A Manchester derby with the title on the line for City, and Champions League entry on the balance for United. What more could I possibly ask for!Expect one of the fiercest encounters of the season at the Theatre of Dreams this Wednesday. Despite having the home advantage, United is just not prepared enough to take on the full might of City right now. Do surely keep in mind that Pep and his boys are hurt. They lost a place in the final four of the Champions League semis by a whisker, and they will need reparations.
66′ It’s a goal! Lovely finish directed into the back of the net by Leroy Sane (Manchester City).
While United lost five of their last seven matches, City has been in menacing form, with 23 of their last 25 fixtures resulting in wins. With the team determined to defend their PL crown, rely on the Citizens to carve out three points from this tie.But surely the hosts are not going to make it easy. With the arrival of Ole, they have got the will to fight until the end, and even in impossible situations. And with City failing to keep a clean sheet in 18 of their last 21 visits here, expect the BTTS option to be checked in this thrilling match-up.
Sunday’s showdown with Chelsea also comes at Old Trafford, and while the Blues are in more direct competition with United than Man City are, both matches have now taken on must-win status.The main concern for United when welcoming the league’s top scorers will be their defensive record, having failed to keep a clean sheet in 11 games for the first time since 1998 and conceded 48 league goals so far this season – their most in a single campaign since 1978-79.
United’s last clean sheet did come at home against Liverpool, though, and while a repeat on Wednesday could ultimately help their fiercest rivals to win the Premier League title, the Red Devils no longer have the luxury of being able to choose which is the lesser of the two evils as Champions League qualification takes precedence.A domestic treble remains in their grasp and, while it may not carry quite the same prestige as the trio of trophies United claimed 20 years ago, it would still be a huge achievement and City know that anything other than a victory at the home of their biggest rivals could leave them instead chasing a cup double.
The fact that ‘only’ winning the EFL Cup and FA Cup would be seen as a disappointing campaign for City speaks volumes for the standards they have set themselves under Guardiola, and they will travel to Old Trafford fully expecting to come away with three points.It is away from home where City have fallen down most often this season, dropping 13 points compared to just three at home, where they have already amassed more than they did in the record-breaking 2017-18 campaign.Three of City’s final four games come on the road, but Wednesday’s is by far the toughest on paper and should they overcome that challenge then they will be very much on course to lift the trophy once again.