One of the biggest games in English football will always include the likes of the so-called ‘big six’ and it doesn’t get any bigger than the red half and the blue half of Manchester going face-to-face. The famous derby games have always grabbed the attention of the world as they tune in to watch the better side that will eventually hold bragging rights for the rest of the season or the rest of their lives. 

With memorable games, last-minute penalties and more, Manchester Derbies have always been a gift to English football and come Nov 6th, we get to witness them all over again.

Matchday 11 of 38: City vs United

Ahead of the Manchester Derby, the obvious question on everyone's mind is, ‘can Manchester United bounce back?’. Following a bad run of results, poor form and the mounting pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s job, Manchester United see themselves at a position nobody expected them to be at. Despite the summer transfer window being filled with new and exciting additions, United haven’t gotten off to the start that they would have hoped for. 

However, Ole has a decent record against Pep Guardiola and that seems to be described as some form of hope that stays intact in the minds of United fans. As a result, the Derby, as always, remains unpredictable and both sides of Manchester could come in and grab hold of the rights to brag on for years to come. 

Date and Venue 

The Manchester Derby of the 2021-22 Premier League season will take place on the 6th of November at Old Trafford.

Manchester United Vs Manchester City : Team Analysis 

1. Building a strong defence 

When two attack-minded teams go face to face, the need to strengthen and build a strong defence needs to come into play. And if you have been following the Premier League season, you will clearly understand that City have the better defence. Being seated at the top four is not possible by conceding goals and a good partnership at centre back has been crucial to their approach. 

United, on the other hand, need to start getting things in order and defence could be the first place where they can start. The crucial mistakes that they committed against Liverpool cannot be brought back into the scene, especially against a team that are the favourites to win the league. If they do manage to build a strong defence, we could be in for a good game of football with all kinds of surprises. 

2. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Vs Pep Guardiola

Amidst talks over United looking out for a new manager, the battle between Ole and Guardiola is bound to continue. Derbies have always been crucial to a club and will always hold prime importance in assessing a manager’s future. As a result, a win over City could help Ole convince the Manchester United board that he still is the right man for the job. And if we have to bring in stats, Ole does have a good record against Pep Guardiola. 

The Norwegian has become the first United manager to have won three away games at the Etihad and claiming a top position in the derby is no easy feat. While Guardiola has a lot of tricks under his belt, this game will end up being a crucial one for him whether or not he is favoured to win. Moreover, the last time the two teams met was at the Premier League on the 7th of March, 2021 where United managed to take home a comfortable victory of 2-nil against their bitter rivals. 

3. Ronaldo Vs City’s false nine 

With a big game like City, United is bound to continue fielding Ronaldo with the hope of seeing goals, classic headers and whatnot. With City not having a complete striker, Guardiola can continue to bring in a false nine and see them put goals through David de Gea. While both teams are tipped to score, the potential of having Ronaldo can pump up the hope of last-minute game-changing goals that we have witnessed so far from the legend. So, the battle is on between Ronaldo and whoever City decides to field as a false nine. 

4. City at Old Trafford 

Manchester City’s record at Old Trafford does talk a lot about victories and defeats. The Citizens of Manchester have managed to win 26 games at Old Trafford out of 81 matches that have taken place at the famous stadium between United and City. Apart from that, Guardiola is also the first visiting manager to win his initial three Premier League games at Old Trafford, a feat that is unique in its own way. 

As a result, both teams are capable of setting and breaking records, provided their plans for the evening goes into place. However, all eyes will be on United, considering their performance in the season and how dramatic results have gone against them.

Manchester United Vs Manchester City: Head-to-Head

The head-to-head record between two of the biggest teams in English football will tell you all about how history goes on despite the departure and arrival of legends. While United hold the record for having the most wins, City has managed to come closer and closer in the recent past. A total of 161 games is bound to tell you a story of how these teams have managed to cope up with all the pressure and continue winning games.