On Saturday afternoon, Man Utd will host Man City at Old Trafford in the Premier League.
Man Utd host arch rivals Man City at Old Trafford on Saturday. (Image: Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images.)
Man Utd will have ambitions of making amends for their 6-3 defeat at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season when they welcome neighbours Man City to Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime.
United, who are currently two places and four points behind City in the Premier League table, were swept aside by their cross-city rivals back in October, finding themselves 4-0 down by half-time. Erling Haaland and Phil Foden each bagged themselves a hat-trick to embarrass United and leave Erik ten Hag to reflect on a horrible first derby experience.
Since then, however, United have made significant strides, losing just one of their last 18 games in all competitions. They are currently on a run of eight successive victories, generating a buzz around the club that has not been felt in years.
Tuesday night’s 3-0 win over League One side Charlton Athletic in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup has put them on the brink of a trip to Wembley, injecting yet another boost of confidence into the whole club ahead of one of their biggest games of the season so far. And such is the roll United are currently on, they will fancy their chances of putting one over on City at Old Trafford for the first time since March 2020.
Here, we take a look at four reasons why United should feel confident about maintaining their current winning run against Pep Guardiola’s side:
Old Trafford form
Unbeaten at home since losing 1-0 to Real Sociedad in the Europa League on September 8 and currently on a nine-game winning run on their own patch, United have turned Old Trafford back into a fortress this season. It has once again become a ground that nobody wants to visit, unlike last season when the likes of Aston Villa, Everton, Southampton, West Ham United, Wolves and Middlesbrough all either drew or won there.
It has become the bedrock of United’s progress under Ten Hag, so much so that you now expect United to win whenever they are at home. They have conceded just four league goals at home this season – the lowest tally of any club in the Premier League – and have not been beaten in the league at home since losing 2-1 to Brighton on the opening day of the campaign.
Furthermore, United have already got the better of Arsenal (3-1), Liverpool (2-1) and Tottenham Hotspur (2-0) at home this season, producing some of their best performances under Ten Hag in those fixtures. They are also one of only three sides to have stopped Newcastle United (0-0) from scoring on the road this term.
The fans, too, have become the 12th man again, reflective of the performances on the pitch. They were key in the win over Liverpool back in August.
United have turned Old Trafford back into a fortress (Image: Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images.)
Marcus Rashford’s on fire
Whether you are Man City or Mansfield Town, you do not want to be facing Marcus Rashford right now. The England international is in the form of his life, plundering seven goals in his last six games since the campaign resumed after the World Cup. The last United game he didn’t score in was two months ago.
Every time he steps out onto the pitch at the moment in time you expect him to score, meaning he will be under pressure to deliver the goods again. His double against Charlton in midweek marked his 14th and 15th goals of the season for United in all competitions, highlighting just how impressive a campaign he is enjoying after a year to forget last term.
Confidence is flowing through his veins and you can guarantee that, as a United fan, he will be up for this one. City are likely to be basing much of their prep work on trying to stop him, but that is easier said than done task with the form he is currently in.
Casemiro
Unlike in the reverse fixture in October, United will include Casemiro, unless he picks up a last-minute injury, in their starting line-up. The Brazilian was still settling into life in England when the two sides last met, meaning Ten Hag did not risk him from the start.
The 30-year-old has, however, started every Premier League game since, quickly becoming one of the Reds’ most important players. He is the glue that holds the team together and there are very few – if any – in the world that are better at what he does than him.
Working alongside Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes in the engine room, Casemiro has transformed United’s midfield with both his defensive nous and wide range of passing. He will be key to stopping Kevin De Bruyne from weaving his magic. He will be an integral part of Ten Hag’s grand plan to try and guide United to a derby day triumph.
Casemiro has been outstanding this season (Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images.)
Raphael Varane and the defence
While there is no denying that United’s home form has played its part in their renaissance under Ten Hag this season, their improved defensive standards have as well. With the exception of a brief lapse in concentration from David de Gea against Everton in the FA Cup last week, United have been rock solid since the World Cup.
They have conceded just one goal in their last six games in all competitions and rarely look flustered at the back, despite Ten Hag not once selecting what many United fans would consider to be his strongest back four, featuring Diogo Dalot, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw. They have each played since the World Cup but in different combinations.
You would expect them to start as a four against City, should Dalot be fine after coming off against Charlton, meaning they will fancy their chances of keeping another clean sheet, even against the threat of Erling Haaland. Varane, too, is in a much stronger place than he was in October, meaning he should, fingers crossed, last 90 minutes. The Frenchman is United’s colossus and they have not conceded a league goal when he has been on the pitch since the reverse fixture against City.
source: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/
