OLE is at the wheel but the Man United revival has stalled with some shocking performances ahead of tonight’s vital Manchester derby.
Sunday’s abject 4-0 drubbing at Everton made it six defeats in the last eight games for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United.
They’ve dropped to sixth with top-four hopes receding. And they last thing they need is a derby against a rampant City who know victory in this game in hand over title rivals Liverpool will put them a point clear at the top and within sight of glory with just three league matches left.
Result
All the evidence points to a City victory at 4-9. They’ve won 10 successive Premier League matches and look well equipped to end United’s current 14-game unbeaten home run in the top flight.
Guardiola has won both his previous league visits to Old Trafford and when Everton can put four goals past Solskjaer’s iffy looking defence, the likes of Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling can cause carnage.
Team specials
City will look to prey on United’s fragile confidence with an early or first-half goal that will have the Old Trafford natives restless.
Solskjaer’s team have been breached before the break in four of the last five games and City have the pace and quality in attack to pick them apart, so the evens for the away side to net in both halves attracts.
Both teams to score
City’s recent defensive record in the league is superb, with seven clean sheets in nine. However, their frailties were exposed in the thrilling 4-3 Champions League win over Spurs which ultimately cost them a place in the semi-finals.
United have been keep scoreless at home in the past couple of months by top-class opposition in Liverpool, PSG and Barcelona but they can bag a goal tonight even if it’s likely to only be a consolation. Both teams to score is worth adding at 4-6.
First scorer
City striker Sergio Aguero is the highest scorer in the Manchester derby in the Premier League era, netting eight goals. His nine in 11 starts against United in all competitions shows he relishes the rivalry and he’s 3-1 to break the deadlock tonight.
Player cards
United need to try to salvage some respect and I expect them to a adopt an aggressive approach against their superior neighbours.
In the thick of the fight will be Luke Shaw who returns from a two-match ban. The left-back has the worst disciplinary record of any United player this season, picking up 14 bookings in 38 games. Back him at 11-8 for a card.
Ashley Young is next in the United crime count with 12 bookings in 37 appearances. The 33-year-old is past his best and as a winger now playing at right-back, he’s a real weak link who faces a torrid shift against City’s pacy wingers. The 7-4 for Young to be carded is a decent bet.
Scott McTominay is set to be drafted into midfield as one of several changes by Solskjaer from the Goodison horror show. The Scotland midfielder has only been carded twice this term, but he’s been mostly a bit-part player. Eager to impress, McTominay will put himself about and is 5-2 to be booked.
On the City side, Fernandinho should make his first start in four matches to add steel to the visitors’ midfield. He’s almost averaging a booking every four matches this season and tempts at 7-4 to add to that record.
Bet Builder Tips
- City to score in both halves
- Aguero to score
- Shaw to be carded
- Young to be carded
- (16-1, bet365)
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- City to win
- Both teams to score
- Fernandinho to be carded
- McTominay to be carded
- (28-1, bet365)
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