Man United are back in Premier League action on Sunday as they take on cross-city rivals Manchester City in the Premier League....CONTINUE READING
United play City on Sunday.
Manchester United take on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
United were defeated home and away in the Manchester derby last season and Erik ten Hag will be hoping for an improved performance this weekend, with his side in excellent form after 12 taking points from their last four league matches.
The Reds won four consecutive Premier League matches for the first since April 2021 with a 3-1 win against Arsenal and they’ll be hoping to continue their strong form, but City represent their biggest challenge of the season yet.
Pep Guardiola’s side has scored the most goals in the Premier League this term (23) and Erling Haaland has proved to be prolific, which means Raphael Varane and Linsadro Martinez, who are expected to start in defence, will need to keep him quiet.
In terms of early team news, Harry Maguire has been ruled out of the match while Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford face late fitness tests ahead of the clash.
Here’s how our MEN writers think United should line up.
Samuel Luckhurst
Ten Hag was not completely clear with his team news bulletin and you half-wonder whether there was a deliberate dash of the cloak and dagger about it.
To start Martial when he has played 45 minutes in two months would be extreme, however superb he was during that half against Liverpool in August.
Martial is certainly more suited to the No.9 role than Rashford but the latter has thrived through Ten Hag’s in-game management of moving him to the left and he is possibly the fresher forward.
It is a measure of Ten Hag’s impact that starting Rashford or Martial over Cristiano Ronaldo has become advisable.
Had Casemiro started when he should have at Leicester then he would have been a shoo-in for this game but Scott McTominay has earned his spot.
Rich Fay
Ten Hag bravely stated his best chance of beating City this weekend would be to focus on his side’s own strengths rather than worry about those of the opposition. He might live to regret such an approach.
A counter-attacking style still seems like the best bet, though that doesn’t mean he should consider a back-five. They have an impressive defensive line at the moment and it should remain the same.
In midfield, McTominay deserves to keep his place with Casemiro starting on the bench. Christian Eriksen is undroppable and United’s hope of a goal likely relies on the creativity of him and Bruno Fernandes.
Jadon Sancho and Antony should both start up front, as should Martial if fit. If not, it should be Anthony Elanga who comes into the fluid forward line with Ronaldo a gamechanger from the bench.
Martial could return to the side
Steven Railston
United have impressively taken a maximum of 12 points from their last four Premier League matches against Liverpool, Southampton, Leicester and Arsenal, which means there is no reason to change or tinker with the starting line-ups from those games.
The back four have been excellent in recent weeks, but this match represents the acid test. Martinez and Varane will need to be protected by McTominay, who deserves to start at the Etihad after raising the level of his performances since Casemiro’s arrival.
Casemiro can feature from the bench in the latter stages — his experience of occasions of such magnitude could be valuable.
United will need to efficiently press and swiftly counter-attack in this game and that means Rashford must start down the middle.
Ronaldo does not have the pace to get in behind, which seems the most likely source of a goal for United.
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