15
Manchester United journey the brief distance to the Etihad to tackle cross-city rivals, Manchester Metropolis, this afternoon.
At the moment would be the 192nd version of the Manchester derby and either side are determined for the three factors.
The Residents can be aiming to maintain up with Liverpool on the prime of the desk, whereas United can be trying to shut the hole with Tottenham in fifth, who are actually six factors forward of the Previous Trafford facet.
Each groups are getting into the fixture in good type as Pep Guardiola’s facet are unbeaten in 18 matches and United have received seven out of their 9 encounters in 2024.
Subsequently it must be a nerve-racking expertise for the followers and a mouth-watering tie for the neutrals. Listed here are the large storylines supporters are discussing Manchester and throughout and the globe.
United want to attain first
It’s a widespread adage in soccer that the primary aim is important. That is most undoubtedly true on the subject of Manchester derbies.
United have solely received three out of their final ten matches in opposition to Metropolis and have misplaced 5 out of the final six encounters.
Nonetheless, in accordance with the BBC, “Metropolis have misplaced every of the final 15 league matches versus United during which they fell behind”.
United did after all come from behind to beat Metropolis at Previous Trafford in January 2023 with late objectives from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford however clearly it’s a greater psychological hurdle for Metropolis, one Ten Hag’s males can be eager to use.
Erik ten Hag’s one centesimal recreation in cost
Other than the plain, the match may also be important for the Dutch coach for one more motive, as will probably be his one centesimal in control of the membership. Nonetheless, as an alternative of getting into a temper of celebration, the supervisor is underneath essentially the most strain he has in all probability ever been in his profession and positively throughout his time at United.
The membership had assumed that they had turned a nook with an unbeaten begin to the brand new 12 months however such illusions got here crashing down for followers, as they misplaced limply to Fulham at Previous Trafford final weekend.
Had been United to roll over like they did in final season’s 6-3 defeat at Metropolis’s residence, the cacophony of criticism of the previous Ajax man would solely develop.
Subsequently as he enters his landmark recreation on the helm of the Pink Devils, he can be hoping for some constructive information to accompany the media protection of the occasion.
For the file, Ten Hag has received 61 of his 99 video games to this point, drawing 11 and dropping 27.
Can Marcus Rashford present up in opposition to Metropolis once more?
In a season stuffed with false dawns and damaged guarantees for United followers, the large decline of Marcus Rashford could be close to the highest of most individuals’s checklist as the toughest to abdomen.
After a scintillating 12 months final season, the Englishman has solely scored 5 objectives and he has been closely outshone by his youthful counterparts, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund.
With the Danish striker nonetheless injured and Anthony Martial inevitably unavailable, United don’t have any selection however to ask Rashford to steer the road.
The Englishman has a good file in opposition to the Residents as he has scored 5 objectives and has one help in opposition to the workforce from throughout city.
The 26 12 months outdated scored his first Manchester derby aim in a 1-0 win on the Etihad in March 2016 and he has additionally scored in latest Premier League matches in 2021 and final 12 months.
In three out of the 5 video games Rashford has scored, United have gone on to win, so in a approach, he could also be a superb luck allure for the Pink Devils.
A gap Marcus Rashford aim appears the order of the day then for Pink Devils the world over.
