MATCH PREVIEW
Manchester United have won back to back games without conceding a goal as they prepare to face their rivals, Manchester City in the Premier League. Historically, at this stage of the season, this would be a game which would have a bearing on United’s title chances whilst recently it would have impinged on both club’s quest for the Championship.
That’s not the case on Tuesday, though, as the hosts are well behind in the title race but they will still have a say in its destination – starting with this match against their neighbours.
After qualifying for the quarter finals of the Champions League with a 3-0 second leg success over Olympiakos last midweek, David Moyes’ men got back on track in the league away to West Ham with a comfortable 2-0 victory.
Both of those wins were very much needed on the back of a humiliating 3-0 home loss to arch rivals Liverpool in their last Premier League home game.
United fans will not want to suffer another embarrassment at the hands of one of their enemies.
After losing to Wigan in the FA Cup (again) and exiting the Champions League to Barcelona in a matter of days, Manchester City only have the title race to content themselves between now and the end of the season.
Of course, the blue half of Manchester have
already tasted success in the League Cup but it won’t count for much if they can’t go on and win their second league title in three seasons. Despite not being at their best in the 5-0 win over Fulham on Saturday, Manuel Pellegrini’s team were far too good for their London opponents and eased past them
with the minimal of fuss.
That match followed a very important and resolute 2-0 away victory at Hull after going down to 10 men in the first half. Both victories suggest that City have recovered from their mini-slump but they will have to be at the top of their game as they have to travel to Arsenal after the derby match this coming week.
United will have horrible memories of the first fixture between these two sides when City romped to a 4-1 win at the Etihad back in September. It was, of course, Moyes first experience of the Manchester derby and one he will be looking to avenge back on home turf. He’ll have to do so without Robin van Persie who was stretchered off in the Champions League match last Wednesday after notching the hat-trick which secured his side’s passage.
Who replaces him remains to be seen but it places even more emphasis on Wayne Rooney.
One man who has really flourished since Pellegrini took charge in the summer is Yaya Toure. Despite being extremely impressive at times in his first two seasons, the Ivorian has often been accused of inconsistency. That’s not a criticism which can be levelled at him this season, though. His hat-trick on Saturday took him to 20 goals for the season, a tremendous return for a midfielder. His real strength is going forward and that may result in his manager deploying another defensive midfielder alongside Fernandinho to allow Toure more freedom to get forward and make the difference once again.
United have come up short in recent months against Chelsea and Liverpool so the players and manager will be looking to prove that they are capable of playing and competing against the top sides. City have games in hand over their title rivals but they’re only too well aware of how significant this match on Tuesday could be to their title chances. Lose and they could find themselves right up against it before the Arsenal game.
If they can win the match it would be provide huge confidence going into that game. As much as United have improved in the last couple of
games, the standard of opposition is nothing compared to what they face in City.
United’s defence struggled to contain Olympiakos at times last week whilst the pace of Liverpool overwhelmed them only a few days prior.
City have threats throughout their team and I think they’ll have too much for their neighbours once again.
HEAD TO HEAD
English Premier League (EPL)
(EPL) Sep 22,2013 Manchester City 4 – 1 Manchester United English Premier League (EPL)
(EPL) Apr 8, 2013 Manchester United 1 – 2Manchester City English Premier League (EPL)
(EPL) Dec 9, 2012 Manchester City 2 – 3 Manchester United English Premier League (EPL)
(EPL) Apr 30,2012 Manchester City 1 – 0 Manchester United
FA Cup (FA) Jan 8, 2012 Manchester City 2 – 3 Manchester United
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