England Premier League
Saturday 6th November 2021
Kick off at 12:30pm GMT
Venue: Old Trafford
Match Preview:
This game doesn’t need to be hyped up but it’s obviously going to be a show stopper and all eyes will be focused on this game on Saturday lunchtime.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been under pressure lately but that has eased off once again and everytime the Norwegian’s time seems up with Manchester United the team go out and get the right result. This time it was beating Tottenham 3-0 away from home, Ole kept his job but his opposite number Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked and that shows just how quickly everything can turn around.
The focus here will also be on Cristiano Ronaldo who will of course play in his first Manchester derby in 12 years. Ronaldo who has started so well for the club will be eager to be the focal point in this game, so that is an added story to what should be an enthralling encounter.
The Red Devils are in 5th place and are just 3 points behind their rivals but they have fallen 8 points behind league leaders Chelsea. Form has been poor with just one win in their last five games but of course that win came in their last match and they followed it up with a battling 2-2 draw at Atalanta in the Champions League in midweek.
Manchester City have looked solid and dangerous this season but they are still susceptible to the odd banana skin which was highlighted last weekend. City lost 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace but you get the feeling that there won’t be any panic. These results happened last season and City still won the league, but it was still unexpected. Pep Guardiola would have been delighted by how his side responded a few days later as they crushed Club Brugge 4-1 in the Champions League. It was the perfect tonic to set the club up for this duel.
United can’t pass City because of goal difference even if they do win and as for City they could go into 2nd place if Liverpool were to drop points at West Ham.
Team News:
Manchester United: Paul Pogba is suspended because of his red card and won’t return now until the end of the month. Raphael Varane has been ruled out with a hamstring injury and won’t likely return until the beginning of December.
Manchester City: Aymeric Laporte is suspended for this game after being sent off in the clubs previous league game. Ferran Torres is out until the end of the year with a foot injury.
Man Utd vs Man City Head to Head:
The last time the clubs met here was in the EFL Cup last season and Manchester City won 2-0.
In the last league game at Old Trafford the encounter finished 0-0.
The last 5 meetings have all ended in under 2.5 goals.
Manchester United has managed just 1 victory over Manchester City when at home in the last six attempts.
Man Utd vs Man City Prediction:
The win over Tottenham was incredibly important for Manchester United and it also witnessed Solskjaer changing up the tactics and playing, at times, 5 at the back. However the club have been dealt a blow with the injury to Varane. The former Real Madrid player has not had a good amount of games to get under his wing and so always feels like he is starting from the drawing board again.
United will have plenty of chances but they will have to concede possession against a City side who if they break through early could go on to get a good score. The worry for City is that Kevin De Bruyne seems out of form and he is the player that can make them tick. However there is so much quality up front in the likes of Phil Foden and Jack Grealish City usually do not suffer even if De Bruyne’s form has left him. It is interesting to note that City really only got going in midweek after Raheem Sterling came off the bench, and one has to wonder if Guardiola will opt to start the England international?
This game could go either way, but we need to remain cautions about a United side who last time out conceded 5 goals to another title rival in Liverpool. We don’t see how they could have improved that significantly now having to play another class act.
Man Utd vs Man City Betting Tips:
Manchester City to beat Manchester United at 1.70
Half Time Score: Manchester City to be leading 1-0 or 2-0 at 4.00 and 8.00
Anytime goalscorer: Phil Foden at 2.75
Anytime goalscorer: Cristiano Ronaldo at 2.50
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