RASHFORD’S PACE WILL HOLD KEY TO TEN HAG’S CITY REVENGE MISSION
Manchester United have made progress since their 6-3 drubbing by Manchester city at the etihad stadium in October. they’ve lost only once since under erik ten hag, dominating the ball in almost all of the 18 games that followed.
But if they want revenge today, their best bet isn’t to try to go toe-to-toe at Old trafford. that would only end in tears because they aren’t yet at the level of Pep Guardiola’ spos session keeping, play-switching, technically-gifted team. United would be better served targeting the counter-attack — soaking up the pressure and picking their moments to use the passing of Bruno Fernandes and running of Marcus rashford. that was how they beat arsenal 3-1 at Old trafford, remember. that day, rashford scored twice. his first goal came when Fernandes played a pass in behind arsenal’s high line. rashford raced on to it and scored. For his second,
Fernandes searched out christian eriksen, who unselfishly squared the ball to rashford. thanks to their ruthlessness from these quick transitions, the victory was United’s. if they are to take something from today’s Manchester derby, rashford will be key. his best season for United was 2019-20, when he scored 17 goals in 31 games. it was midway through it when city went to United in the carabao cup and he scored on the breakaway. it’s good to see rashford in a confident mood in 2022-23. he looks like he is enjoying his football again and his direct running can trouble city. there will be pressure on United today. the Old trafford faithful may not want to see their team setting up to stop their rivals — committing tactical fouls, blocking shots and getting 11 men behind the ball if and when necessary. But it’s about boxing clever. We know it can work if
you stay compact and counter at speed against City — like Brentford did to beat them 2-1. It’s the 500th game of Guardiola’s career as a top-flight coach. Though he has teased us by saying he has ‘ridiculous’ plans in store, we know how he will play it. City will look to pass United to death because that’s what they do, using inverted full backs and an overloaded midfield with their trademark movements. Phil Foden’s goal in the 4-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup was possibly the result of the most City move we’ve seen — from Kyle Walker’s fast feet to fool Lewis Hall, to the switches of play from right to left and then left to right, to the perfect passing, to Walker’s under-lapping run for Riyad Mahrez, to Foden’s finish. It was
majestic and United going toeto-toe would only open them up to this. Instead, the staycompact-and-counter strategy could be Ten Hag’s best friend. In my BBC score predictions, I’ve backed City to win.
But would I be shocked if United got a result? No, and that shows you the progress they’ve made since that 6-3 loss in October.