MANCHESTER,
England (AP) — There will be $1 billion worth of talent on the field,
soccer's two most famous coaches renewing their rivalry, a bunch of
records ready to be broken, and potentially the destiny of the English
Premier League title — even in early December — on the line.
The
Manchester derby can rarely have been grander and more globally
appealing than when United and City meet at Old Trafford on Sunday.
In
the blue corner, there's Pep Guardiola's City, a devastating attacking
unit that is looking to build an 11-point lead and win a 14th successive
league match — an achievement that would be a record in a single
Premier League.
In
the red corner, there's Jose Mourinho's United, leading the chasing
pack and on a club record-equaling run of 40 unbeaten home matches in
all competitions — stretching back to September 2016 when it lost to its
cross-town rival 2-1.
City is the league top scorer with 46.
United has the best defensive record with just nine goals conceded.
City's approach revolves around intricate passing and all-out attack.
United's is all about power and defensive solidity.
It's
a clash of styles that has been the hallmark of games between teams
managed by Guardiola and Mourinho, initially when Barcelona and Real
Madrid met in Spain and now in the same city in England.
Guardiola
has had the edge since they arrived in the Premier League in the summer
of 2016, earning a win and a draw in last season's derbies. United beat
City 1-0 in a League Cup fourth-round match, when Guardiola fielded a
largely second-string lineup.
Given
the eight-point gap between them, the onus is on United to win. That
might be uncomfortable for Mourinho, whose default setting in big games
is to set up not to lose. So this might be one of the rare occasions in
United's recent history where its team sits back in a match at Old
Trafford and looks to hit a visiting side on the counterattack.
It's too dangerous to do anything else against a team as potent as City.
"Kill
the game when you have one chance," said United midfielder Paul Pogba,
who will be missing because of suspension, "because they are City and
they have quality as well in front and they can kill the game at any
time."
Pogba's
absence, as a result of his red card against Arsenal last weekend, is a
potential game-changer, robbing United of its best link between
midfield and attack.
It
remains to be seen whether City is without one of its conductors in
midfield, too, with David Silva an injury doubt with an unspecified
problem, according to Guardiola.
Mourinho
has questioned whether Guardiola was telling the truth in making Silva
an injury doubt. It's the only barb that has been thrown so far by
either coach in the buildup.
United's
best chance of winning might hinge on scoring from set-pieces, with
City having a much smaller team. Attacking Fabian Delph, a midfielder
filling in at left back because of Benjamin Mendy's long-term injury, is
another route Mourinho will look to exploit.
As
for City, which is coming off its only loss this season at Shakhtar
Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday, Guardiola will be
confident of dominating the midfield battle with Pogba out and anchorman
Nemanja Matic set to be playing for United despite not being fully fit.
United
was embarrassed by City in the corresponding fixture last season, the
2-1 scoreline barely doing justice to the dominance of City, especially
in the first half. Mourinho didn't play with a recognized defensive
midfielder that day — Pogba and Marouane Fellaini were the midfield two —
but has done so ever since.
Given
the circumstances — United missing Pogba, City facing its toughest game
of the season — both managers would probably take a draw before the
game, though that would keep City as a huge title favorite with almost
half the season gone.
A City win would, for many, set up a procession to the title.
"We
think about the bigger picture," United midfielder Juan Mata said, "and
for us we have to keep up the pace and keep winning and winning. I
remember a few seasons ago when United were ahead of City and then they
won by (goal difference).
No comments:
Post a Comment