Monday, October 26, 2015, 1.05am AEDT, Old Trafford, Watch on Fox Sports
Table position
Manchester United: Third
Manchester City: Top
Season record
Manchester United: 6-2-1
Manchester City: 7-2-0
Last five matches
Manchester United: WWWLW
Manchester City: WLLWW
THE biggest game of the English Premier League weekend is undoubtedly the massive Manchester Derby.
And what makes it even more juicy is either current table leader City ($2.70 with Crownbet.com.au) or third placed United ($2.56 with CrownBet.com.au) (Draw is $3.30) could be top of the table after the match.
United bounced back from a 3-0 hammering at the hands of mighty Arsenal to slot three past Everton last time out and will be brimming with confidence on its return to Old Trafford, after spending three of the last four games on the road.
First half goals to Morgan Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera were punctuated by the under fire Wayne Rooney, who found the back of the net at Goodison Park for the first time since 2007.
With his 30th birthday the day before this grudge match, Rooney says he won’t be giving the game away any time soon.
“I physically feel good and obviously it’s a big birthday in anyone’s life, your 30th birthday, but in terms of me and football I still feel I am young enough, that I have a lot of years ahead of me,” Rooney said.
“I have had no major muscle injuries.
“As players now, we have all the support of the sports science and all the guys to help us in terms of preparation, training and games, so I think it’s still a fairly young age.”
“I think when the time comes I’m sure I’ll know and I will have to assess the situation then, but it’s something I haven’t thought about.
“Players in the past have known when the time is right to finish playing and I’m certainly nowhere near that stage.
“I feel fitter and fresher than I ever have done, really, so for me it’s a number.
“In terms of me and my football career, it’s not important.”
Both teams were in Champions League action this morning, with United manager Louis van Gaal lamenting his side’s big trip to Russia to take on CSKA Moscow, especially in light of City staying at home against Sevilla.
“Every club at the top of the league has the same problems,” van Gaal said.
“But now Manchester City has a benefit because they are playing at home and that is a difference.
“You have the benefit of the recuperation.
“Manchester City don’t have the travel we have so they have more rest.
“There is nothing you can do.
“They have the benefit.
“We do a lot of things to try and help.
“We have cold baths, we have warm baths, less training sessions and practice so the freshness is good enough to beat City.”
Attacker Ashley Young suffered a calf injury in the win over Everton and he did not play in the Champions League, while James Wilson also missed. They joined Luke Shaw and Paddy McNair on the sidelines and it is not clear if they will line up against City.
Juan Mata will be a key figure for United, the club’s player of the month striking three goals and creating four others in a new role as a wide man drifting in to attacking positions.
And, of course, young superstar Anthony Martial has so far overshadowed inconsistent signing Memphis Depay by firing in three goals in four games for the club, netting the Premier League’s player of the month award.
Since a pair of losses to West Ham and then Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City has been on the rampage, destroying Newcastle 6-1 and then hammering Bournemouth 5-1.
That’s 11 goals in two games, for those following at home, indicating that those losses might have been the wake up call the Sky Blues needed to kick into high gear, after starting the season with five straight wins.
Against Bournemouth, Raheem Sterling smashed in a first half hat trick and Wilfried Bony slotted twice in the rout.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini was pleased with the two attacking men performing, particularly without two of his regular stars.
“I am happy because we changed Sterling’s position and played him in the middle, with Wilfried Bony in front of him,” Pellegrini said.
“It was better for him to be near Bony and also near the box.
“We had to do something different because we were without Sergio Aguero and David Silva.”
Expect much of the same against United, with both players set to miss again, joining Samir Nasri, Fabian Delph, Aleksander Kolarov and Gael Clichy on the sidelines with injury.
That would be no excuse for a loss, according to new superstar Kevin De Bruyne.
“More people will look at us because we have lost two great players on the attacking front, but I think the other ones are really good players,” De Bruyne said.
“Maybe we don’t have the experience of the other ones but I think we are doing really well together and the more games we will get the more we will know each other and hopefully the better we will do.
“It is always a blow when you miss them but we need to maintain our level and try to win without them.
“It is not an excuse to say at the Etihad we may lose four games because they are not there.
“If you want to win titles you have to do with the players what you have.
“Sometimes it is maybe more difficult but you have to try to win these games.”
On the road, expect City to adopt a counter attacking play, attempting to exploit United on the turn over.
Possible team line ups
Manchester United: David De Gea, Matteo Darmian, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo, Morgan Schneiderlin, Michael Carrick, Juan Mata, Ander Herrera, Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney
Manchester City: Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Nicolas Otamendi, Vincent Kompany, Bacary Sagna, Yaya Touré, Fernandinho, Jesus Navas, Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, Wilfried Bony
Predictions
Match result: Manchester United wins ($2.56 with CrownBet.com.au)
Correct score: Manchester United 3-2 ($21 with CrownBet.com.au)
Total match goals: Over 2.5 goals ($1.86 with CrownBet.com.au)
Home ground advantage. That’s all we’re going on here. These two teams have enjoyed similar starts to the season. Both are packed with talent along all lines and both are capable of rattling up a cricket score in front of goal. It might just be his aura, but you also feel City is just a little vulnerable against the biggest and best clubs without superstar striker Sergio Aguero. Aguero has a habit of firing in against the top teams and his lethal cutting edge will be missed, even in a team with as many weapons as City. One thing City will look to do is emulate Arsenal’s win over the Red Devils and get on its bike early. The Gunners fired in three goals in a spectacular opening 20 minutes that completely destroyed United’s confidence. Watch the Sky Blues come out all guns blazing. But United has the talent and home crowd backing to weather the storm and we’re tipping them in a high scoring thrilller, 3-2.
First goal scorer predictions
Manchester United
Wayne Rooney ($6 with sportsbet.com.au)
As we’ve already said, this guy is about to turn 30 and he has copped some criticism in recent weeks, but that does not change the fact that he is a legend of the game. Rooney has fired in 236 goals for Manchester United, a remarkable feat that puts him up with the best to play at a club that has so many immortals. Whatever the media is saying about this guy, he is not to be written off and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him fire in the first goal in this match.
Anthony Martial ($6.50 with sportsbet.com.au)
At the other end of the scale is 19 year old firebrand Martial, who has been scoring goals for fun since crossing to United a month ago. With three in four games, Martial has already proven one of the most dangerous attackers in the game. He is a powerful man for someone so tender of age and he will have his work cut out for him against the tower of strength that is Vincent Kompany, but underestimate this guy at your own peril.
Manchester City
Raheem Sterling ($8 with sportsbet.com.au)
The former Liverpool young gun has taken to Manchester City like a duck to water and annoyed a day out against Bournemouth last time out, scoring a hat trick in the first half. Sterling was a volatile talent at Liverpool, but it seems the youngster has matured some what in a side packed with serious talent and a wealth of experience. He wants to win and he wants to play for this team and thats a dangerous proposition for whoever his side takes on.
Kevin De Bruyne ($6.50 with sportsbet.com.au)
Manchester City’s player of the month has played an integral part in each of his appearances for City. And the Belgian has three goals and three assists in his first five games at the club. The Belgian international, who arrived from Wolfsburg six weeks ago has been the side’s chief playmaker in the absence of Silva and we’re expecting much of the same from him against United.
