Two things to watch for in upcoming Manchester derby

Manchester United are going to face Manchester City in a crucial Premier League match at Old Trafford on Saturday. Manchester City are currently in second position in the league table with 39 points from 17 matches — 5 points behind league leaders Arsenal — while United are fourth with 35 points from the same number of matches.

With United performing creditably under Erik ten Hag and City fresh from their 4-0 hammering of Chelsea in the FA Cup, the upcoming Manchester derby promises to be an absorbing battle between two in-form teams.

Let’s take a look at two things that might determine the fate of the match.

Manchester City relying on long passes more than ever

Manchester City typically look to dominate possession with their customary short passes irrespective of the opposition they face. However, as they showed against Chelsea in their last match, they are also quite adept at playing long passes, with Rodri pulling the strings from midfield.

With Erling Haaland, who has scored a staggering 21 goals in league play, lurking inside the opposition penalty box, long balls from the middle third or crosses from the flanks might prove to be beneficial for the Citizens. The likes of Rodri and the talismanic Kevin de Bruyne will be ready to play those probing passes into the box.

Moreover, with right-winger Riyad Mahrez in great form, Pep Guardiola must decide whether to start the slippery Phil Foden or Jack Grealish on the left flank.

Foden’s inclusion always adds an edge to City’s attack and Guardiola could also play him as a central midfielder with Grealish as the left-winger. However, it would mean Bernardo Silva would be left out and that would affect Manchester City’s ball recovery in the middle third. Hence, Guardiola will have to take a call in this regard.

United’s improved pressing and counter-attack threat

Manchester United are a more disciplined side under Ten Hag and have impressed of late with their intense pressing. They might not allow the City centre-backs and Rodri to keep building up moves with much ease.

However, United will also pose a serious threat through counter-attacks, with Marcus Rashford already bagging 15 goals this season. With Casemiro shielding the defense adroitly, the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen will be free to play long balls Rashford and Antony down the flanks.

One can safely assume City are not going to play with a high defensive line continuously, keeping in mind United’s counter-attacking threat. However, the pressure will be on the visitors to reduce the deficit with Arsenal, which means they might go gung-ho at times to break through United’s defense, thereby leaving some space for the home side to exploit.