RED DEVILS NOT OFF LEVELS MOANS OLE
PEP GUARDIOLA has dismissed the suggestion tomorrow’s derby showdown means more to Manchester United.
Although Manchester City have no chance of catching runaway leaders Liverpool, their top-four status is assured, with Guardiola’s side holding a 15-point lead over fifth-placed United.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, meanwhile, are involved in a scrap with a host of other teams for Champions League qualifcation and are fighting for every available point.
Against that backdrop, there is arguably more at stake tomorrow for United than City.
But Guardiola said his side will come unstuck if they allow themselves to slip into that mindset.
“When we believe it’s more important for them, we’re going to lose,” said Guardiola.
“We have to have belief that it’s more important to us. I’ve never played a game thinking about points, or that the game is more or less comfortable.
“I never see the game schedule, just the game we try to play and the fact we try to win. I’ve said many times about the determination we’ve shown in these moments, the desire and commitment in every single game, not just for the last year.”
City are set to be without Kevin De Bruyne, who suffered a shoulder injury in the Carabao Cup final win over Aston Villa, and is
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER believes his side will not be on a ‘level playing field’ when they face Pep Guardiola’s team in tomorrow’s Manchester derby. The Red Devils boss (left) is annoyed that their FA Cup fifthround tie at Pride Park finished just 67 hours before the big Premier League showdown at Old Trafford. unlikely to be risked ahead of the Champions League last16 return leg against Real Madrid a week on Wednesday.
United’s man of the moment is £46.6million January signing Bruno Fernandes, who was linked with a move to City before heading to Old Trafford.
But Guardiola said 25-yearold Fernandes, who has scored three goals in his last four games and has yet to be on the losing side with United, was never on his radar.
And Guardiola accused agent Miguel Pinho of using City to drive up interest in his client – and help push through his move to United.
“I think he’s an exceptional player, that’s why United bought him,” said Guardiola.
“I said many times it looks like we’re linked with a thousand million players every month. So I don’t know if the agent wants to create something to do that.
“But I don’t think the club was in talks with his agent about this player, but they link this guy and a thousand million more [with us].”
Tomorrow will be the fourth time United and City have met this season, with the Reds leading by two wins and the Blues victorious in the other.
United stunned City at the Etihad in December by winning 2-1, and Guardiola expects Solskjaer’s side to be up for the fight again tomorrow.
“When I saw the last games, they were incredibly aggressive,” Guardiola said.
“And at Old Trafford that will happen.”
“It’s that ‘help’ we get from the FA again,” said Solskjaer sarcastically. “I cannot believe it...that extra 24 hours they have had.
“There’s a derby on Sunday and we’ve got to play Thursday night. What is the point in that? That doesn’t level the playing field.
“Those 24 hours are important and we’ve got to be good at recovering now.” City have had that extra day to recover, having played at Hillsborough on Wednesday evening, but Solskjaer will not be making an official complaint. “There’s no point,” he said. “It’s one of them where you get told when you are going to play.”
Captain Harry Maguire missed the 3-0 FA Cup win over Derby County after twisting his ankle but Solskjaer expects him to be fit to face the champions tomorrow.