Пеп Гвардиола явсны дараах Манчестер Сити болон Майкл Каррикийн удирдлага дор сэргэлт эрэлхийлж буй Манчестер Юнайтед багууд ням гарагт Олд Траффорд цэнгэлдэхэд учраа таарна.
Премьер лигийн улирлын эхлэлийг Манчестер Сити гурван тоглолт дараалан хожиж тун сайн эхлүүлсэн бол Манчестер Юнайтед есөн онооноос дөрвийг нь авч, тогтворгүй тоглолт үзүүлж байна. Сүүлийн удаа буюу нэгдүгээр сард болсон дерби тоглолтод Манчестер Юнайтед 2-0-ийн харьцаатай хожил байгуулсан нь багийн хувьд чухал дурсамж болон үлджээ.
Манчестер Юнайтедын хувьд Кобби Майну тоглолтын хэмнэлийг удирдан чиглүүлж байгаа бол Бруну Фернандеш довтолгооны гол хөдөлгүүр хэвээр байна. Харин Манчестер Ситигийн хувьд энэ улирлын гурван тоглолтод гурван гоол оруулсан Эрлинг Холанд багийн гол найдвар болж байгаа бөгөөд шинэ дасгалжуулагч Энцо Марескагийн системд тоглогчид дасан зохицох үйл явц үргэлжилж байна.
Шинжээчдийн зүгээс Манчестер Юнайтедыг хамгаалалтын асуудлаа шийдэж, довтолгоогоо илүү үр дүнтэй болгох шаардлагатайг онцолж байгаа бол Манчестер Ситигийн хувьд сөрөг довтолгооноос хамгаалах болон гарааны бүрэлдэхүүний бэлэн байдал чухал байна. Ням гарагт болох энэхүү тоглолт нь хоёр багийн хувьд хүснэгтийн байрлал болон цаашдын итгэлд ихээхэн нөлөөлөх юм.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
The summer departure of Pep Guardiola after a decade in charge of Manchester City offered rivals Manchester United a glimmer of hope that a shift in power could be around the corner.
City have been the dominant footballing force in Manchester for a long time now, but Guardiola’s exit and United’s resurgence last season under Michael Carrick mean the gap between the teams just might be closer now than it has been for a while.
City have started the season strongly, winning all three Premier League games, while United have four points from a possible nine after an indifferent opening to their campaign.
The sides meet at Old Trafford on Sunday in one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the early weeks of the season.
Manchester United writer Cerys Jones and Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee discuss the main talking points surrounding the game.
Does the derby come at a good time for your club?
Jones: United have been inconsistent so far: substandard at Hull City, free-flowing against Ipswich Town (at least in the second half), and frustrating against Everton. So this derby arrives at a moment when they look vulnerable, but also presents an opportunity to shake off the malaise and kickstart their league season. The latter is exactly what happened as a result of a win in this fixture (a 2-0 victory in Carrick’s first game as interim head coach) in January and that is the feeling they need to bottle for Sunday afternoon.
Lee: After that derby at Old Trafford in January, there is a nagging feeling that a couple of the early kinks of Enzo Maresca’s reign could be exposed — like conceding chances on the break and a bit of shaky build-up play. But City have started the post-Guardiola era very well and there is a lot to like about how they are playing, so it is definitely not a bad time for the derby.
Manchester United won the most recent derby 2-0, in January (Carl Recine/Getty Images)
How are the fans feeling about the new manager?
Lee: People are still trying to figure out their own personal expectations. It is hard to know what kind of performances count as ‘good’ after Guardiola, given his own very particular style was in place for a decade, and it is easy to be cautious about how things develop, but Maresca has started well, which always helps, and seems to be well liked by the fans.
Jones: It’s the opposite to Maresca in that most United fans felt they did know what to expect, based on Carrick’s time in charge last season, and so far the performances have been short of that. There is particular concern about the defensive frailty and the manner of the dropped points. But Carrick has a lot of credit in the bank and is a popular figure at Old Trafford. This has not been the start to the campaign that fans (or Carrick himself) wanted, but the vast majority will see last season as evidence that he can correct the course.
How significant could a derby win be for them?
Jones: There is still a long way to go this season but United’s aim for the Premier League has to be to stay in the Champions League spots and compete consistently with the top sides. They have not had the chance to test themselves against those teams yet, and while it would not alleviate every concern from the opening games, a win against a City side in good form would boost confidence that they can achieve their aims. You only have to look back to January to see that.
Lee: It would help, of course, especially in terms of Maresca’s popularity and confidence in the project going forward, but these are incredibly early days for the team as the players get used to a new manager and to each other, and it would be normal for a few setbacks along the way. They have done well to avoid any so far and if they can beat United, then maybe that helps things kick on even more, but whatever happens they still have a long way to go.
What are relations like between the two clubs at the moment?
Lee: City have had by far the more success since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 and there have been some crushing victories since 2010, including a 6-1 and some of the Guardiola masterclasses, but they have won only once at Old Trafford in the past four visits and the defeat in January was particularly bruising. That means there is probably an added edge now, with City unable to be quite so confident of victory, and that will only serve to ramp up the tension and ill feeling.
Jones: As a club that knows how destabilising the end of a successful managerial dynasty can be, nothing would give United fans greater pleasure than putting a big dent in City’s start to life without Guardiola. As Sam says, post-Ferguson United have often been on the wrong end of this rivalry, but the past few derbies at Old Trafford have given supporters a taste of what it would be like for the power balance to swing back in their favour. Also, the contrast between United’s disciplined spending this summer and City’s eyewateringly expensive signings would make a victory even sweeter.
Who is your team’s most important player right now?
Jones: Kobbie Mainoo has actually been the most influential in their control of games in the past couple of weeks — but Bruno Fernandes is the difference maker. When he is fully firing, everything good tends to flow through him, and he brings the best out of the forwards. Given how shaky the defence looks, unlocking the attack will surely be the key in the derby.
Lee: It is Erling Haaland these days. He was poor in January when he was in one of those periods where he looked a combination of exhausted and disinterested but he generally starts the season with much more energy, and given he often has to be the difference-maker for City, that is likely to be the case again on Sunday.
Erling Haaland has scored three goals in three Premier League games so far this season (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
What has impressed you about the team at the start of the season?
Jones: Marcus Rashford and Mainoo. The latter has picked up where he left off last season and for all the talk of whether United pushed hard enough to sign an elite central midfielder, watching Mainoo makes you feel they already had one. Rashford’s reintegration into the team has been smoother than I expected and his renewed partnership with Luke Shaw is encouraging.
Lee: The results. If City had dropped some points here and there, it would be sensible to point out that these are fairly difficult circumstances in terms of moving on from a new manager and some vital players like Rodri and Bernardo Silva, so the fact they have won four out of four (including in the Champions League) in those same circumstances should not be overlooked. They do not look perfect yet, as is to be expected, but they can be vibrant and that is exciting to watch.
Are there any areas for concern from these opening weeks?
Jones: Plenty. United have been vulnerable to direct attacks down the flanks, they look unconvincing defending set pieces, their lack of an attacking focal point has shown without Benjamin Sesko at times, and their game management at Everton was poor. A lot of these problems were evident in glimpses last season but are coming to the fore much more now.
Lee: Yeah, for sure. The opposition have had chances on the break, and often that is because one of City’s full-backs is asked to press very high, and that means a centre-back can be dragged wide to cover him. That leaves spaces that teams have been able to exploit. When it comes to playing out from the back, Maresca says his players too often take the easy route and pass back to Gianluigi Donnarumma, and he is not the best with his feet, so that is something that puts them under pressure.
What starting XI do you expect to see?
Jones: Man Utd (4-2-1-3): Lammens; Dalot, Martinez, Maguire, Shaw; Mainoo, Tielemans; Fernandes; Mbeumo, Sesko, Rashford.
Lee: Man City (4-2-1-3): Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol; Anderson, Fernandez; Cherki; Foden, Haaland, Semenyo.
And finally… how do you see this game going?
Jones: United’s home form under Carrick is strong. Old Trafford feels a genuinely difficult place to play again. That will only be inflamed on a derby day. If United approach the game with urgency — something they’ve lacked at times so far — and put City on the back foot, I think a front line revitalised by Sesko’s return has the flair to produce a result. But if they allow City to settle into a rhythm and take the sting out of the game, City’s individual quality could end up producing a moment that makes the difference.
Lee: I’m really not sure about this one. City’s game plan is not quite perfect yet but they do have a lot of difference makers and individual quality — Elliot Anderson looks great in midfield, Rayan Cherki is capable of brilliance, Marc Guehi has been excellent at the back, Enzo Fernandez might have something special up his sleeve, and of course there is Haaland. So maybe City’s class is the difference, but it is going to be tense.
How can I watch the game?
The game kicks off at 4.30pm UK (11.30am ET) on Sunday. In the UK, you can watch on Sky Sports, while in the U.S. the match will be broadcast live on Peacock, NBC and Telemundo.
