Derby day!!!! Another Utd-City clash and a lot of excitement in the offing. Both teams have looked unconvincing this year with shaky defences. While Utd’s solid offensive line has rescued them a number of times, City forwards are experiencing a bit of a dry spell with fewer goals. The surprising thing though is despite being 3 points behind Utd, they still haven’t lost in the league. City though earned the bragging rights in last year’s derbies with an overall 7-1 record featuring that 6-1 thumping at Old Trafford. This year though, the story is very different. United this year look a much more potent attacking force and despite the defensive trouble, have amassed more wins than anyone else.
Tactically, City though still holds an edge over their Manchester rivals. Ever since the win in the FA cup semi final in 2011 (via a single Yata Toure goal), City have dominated United in the derby. The United midfield which has been pretty much non-existant this season are again in for a tough night against the very physical Yaya Toure, a player United just can’t handle.
City will most probably start with a 4-2-3-1 with a backline of Maicon, Kompany, Nastasic and Zabaleta, Yaya and Barry in the deep midfield positions and a forward line of Nasri-Tevez-Silva with Aguero up front. Mancini may well be tempted to use a 3-5-2 formation which he has recently been using with a backline of Maicon-Kompany-Nastasic, a midfield of Zabaleta-Nasri-Yaya-Barry-Silva with Tevez playing just off Aguero up front. This provides the opportunity for Zabaleta and Maicon to utilize the right wing where Evra could be caught out as Young doesn’t really get back enough. City would also look to dominate midfield where Yaya cana literally bully over Carrick and Fletcher/Scholes. How the two of them cope with him would be interesting to see. The crucial point for City though would be the fitness of David Silva who is a doubt with Hamstring trouble. He has been the creative brain of the team for a long time now.
United on the other hand are very short staffed with injuries to Valencia, Nani, Kagawa and Cleverly leaving them with hardly any options in midfield. They too would probably play a 4-2-3-1 with a backline of Rafael-Ferdinand-Evans-Evra, a central midfield of Carrick and Scholes/Fletcher and a forward line of Welbeck-Rooney-Young with RVP up front. United as always will use the right flank trying to build on the absence of Clichy. In the past, Sir Alex had deputed Wayne Rooney to mark Yaya Toure while in defence, but that hasn’t worked well for him. He may also be tempted to play Phil Jones in the holding midfield position alongside Michael Carrick to introduce some physicality in the midfield. De Gea would make the cut in goal after Lindegaard’s poor recent show.
It would be interesting to see how the managers approach the game this time. Mancini is coming on the back of a poor European show, while Sir Alex’s side has been criticized of having more holes than a sinking ship. Whatever the case may be, it should make for one hell of a Sunday evening. With only 3 points between them, the derby results may well decide who would go on to win the league.
