Manchester United will look to prove their recent improved results are legitimate when they host derby rivals Manchester City Sunday.
United (5-4-0, 15 points) is seeking a fourth successive win in all competitions following a 2-1 away league victory over Sheffield United last Saturday — the day of club legend Bobby Charlton’s passing — followed by a cagey 1-0 home win against FC Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League group stage Wednesday night.
But manager Erik ten Hag knows finishing is still an issue for his side, which has scored more than two goals only once in nine league matches.
Only two players have multiple league goals for the Red Devils, with midfielder Scott McTominay on three.
“Pressing we’re quite good, we have the most ball regains from the whole Premier League, the most middle regains in the whole league, our defending and pressing organization, that is us,” ten Hag said Friday. “But we don’t take benefit in the attacking transition moments, we have the ability in our teams to take benefits from it. This is how to grow and progress and the games will become more easy.”
City (7-2-0, 21 points) don’t have the finishing issue, with Erling Haaland scoring nine goals already in his bid to defend his Premier League Golden Boot crown.
And the Cityzens will also be looking for a third win in a row in all competitions, a streak that would coincide with the return of central midfielder Rodri from a three-match suspension.
Manager Pep Guardiola’s squad staked itself to an early two-goal lead in a 2-1 home win over Brighton last weekend and earned a more comfortable 3-1 victory at Switzerland’s Young Boys in UCL group play.
Despite losses at Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month, the Cityzens enter the weekend five points back of leaders Tottenham Hotspur in the league table with a game in hand. For Guardiola, part of Sunday’s challenge is not to make the visit to Old Trafford bigger than it is.
“It’s a special place and here it is special for our fans,” he said. “But at the end it is just a football game, not like an FA Cup final or one of the last fixtures of the season where winning or losing can define winning the PL or not. There are still 87 points to play (for), so it is another game and we have to be focused on what we have to do to beat them.”
United are hopeful midfielder Casimero — who fills a similar role to City’s Rodri — will be available after missing last weekend due to an ankle injury and UCL play in midweek due to a suspension.
Meanwhile, City will be without center back Manuel Akanji, who will serve a one-game ban from England’s FA after he was booked twice and sent off late against Brighton.
–Field Level Media