Manchester United vs Manchester City Fury
It’s was the night before the derby and all through the house, nothing was stirring, actually yes it was – Jose Mourinho was! Tomorrow, Manchester United will take on rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford, a game that could see first place Man City, soar further away from second place Man Utd. As it stands, both teams have played 15 games, but Man City are ahead with 8 points – 43 to 35, so a win for Jose Mourinho’s men is vital.
Ruffling feathers
Jose Mourinho has accused Manchester City players of diving in his latest outburst, claiming that “a little bit of wind and they fall”. Pep Guardiola, the City manager has been praised often by Jose, but this statement is bound to ruffle some feathers. “One thing that I don’t like a bit is, that they lose their balance very easily” Jose said.
Deja Vu: If you paid close attention to the game between Manchester United and Arsenal last week, where Arsenal lost 3-1, Jose echoed the same concerns; “I leave for you the Arsenal players on the grass. The grass is absolutely beautiful – I think there is a desire to go on to the grass.“
Statement
Man United are without Paul Pogba for this derby game, because he picked up a red card in the game against Arsenal. Mourhino remains tight-lipped on how he plans to approach the City game; “You all want to know how we are going to play, everyone connected with football professionally or as a fan is questioning: who is going to play? How are we going to try to play? I’m not going to tell.
Even the players do not know who is going to play. We are working on principles of play. I want every player to be connected with it and ready for it. With the problems we have with absences it is important that other players are ready to play or be on the bench and come on, and to have different roles than they are used to.
So the work is much more global than the 11 players who are going to start. The players who are fit? Zlatan Ibrahimovic is available, Phil Jones is available, Marouane Fellaini I have to wait (until today); Michael Carrick is not available, Eric Bailly is not available. Nemanja Matic is injured but he plays.”
Stats
Sunday will mark the 175th Manchester derby, so which team has had the advantage over the other previously? We have done some digging and can tell youth in the previous 174 meetings, Man City have sealed 50 victories. Fifty two of those games were met with a draw and Manchester United bagged 72 wins – so this certainly puts Jose’s boys in favour of a win.
No other team in the Premier League, has scored more goals at old Trafford than Manchester City, scoring 27, but Chelsea have won more 6 more matches than City at Old Trafford.
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