vs. Kick-off Sunday 1600 GMT (1200 EST) Venue Etihad Stadium Last season Man City 2 Man Utd 0 Live Sky Sports 1, MUTV, NBC, Telemundo, NBC Sports Live Extra, Sky Go Extra Referee Michael Oliver Manchester City Doubtful Otamendi (leg) Injured De Bruyne (knee), Delph (calf), Nasri (hamstring, all 2 Apr), Kompany (calf, May) Suspended None Form WLLLWD Leading scorer Agüero 16 Manchester Utd Doubtful Jones, Borthwick-Jackson (both match fitness) Injured Herrera (groin, 26 Mar), Jones (ankle), Rooney (knee), Young (groin, all 2 Apr), Shaw (leg, May), Keane (groin, unknown) Suspended None Form WDLWWL Leading scorers Martial, Rooney 7 Latest team news: Ander Herrera missed the Liverpool match with a tight groin but Bastian Schweinsteiger and Antonio Valencia both came off the bench and may be fit enough to start on Sunday, while Ashley Young and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson returned to training earlier in the week and could also be considered. Juan Mata's domestic ban - imposed after the midfielder's red card against West Brom - has now ended, meaning he is available for selection. Wayne Rooney, Luke Shaw, Phil Jones and Will Keane are all still absent. City will be without captain Vincent Kompany, who suffered a recurrence of a calf injury against Dynamo Kiev in midweek. Meanwhile, fellow defender Nicolas Otamendi, who picked up a dead leg in that game, will be assessed ahead of the match.
This will be the dagger to Lou's stubborn heart. He's been okay in big games, but this is a 3-0 or 4-1 whooping. Aside from 1 derby we won 4-2, we've been bad in these games. City are a better team and they come out hungrier. They play faster and its them who loom like they're playing their loval rivals. We've been the total opposite, even under SAF in his last years. 6-2 at home is the worst defeat I can remember. We play this like its any other game.
It's not like City are flying either as of late and have actually taking a dip since it's been announced that Pep will be the manager next manager. They should be legitimately be challenging for the title, yet they're a far cry from it and are in a position where they're holding on for 4th. Should have been completely out of sight (from us at least), so that alone is something to shoot for, for the players. As previously mentioned, it's not about Van Gaal anymore but simply about the club and trying to get something from this horrible season. This is a game that really could go either way in my estimation and it's hard to predict who will take it, given the recent form of both teams. City are not helped with their heart and soul being out as well: we've seen clearly how different a team they are when he's not there. Besides, this is really not the type of game that worries me the most: the fact is, that our record against top caliber teams has not been bad at all. It's against teams that we should be waxing we've had the most problems and lost points we shouldn't have.
We failed to score in open play against this: ------------- Can - Henderson Milner - Sakho - Lovern - Clyne ---------------- Mignolet Let that sink in for a minute. Now consider the strength of the Man City central midfield and their vast array of attacking talent running at Blind.
It's hard to have belief in this team when the team has consistently shown that they don't have any. At least my May will be freed up.
Pool's attack (which has been somehow conveniently left out), on current form, are more of a worry than City's in my opinion, who like Toure have been the epitome of inconsistency and underachievement this season. Our form is hardly inspiring, no arguments there, but frankly, neither as theirs been either. A shellacking is possible on either side, just as some drab draw would as well...
Wait. It's not like we did not break them down, we did, we just couldn't finish. How many chances did we miss. The difference on Sunday will be that Man City will have a high line unlike Liverpool since they also need to win, that could work into our advantage.
Win and top 4 is a reality Lose and CL footy next season is going to be a reach. Our midfield is going to get swamped.
Even if by some snowball chance in hell we win we will not get into the top 4. This team does not have the consistency or grit to make it happen.
United squad for tomorrow: De Gea, Romero, Darmian, Varela, Valencia, Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Fellaini, Carrick, Herrera, Mata, Lingard, Memphis, Martial, Rashford
I'm more mystified and bummed that Januzaj still can't find a place in the 18. Especially with the way he's played in the U21s since coming back: he's definitely earned a chance with the senior team from my point of view. Another one of those Van Gaal moves, which makes very little sense on the face of things at least.
Yes, I'm dreading the team selection for tomorrow. I'm certain LvG will go with the same one he used in EL - ugh. Is Herrera fit now after sitting out Thursday?
Herrera is in the 18 but when but he was asked if he would be ready to return for tomorrow's game Van Gaal said: “I don’t know. Wednesday he trained with me and he was not injured.” Make of that what you will, but for me if he's not 100% or ready to go, why even bother having him in the squad? We'll find out tomorrow, I suppose but if he can go, we'll need him.
Herrera was not spotted among the players checking in at the hotel pregame, which indicates he might not be fit after all. However Januzaj was sighted with the rest of the team. Wouldn't mind seeing him figure prominently.