I would play Amrabat as the DM. Flood the midfield. Do not let them have any space. If Maguire is fit let him on Harland.

 

[Justin Cider]

Andy Madley will referee Sunday's Manchester derby.

Stuart Attwell is on VAR.

Oh well .... nice while it lasted.

 

[Jayc1860]

Andy Madley will referee Sunday's Manchester derby.

Stuart Attwell is on VAR.

Oh well .... nice while it lasted.

Where's that positive attitude gone, Justy. ;p

 

[Justin Cider]

Where's that positive attitude gone, Justy. ;p

It fluctuates, but come kick-off you can be sure I'll be confident we can pull off a shock win.

 

[Jayc1860]

It fluctuates, but come kick-off you can be sure I'll be confident we can pull off a shock win.

Funny how that works isn't it?

Even the most realistic of people [me] even feels like that at kick-off.

Football can be a strange game so you never know I guess. Gotta have hope even being the way I am.

 

[justintime]

It depends on how we play from the start. In a way I am happy that Maguire is not playing not because Lindelof is a better player but Lindelof has quicker passing than Maguire. The worry is that can Varane handle Harland? Or is Evans still good enough to do that? We simply cannot outpace City. We have to hit them on the counter and if Rashford has his normal days we will lose. If he does his bit we can win.
Who plays at LB is important too.

 

[jsp]

Onana

Lindelof Varane Maguire Dalot

Casemiro Amrabat

Garnacho Bruno Rashford

McTominay

Think we need someone up top who can hold it up and just hope those wide players can get up with him and play off him.

First goal is vital if they get it we will just be picked off as we take more risks if we can grab it we can hopefully stay compact and frustrate them.

If Bruno is carrying an injury then get Mainoo or Eriksen in I don’t think you can carry an injured player in a game like this.

 

[Hammerhead1]

ONANA
BAYINDIR SCHMEICHEL HEATON VAN DER SAR
ROCHE STEPNEY WALSH VAN DER GOUW
BARTHEZ BOSNICH

CARROLL
ROMERO
HOWARD
TAIBI
FOSTER
LEIGHTON
VALDES
KUSZCZAK
LINDEGAARD

0-0 to United​

We have had some really crap goalkeepers over the years.

 

[Jayc1860]

We have had some really crap goalkeepers over the years.

Taibi stands out like a sore thumb.

 

[justintime]

Onana

Lindelof Varane Maguire Dalot

Casemiro Amrabat

Garnacho Bruno Rashford

McTominay

Think we need someone up top who can hold it up and just hope those wide players can get up with him and play off him.

First goal is vital if they get it we will just be picked off as we take more risks if we can grab it we can hopefully stay compact and frustrate them.

If Bruno is carrying an injury then get Mainoo or Eriksen in I don’t think you can carry an injured player in a game like this.

Isn't Maguire injured and not available along with Bruno?

 

[jsp]

Isn't Maguire injured and not available along with Bruno?

Apparently there were no new injuries reported vs Forest but it looked like Amrabat came off with a bit of a knock and Bruno limped away after the game.

No return date was given for Maguire I just assumed it was short term.

If Maguire is out then I guess it’s Evans from the start alongside Varane.

Whatever way you organise the pieces in that back 4 it isn’t going to be pretty.

 

[justintime]

Apparently there were no new injuries reported vs Forest but it looked like Amrabat came off with a bit of a knock and Bruno limped away after the game.

No return date was given for Maguire I just assumed it was short term.

If Maguire is out then I guess it’s Evans from the start alongside Varane.

Whatever way you organise the pieces in that back 4 it isn’t going to be pretty.

My biggest concern is at LB. Not the CBs so much as not much difference when Martinez is not available.

 

[jsp]

My biggest concern is at LB. Not the CBs so much as not much difference when Martinez is not available.

I agree the CBs are all of similar quality imo.

Dalot at LB I think makes sense for this one but that then creates a problem at right back.

Im guessing it’ll be Foden and Bernardo Silva out wide for City as I think Grealish is injured. If they start Doku he might look to put Dalot up against him rather than Lindelof.

 

[Mr C]

Onana

Lindelof Varane Maguire Dalot

Casemiro Amrabat

Garnacho Bruno Rashford

McTominay

You're leaving Mainoo out, our best player when he plays!

Dalot at LB when he's been doing well at RB.

I wonder what our accadamy is doing, do we not have a striker in there?

 

[JammyRed]

Man mark De Bruyne to try and keep him from assisting the alien up front, it might help to keep the score down.

 

[Berba_God]

This will be just salvage as low as defeat as possible

 

[jsp]

You're leaving Mainoo out, our best player when he plays!

Dalot at LB when he's been doing well at RB.

I wonder what our accadamy is doing, do we not have a striker in there?

I think Mainoo has been a bit of a liability without the ball as he's still learning the game and I also think he's weak on set pieces and City are very strong on them. I'm going for sit deep and counter attack, with Mainoo I think you need to be dominating the ball I just don't think this is one for him yet. If Bruno is injured I'd maybe put him in as a third in midfield. I just think for this one you go with experience in Casemiro and Amrabat and be backs to the walls and hope the breaks go your way.

Dalot has also played very well at left back this season. To be honest I think the side he plays will be dictated by who City pick, my guess is if they pick Doku he'll play up against Doku if they don't I think he'll play left

Hugill is out on loan in league one. I think the current U21 group are players that are unlikely to make it into the first team, the current U18 group is doing very well this season but these are mostly 16/17 year olds so unlikely they're going to be called up.

Jackson caused City a lot of problems a few weeks ago by just being a bit of a target man they could hit early and play off I think McTominay is the best we have at doing that available.

 

[justintime]

My worry is not the forwards but surely the academy or the U21s should have a regular left back that is better than Amrabat or Lindelof at LB?

 

[jsp]

My worry is not the forwards but surely the academy or the U21s should have a regular left back that is better than Amrabat or Lindelof at LB?

I think it's widely acknowledged that the academy was neglected in the post Fergie years but measures were taken to try and fix that and it seems to be showing signs of life with the current under 18 side.

Alvaro Fernandez was the most senior one but they've currently got him out on loan and it looks like he'll be sold this summer.

The squad when everyone is fit has 4 left back options before you get to them. We are very much in a crisis mode because 3 of those options are injured and the other is currently needed at right back due to another injury. Lindelof I think has actually been pretty solid at left back.

Think if we had a more settled side that was doing well they might take a chance with an academy player but throwing them into this side I think will risk doing them more harm than good in the long run

 

[Sideshow Bob]

Onana

Lindelof Varane Maguire Dalot

Casemiro Amrabat

Garnacho Bruno Rashford

McTominay

Think we need someone up top who can hold it up and just hope those wide players can get up with him and play off him.

First goal is vital if they get it we will just be picked off as we take more risks if we can grab it we can hopefully stay compact and frustrate them.

If Bruno is carrying an injury then get Mainoo or Eriksen in I don’t think you can carry an injured player in a game like this.

This would be my front four, with Mainoo instead of Amrabat, who I would tempted to start at left back. City don’t really have a pacy right wing/forward.

 

[Jayc1860]

This would be my front four, with Mainoo instead of Amrabat, who I would tempted to start at left back. City don’t really have a pacy right wing/forward.

Amrabat was a failure at LB - I'm pretty sure he was changed into midfield as ETH saw this as an error. He probably won't play there again and rightly so.

City don't need a pacy right sided player when they have Bernando Silva. He's insanely effective on that side witout it.

 

[Sideshow Bob]

Amrabat was a failure at LB - I'm pretty sure he was changed into midfield as ETH saw this as an error. He probably won't play there again and rightly so.

City don't need a pacy right sided player when they have Bernando Silva. He's insanely effective on that side witout it.

He played at full back for the full game and was given license to roam into midfield. Dalot does the same.

 

[Jayc1860]

He played at full back for the full game and was given license to roam into midfield. Dalot does the same.

I read that he moved into midfeild entirely - I guess that's what I get for taking that at face value. Still don't want to see him playing there any more, and definitely not on Sunday.

 

[jsp]

This would be my front four, with Mainoo instead of Amrabat, who I would tempted to start at left back. City don’t really have a pacy right wing/forward.

Would be worried about Walker on the overlap but Foden or Silva I think will tie him in knots if he’s played at left back and forced to defend. I’d also be worried about Haaland pulling on to him at the back post for balls in from their left side. That was a big problem in the game at old Trafford.

To me it’s basically a deep back 4 they won’t be pushing up or playing out or stepping into midfield as we won’t see the ball so just be tight and compact with two holders in front just force them wide and hope that you can clear the crosses.

City I think are vulnerable to counters they give you chances and we need to make the most of that.

Sad thing is to get anything we need to be at our best and they need to have an off day. If they’re at it from the first minute it could be like last season where they stuck 6 past us.

 

[justintime]

Would be worried about Walker on the overlap but Foden or Silva I think will tie him in knots if he’s played at left back and forced to defend. I’d also be worried about Haaland pulling on to him at the back post for balls in from their left side. That was a big problem in the game at old Trafford.

To me it’s basically a deep back 4 they won’t be pushing up or playing out or stepping into midfield as we won’t see the ball so just be tight and compact with two holders in front just force them wide and hope that you can clear the crosses.

City I think are vulnerable to counters they give you chances and we need to make the most of that.

Sad thing is to get anything we need to be at our best and they need to have an off day. If they’re at it from the first minute it could be like last season where they stuck 6 past us.

You are right but is is downhill all the way. I will play Evans with Varane if Maguire is not available and play Lindelof on the left but Amrabat is not a small player and United fans should look at his stats for Fiorentina and for Morocco. It was fantastic. I actually would like to see him given a run in midfield either with Casemiro or Mainoo. I saw somewhere that he covered the most distance in the World Cup and has a fantastic pass rate too for both Fiorentina as well.
Bruno should stick to the centre and not go roaming all over the place. Forget about the press and that.

 

[jsp]

You are right but is is downhill all the way. I will play Evans with Varane if Maguire is not available and play Lindelof on the left but Amrabat is not a small player and United fans should look at his stats for Fiorentina and for Morocco. It was fantastic. I actually would like to see him given a run in midfield either with Casemiro or Mainoo. I saw somewhere that he covered the most distance in the World Cup and has a fantastic pass rate too for both Fiorentina as well.
Bruno should stick to the centre and not go roaming all over the place. Forget about the press and that.

My line up had Amrabat alongside Casemiro in the midfield.

Bruno will have to play more as a midfielder and try to be the guy that can either get the ball past Rodri into the centre forward or play the longer passes into the space for the wingers then try to get up and support them. That’s why I’ve said if he’s carrying an injury he probably shouldn’t play.

 

[Jayc1860]

Bruno simply shouldn't start this game if he's injured. It's too much a liability against City. I'd play Casemiro, Amrabat and Mainoo. The manager has got to start making some intelligent decisions to save his job, and this could potentially be one. As if Bruno starts and we get hammered it's going to be said by someone that we never should have started him. Take him out of the equation and save him the backlash, he needs to be rested at some point.