The threat Manchester United will pose to Manchester City is a familiar one | OneFootball

Manchester City take on Manchester United at Old Trafford tomorrow. Tomorrow’s Manchester derby is an important fixture in the context of City’s season. A win could set them up for the final seven fixtures of their Premier League season. It would also aid their bid to secure Champions League qualification. A loss or a draw could open the door for Chelsea, Newcastle or Aston Villa to either open up a gap or overtake City in the race for the all-important Champions League places for next season.

When you look at Manchester United, the threat they will pose to Pep Guardiola’s side is a familiar one. However, under Ruben Amorim, they are beginning to play in a different style than the one that they typically employ against City. Typically United would set up to sit deep and hit City on the counter. Marcus Rashford would usually be the player to watch for Manchester City. But he is now at Aston Villa and won’t be a factor in tomorrow’s match. Alejandro Garnacho has hurt City in the past and must be contained. The same rings true for Bruno Fernandes.

Manchester United have changed their system under Amorim but it is the same familiar faces which must be contained at Old Trafford tomorrow for City to prosper.

Under Ruben Amorim, Manchester United do tend to play with a 3-4-3 formation, which can morph into 3-4-2-1. Instead of wingers that have previously caused City issues, they tend to stack the midfield. In their 1-nil defeat to Nottingham Forest last week, they had Joshua Zirkee up front with Bruno Fernandes and Garnacho just behind him. They dominated possession and created chances at the City Ground. They just didn’t take them. Wing-backs Diego Dalot and Patrick Dorgi do attempt to provide width to United’s play. But while the system may have changed it will be familiar faces in Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho who do seem to pose the biggest threat to Manchester City tomorrow. You could count Zirkee and Rasmus Højlund as a threat to City’s defence. But the two frontmen are inconsistent and, more often than not, flatter to deceive.

The threat that Manchester United will pose to Manchester City is a familiar one. The system may have changed, but you do sense that if Pep Guardiola’s side wins the midfield battle and contains Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho, that could go a long way in deciding tomorrow’s derby.