(Manchester City FC via Getty Ima)
Fresh off the back of winning the Barclays Premier League Manager of the Month award for September, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag takes his team to the Etihad Stadium for his first ever Manchester derby this afternoon.
Manchester City started the gameweek in second place, just one point behind league leaders Arsenal, but following the Gunners victory yesterday Pep Guardiola’s men will need to pick up three points just to maintain the pace with the London club. Luckily for City fans, Guardiola’s men are unbeaten in the league so far this term and most recently swept past Wolves with a 3-0 away win just before the international break putting them in fine touch for a Manchester derby.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag’s award win gives you an indication of how he’s managed to turnaround Manchester United’s own form. The Red Devils have won their last four league games in a row including a victory over Liverpool and beating Arsenal 3-1 in their last domestic outing. Yet City away is always a tricky affair and it will be the Dutchman’s finest victory so far if he can help United can pull it off.
Follow all the action from the Manchester derby:
Man City 0-0 Man Utd
5 mins: How have City not scored?!
Ilkay Gundogan pushes up the inside left channel and is slipped into the box. He hangs it up to the back post where Erling Haaland meets it with a powerful header across goal.
United’s defence scramble it out as far as Kevin De Bruyne who smokes a shot at goal and forces David De Gea into a sharp save that he flaps away.
The ball comes back to Gundogan who drills one but Lisandro Martinez is there to put in a block and the ball bounces wide!
Man City 0-0 Man Utd
3 mins: Yellow card for Diogo Dalot! Jack Grealish dinks the ball down the left wing and puts it past Dalot before sprinting wide of the United right-back.
Dalot takes no chances and cleans him out earning himself the first yellow of the game.
Man City 0-0 Man Utd
Kick off: It’s Manchester United who get the match started. The visitors knock it around the back line before Raphael Varane sends a diagonal ball over to Jadon Sancho who can’t keep it in play under pressure from Kyle Walker.
Man City vs Man Utd
This is going to a cracker. Man Utd have started games slowly this years and tend to concede during the first 45 minutes. If they can keep City out and maybe nick a goal before the break they’ll be well set to push for victory.
On the other hand City will look to dominate throughout and need to be wary of United’s counter-attack.
Ten Hag on handling Haaland
Erik ten Hag says that Manchester City face more threats than just Erling Haaland who has scored 14 goals in 10 games for City this season.
“I like his attitude, how he is on the pitch. He’s direct, his life is about goals - he goes direct toward the opponent,” said Ten Hag.
“I respect him but we are not playing against Haaland, we are playing against Manchester City. And it is not about Manchester City for us. We respect the opponent but it is about Manchester United.”
Man City vs Man Utd
Pep Guardiola has lost three out of four Premier League games against the Red Devils at the Etihad Stadium. They are the only opponent against whom he has lost more than two top-flight home matches as a manager.
(Manchester City FC via Getty Ima)
Landmarks for Eriksen and Dias
Christian Eriksen is set to make his 400th career league appearance today as he starts for Manchester United with Ruben Dias one short of 100 City appearances.
He will reach the landmark should he come on as a substitute.
Pre-match thoughts of Erik ten Hag
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag to spoke to Sky Sports before kick off saying: “It is about us and developing our game. We need to win, we need a result, that will bring confidence.
“We want to play our game but I know they want to dictate the game and are good at that. We will see it is about the battle on the field.
“[Marcus Rashford] trained well and returned to team training. I think we took the right steps and he is fit. They will miss [Rodri] but they still have a very good XI on the pitch. We will have to deal with it.
“We have to play our best. When we follow the rules, the principles, then we have a chance to win this game. Details will make the difference.”
De Bruyne on fire
This season Kevin de Bruyne has registered six assists and 25 chances created, both league highs. He has been directly involved in 30 goals in his last 30 Premier League starts, scoring 16 and assisting 14.
(Manchester City FC via Getty Ima)
Ronaldo chasing down 700 career club goals
Cristiano Ronaldo can make five consecutive league appearances as a substitute for the first time since 2003, during his breakthrough season at Sporting Lisbon.
The forward has 699 career club goals in all competitions, including 497 in the league, and has registered four goals and two red cards in 12 competitive Manchester derbies.
(AP)
