Manchester United will go head to head with Manchester City in the first Manchester derby of the Premier League season. Last season, City did the double of United, beating them 4-1 at the Etihad and 2-0 at Old Trafford. United need to do much better this season.
City have scored the most goals in the Premier League this season, scoring 18 goals in the seven matches they have played so far. United have played just six matches, scoring eight goals. There is clearly some work for United to put in to get the better of this City side.
Erling Haaland will be the player to stop for United. The Norwegian has scored 11 goals in the Premier League so far this season and seems to be scoring them for fun. And to think that Ed Woodward did not push to sign him back in 2019. What a mistake that has been.
Manchester United
De Gea;
Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Malacia;
McTominay, Eriksen;
Antony, Fernandes, Sancho;
Rashford
Substitutes
Heaton; Lindelof, Shaw; Fred, Casemiro, Pellistri; Ronaldo, Martial, Elanga
Manchester City
Ederson;
Walker, Akanji, Ake, Cancelo;
De Bruyne, Gundogan, Silva;
Foden, Haaland, Grealish
Substitutes
Ortega, Carson; Dias, Laporte, Lewis; Gomez, Palmer; Alvarez, Mahrez
United and City have met 50 times in the Premier League with United winning 24 matches, drawing nine matches and City winning 17. United have scored 71 goals, winning five penalties, scoring four. City have scored 67 goals, winning one penalty, not scoring it.
United have kept 18 clean sheets with City keeping 11. Discipline has been an issue in this fixture with United players shown 86 yellow cards and seven red cards and City players shown 108 yellow cards and one red card. United will need to show that they can defeat City this season.
Billy Meredith, Denis Law, Brian Kidd, Terry Cooke, Peter Schmeichel, Andrew Cole, Carlos Tevez, Owen Hargreaves, Abbie McManus, Jane Ross, Aoife Mannion, Charlie McNeill (academy) and Jadon Sancho have played for both teams in Manchester.
Written by John Walker
