Manchester United Vs Manchester City: 3 players to change the course of the game on their own as Manchester City visit Old Trafford on Sunday.
Manchester United and Manchester City are set to play another derby game of the season, last time when both sides faced each other in the Premier League, Manchester United had the last laugh with a 2-1 victory at the Etihad stadium.
With the inclusion of Bruno Fernandes, the performances by the Red Devils have certainly improved with the Portuguese orchestrating the attack at the number 10 position.
Although, Manchester United are missing Marcus Rashford in the attack, who was having one of the best individual campaigns of his career at Manchester United so far, unfortunately, a back injury will keep him out till the March end.
On the other hand, Manchester City has not been at their best level this season but still is an explosive side. They recently won the Carabao Cup after defeating Aston Villa in final.
Also, their confidence has been boosted after winning the first leg of the Champions League round 0f 16 tie against Real Madri at the Santiago Bernabeu.
So, with this, the Sportsrush lists 3 players who will make a difference in the game at the Ols Trafford on Sunday.
1. Riyad Mahrez
With the absence of Leroy Sane since the start of the season, Pep Guardiola remained with only Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling on the wings, and the duo didn’t disappoint.
Especially Mahrez, who has performed brilliantly this season, as the player has bagged 9 goals and 14 assists in 36 games across all games in the season so far.
Though Mahrez has not been regular in front of the goal, his blistering pace and dribbling skills could slash the defensive setup of Manchester United.
Therefore, we feel that the Algerian International will be a key factor in this derby game at the Old Trafford and could turn out to be a success in this game.
2. Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes has been impressive in the little time he has played for Manchester United since January, as he joined the club during the winter transfer window.
He has already been able to score 4 goals for the Red Devils and has bolstered the attacking department of Manchester United, even in the absence of Marcus Rashford, Manchester United has performed brilliantly.
Ole Solskjaer was missing an efficient lieutenant in the number 10 position but with the inclusion of the Portuguese International, creativity has massively enhanced in the midfield.
This is going to be the first Manchester derby for Fernandes and considering he has given positive outcomes so far. We think he will have a great debut in the prestigious rivalry game.
3. Kevin De Bruyne
The Manchester City’s midfield maestro has caused riots in the Premier League this season. Kevin De Bruyne has amassed 9 goals and 20 assists from the midfield.
As of now, there are still doubts that De Bruyne might not play as he picked up a shoulder injury and Pep Guardiola has not confirmed whether the Belgian International will play or not.
Nevertheless, it is very hard to rule De Bruyne off from this list. Considering Manchester City has a tight schedule for the next two weeks, as they will have to play 5 matches in this time including games against Manchester United, Arsenal and Real Madrid.
Thus, Pep Guardiola do need rotations to keep his side away from injuries, so De Bruyne might end up playing tonight and missing one of the following two games before facing Real Madrid.
