With rapid start and clever counters Ole can stun City
It was after a 4-3 win for Manchester United over a newly abu Dhabiowned Manchester City in 2009 that sir alex Ferguson coined the phrase ‘noisy neighbours’. since then, it is six trophies for United and 11 for City, excluding Community shields.
that banner at Old trafford counting the years since City’s last trophy in 1976 was torn down long ago. City aren’t just ‘noisy neighbours’ any more. they’re singing from the rooftops about their success, with Pep Guardiola aiming for a third Premier League title in four seasons. But this Manchester derby represents a massive opportunity for United to strike back.this has to be a launchpad. a win would cement their position in the title race.
a habit Ole Gunnar solskjaer’s United must shake is how they’ve gone behind in seven of their last nine games. they are constantly playing catch- up. the tactics didn’t help against RB Leipzig. solskjaer changed his system to a back three after 10 consecutive games with a back four. It invited Leipzig on to them.
United beat City twice in 2020 using a back three. But they were so poor in the early exchanges against Leipzig that solskjaer may think twice about using it again. United finished the game in Germany in top gear after reverting to a back four. If their slow starts are down to a mindset or motivational problem, United’s players cannot have that excuse today.
Not in a Manchester derby. they should be looking to pose a threat from minute one — not waiting passively for the opposition to score before becoming motivated to win. the strength of this group is its attacking force.
they have fast-paced forwards fed by Bruno Fernandes. City will control the ball, so United will stay compact for large parts. But when they win possession, they can punish City on the counter.
No club has scored more breakaway goals than United this campaign. If those counters come to nothing, their players will have to get back into their defensive positions quickly. Victory today would leave solskjaer’s United just two points off table- toppers tottenham.
It is their inconsistency from half to half and minute to minute that has caused so many problems. United need leadership. solskjaer needs to show he has a clear vision, a system and an XI he trusts. those players then need to stand up and be counted. United’s successful teams of the past had iconic leaders. It’s time a new group emerged.
FIT-AGAIN AGUERO CAN GET CITY BACK TO THEIR BEST
THIS season City are averaging 42 passes before every shot on goal and that is extremely high. when they were at their stunning best, City moved the ball at such breathtaking speed that it left opponents in a spin.
there seems to have been less zip to their passing of late, and their goals-per-game ratio is way down. But I expect to see City speed things up soon enough and start scoring freely.
Pep Guardiola has been missing his predatory goalscorer sergio aguero — City’s all-time great and the scorer of 180 goals in 265 Premier League games. Gabriel Jesus tried to fill in for aguero but has gone five games without a goal.
Ferran torres, despite being more of a wide player, filled in nicely at times and displayed natural movement. But aguero is Guardiola’s finisher who converts half-chances into goals, as shown against Marseille in midweek when he pounced on a loose ball in the six-yard box.
without aguero at the end of last
season, City lost in the FA Cup semi-finals to Arsenal and in the Champions League quarter-finals to Lyon. The Argentine tried to come back in October but broke down again. His return to the City line-up would be very bad news for United.
You could see the smile on Aguero’s face as he warmed up to face Marseille and after he scored, suggesting a renewed appetite. Having him fit is huge for Guardiola, who struck on near-perfection in his second and third seasons in England using a 4-3-3.
After a slow start to this season, City look like they are getting back on track, with their boss now favouring a 4-2-1-3 set-up. Whereas Fernandinho used to be Guardiola’s sole midfield sitter, he is now using two in Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri. Kevin De Bruyne is playing higher up the pitch as a result, operating anywhere across the line behind the front three. De Bruyne is the driving force who is capable of anything.
His right foot is like an artist’s paint brush. His vision is as if he’s high above the pitch looking down on his options, with Riyad Mahrez on the right and Raheem Sterling on the left. There is an array of talent in that final third, not to mention Gundogan’s creativity in his deeper position.
Chances have been created but not buried. That is where Aguero comes in. Looking back at their game against Tottenham last month, for example, City had 15 shots inside the box to Spurs’ one, but lost 2-0. Incidentally that was the last time Aymeric Laporte started in the Premier League. John Stones was brought in alongside Ruben Dias and the England defender has been exemplary in his performances since.
Laporte started against Marseille so Guardiola has a decision to make on who his favoured centre back pairing is. Whoever starts will know how devastating United can be on the counter.
Solskjaer’s side will still be feeling the pain of their Champions League exit. When a club of that size gets dumped out of such a big competition it hurts. This City game represents a lifeline for United’s season and the futures of their players and manager.