This is going to be so much fun. Sports fans will definitely be tuning in this coming Sunday as arch-rivals Manchester City and Manchester United square off in a pivotal Premier League matchup. Only four points separate the two sides in the league table and with Champions League qualification at stake in this match, expect both squads to lay it all on the line at the Etihad Stadium.
Who will emerge victorious in the 171st Manchester derby? Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this much-anticipated clash and while you’re at it, you can check out our NCAA previews of Xavier vs. Wisconsin and Maryland vs. Hawaii.
Manchester City missed a great chance to make up some ground in the Premier League title race as they were held to a goalless draw by relegation-threatened Norwich on Saturday. It was a disappointing result for the Citizens who now find themselves a whopping 15 points behind leaders Leicester City in the league table.
The Citizens will look to get their season back on track when they take on arch-rivals United this coming Sunday. They will fancy their chances of doing just that as they have fared extremely well against the Red Devils in the league of late. City have won four and lost just one of their last six Premier League meetings with United.
For Manchester City to extend their dominance against United, they will need Sergio Aguero to take charge in this contest. The Premier League’s golden boot winner last season is starting to deliver once again, scoring 11 goals in his last eight league appearances at the Etihad Stadium. Aguero has scored seven goals in seven top flight games against Manchester United. He will be licking his chops at the prospect of facing a Manchester United defense that has already conceded 20 goals on the road this season, eighth-worst in the Premier League this campaign.
The Citizens are 3-1-2 in their last six Premier League home matches.
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Betting on Manchester United (13-8-8, 47 pts)
What in the world is happening to United? The Red Devils slumped to their eighth league defeat this season with a humbling 1-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion on March 7. It was another disappointing performance by United who have won just one of their last eight Premier League away games.
Things are bound to get tougher for the Red Devils as standing in their way this coming Sunday are arch-rivals Manchester City. The Citizens are second in the league in points scored at home this campaign with 31. They have scored a whopping 39 goals in 17 matches played at the Etihad Stadium, the highest in the Premier League this season.
For United to beat City, the Red Devils will need to work on their flailing attack. United have scored just 18 goals on the road this season, seventh in the Premier League this campaign. The Red Devils have scored just two goals in their last three away matches in the league. The onus is on talented youngster Marcus Rashford to lead the attack for United. He has been involved in three of Manchester United’s last four league goals, scoring twice and setting up another.
Rashford will look to punish a City backline that will be missing the services of captain Vincent Kompany. The Belgian international suffered a recurrence of a calf injury in the Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev in midweek and will be out for at least a month. This is Kompany’s 14th calf injury since joining the club in 2008.
Kompany’s effect on the City backline is there for all to see this season. In the 19 games that Kompany has missed in the Premier League and the Champions League, the Citizens have conceded a whopping 29 goals. When he’s in the starting lineup (17 matches), though, City have allowed just 11 goals.
The Red Devils are 1-2-3 in their last six Premier League away matches.
Writer’s Prediction
City (-124) pile more misery on United with a 3-1 win.
