Premier League
Manchester Derby Preview
Is Manchester Blue or is it Red? If one had asked this question a decade ago it was not even debatable. Manchester United were not only the best team in Manchester but in the whole island of England. It was a period of sheer dominance and prosperity for the Red Devils. Under Sir Alex Fergusson they were the definition of class. Although as they say, all good things must come to an end. His departure was followed by nothing short of chaos. Chaos by United’s standards of course. Since then they haven’t really been the same.
Manchester City won their first league title in 44 years in 2011. It was a turning point for the Blue side of Manchester. They stepped up their game. Belief ran through their veins. It was time for them to come out of their neighbor’s shadows. And boy did they deliver.
That brings us to the present day. Another clash of the titans. Another materialization of this tremendous rivalry. Not just the players but also the coaches. They have quite a bit of history among themselves as well. The Etihad Stadium will be in full voice with red shirts and blue shirts screaming at the top of their voices alike. On Sunday, the reigning champions host their struggling rivals. Who will come out on top? We’ll find out then because form means next to nothing in these fixtures.
Team Updates
The hosts’ have a strong squad at their disposal. Their only absentee however is a massive one. Kevin De Bruyne is out again for around a month due to a ligament injury. Claudio Bravo is also injured and Nico Otamendi is still in doubt. City are expected to field their strongest possible lineup after resting a lot of their big names in the Champions League midweek.
As for United, there is still speculation about striker Romelu Lukaku’s availability. He did not feature in their midweek win against Juventus either. Antonio Valencia has also not played for the last six games but is in contention for a comeback. Jose Mourinho stated that Lukaku has “a chance” to be back for this game.
Interesting Facts and Predictions
There are a lot of interesting tidbits about this fixture’s more recent history. Let us take a look at some of them.
- City have won just two of the last eight Manchester Derbies in all competitions. It hasn’t been a good spell for them since they won four in a row between 2013-14.
- PL meetings between these two sides have seen the away side come away with victories on an astonishing 17 occasions.
- Manchester City have been the only team to score 24 goals or more after their first six home games. In fact, they have done so thrice.
- Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho will be facing off against each other for the 22nd time in their managerial careers.
- United have had a leaky defense this season. They have conceded 18 goals in 11 games this season. However, they have rescued more points than anyone else from losing positions than any other team this season.
All the facts and figures are interesting to look at. Both sides have vastly differed in form this season as well. Even so, it is hard to call a definitive winner in this game. But considering all the statistics, logically one would predict a City win. That being said United are always dangerous and capable of special things on the field.
Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United
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