Manchester City will hope to extend their unbeaten start to the Premier League season when they entertain cross-town rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Man City have fared decently in their title defence thus far, winning five out of their seven games. The Cityzens were held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa before the international break, and Pep Guardiola will look to avoid another slip-up.
Man United, on the other hand, are enjoying a resurgence after losing their first two games under new manager Erik ten Hag. They are on a four-game winning run in the Premier League, which include wins over Liverpool and Arsenal.
Considering this is a local derby, there will be enormous pressure on both Mancunian clubs and it will not be an easy game for either of them. That said, here are three players to watch out for who could decide the outcome of the much-awaited Manchester derby.
- Erling Haaland
It is a no-brainer, really; Erling Haaland is currently the toast of the Premier League and there is no looking past him.
The Norwegian is tearing the Premier League apart with Man City, scoring goals left, right and centre. He is proving to be a sensational new arrival into the Premier League this term, and while there will be a number of key battles across the Etihad turf that will influence the outcome of the derby, the Haaland vs Man United centre-backs will arguably be the most pivotal.
A sublime finisher in the box, stopping Haaland has proven to be almost impossible for the defences in the top tier thus far; so a big challenge awaits Man United on Sunday.
- Kevin de Bruyne
Kevin de Bruyne has been one of the world’s best players in recent years with his jaw-dropping performances for Man City.
The beating heart of this City side, De Bruyne controls football games with his passing ability, game reading, awareness and vision. The Belgian’s incisive passes, through balls and crossing are a delight to watch. When he performs well, more often than not the Sky Blues do well; thus, one can imagine how crucial a player the 31-year-old is to Pep Guardiola.
De Bruyne’s stats speak for themselves this season—one goal and six assists in seven games—are phenomenal returns. If he gets into his stride and starts enjoying time and space on the ball, Ten Hag’s United could be in for a long afternoon.
- Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho endured a relatively difficult first season at Man United. The team royally struggled to string performances and his level was nowhere close to justifying the price the Red Devils paid Borussia Dortmund for his services.
Under Ten Hag, a principally sound and astute tactician, Sancho has started to look more like himself with each passing game. The English winger is thriving in the current system, combining well with his teammates, creating chances and scoring goals.
The 22-year-old’s creativity and dribbling will be put to test against Kyle Walker, and with City expected to dominate the ball, his presence will be key in United’s quick counter-attacks. Having been omitted from the England squad by Gareth Southgate during the recently concluded international break, Sancho will be highly motivated to answer his critics.
