The Manchester Derby pits David vs Goliath. It fashions Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest football managers to ever live, against Erik Ten Hag, months older than the Spaniard but younger, newer to the game. It pitches the hype of Erling Haaland against the guaranteed dogfight that Lisandro Martinez brings to the table.
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But most importantly, it matches up the might of Manchester City and the organisation’s steady, efficient success against the downward slope of United’s functioning over the past few years. Just on the pitch, City have so many options, none better than the ruthless striker upfront.
Haaland against Martinez
The Norwegian striker, the luxuriest of luxuries at the disposal of Man City, will take on Martinez but the battle between the two most likely will not take place where most believe it will. Haaland, the tall striker, will seldom be called into action by City to go up in the air for the first ball. Rather, he would be used as the key at the top of the attack.
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The field of engagement for both will be the runs that Haaland makes to a dink over the top of the defence by Kevin de Bruyne, or a crossfield diagonal from the wings. Cutting those balls out from under the Norwegian is what Martinez will be tasked with on Sunday.
Eriksen against Rodri
Christian Eriksen’s effectiveness and ability to progress the ball from deep in the midfield has led to Manchester United’s rich run of form. After missing out on Frenkie de Jong, a midfielder who is one of the top players in the world to carry the ball from deep within his own half to the opposition box, Eriksen was tasked with the role of the playmaker.
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So far the Dane has been that player and then some. His intuitiveness on when to join the attack to provide the final ball, or when to stay back deep and look for outlets further ahead, has been the hallmark of this Ten Hag team. Manchester City’s midfield, in particular Rodri, will find it a tough evening if they aren’t able to stop Eriksen’s influence.
Martial against City’s centre backs
This debate is not a striker taking on a defender, but rather how well a striker can defend against two marauding centre backs.
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One of Manchester United’s revelations in pre-season was Anthony Martial playing as a shadow nine. Slipped between the two centre backs and directly on the defensive midfielder who can slot in between the two, Martial essentially forces teams to be a lot more wary when playing out the back.
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This is crucial when considering the resume of City’s defenders. Each of them are in the highest percentile when it comes to progressive carries and progressive passes – two metrics that determine how much a player progresses the ball up the field. These are metrics that define some of the best players in the world apart from their peers. Both John Stones and Ruben Dias are in the 99th percentile when it comes to progressive carries. Aymeric Laporte is in a league of his own as he is in the 99th percentile for both progressive carries and passes. Martial’s defensive work against City’s center back pairing is crucial to the success of his team.
KDB against Scott McTominay
Kevin de Bruyne continues to be the benchmark for the ideal modern day midfielder. A professor of ball progressing, the Belgian adds that extra cherry on top of his play with his crossfield, grounded, diagonal balls.
Think of Luka Modric’s outside-of-the-boot lob into a box, and now reimagine that same pass, except the ball never leaves the ground. Put KDB on the other side of the pitch and the same pass arrives, this time curled into the box while the ball never stops touching the grass. De Bruyne is exquisite in his excellence and now has the perfect striker to compliment his talents.
Tasked with making life uncomfortable for him will be Scott McTominay. Enjoying a string of games under Ten Hag after coming under fire with the previous two Man United managers, McTominay’s game has evolved this season, especially on the end where the ball is at his feet. But some of his baser instincts of defence, one’s that made Jose Mourinho hand him a debut, will be on call today.
Utd’s wingers against City’s full backs
Pace is the best friend of this Manchester United team. Especially when it comes in the form of some delicate passing in the final third. While City follow the Liverpool mantra in which their full-backs play higher and higher up the pitch, the result is an open avenue for a well-positioned band of attackers.
Employing a quick counter has been United’s go-to plan against City over the past couple of years, especially by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. A more refined version of that, with Brazilian winger Antony possibly being employed by Ten Hag to be the player at the top of the United attacking key, might be the plan put into action.
