As football fans, we appreciate the stories surrounding those 22 men in the middle and two on the sidelines. The Beautiful Game is ripe with back stories, anecdotes and wild sub-plots.
Let’s face it – we love the narrative wrapped around those 90 minutes; we crave for it, we actively seek it out wishing to add to the largest piece of the jigsaw that is the match itself.
In this context, so many reams and column inches have been filled about Saturday’s Manchester derby that the game itself may garner lesser coverage than the incessant build-up. The match-up has seen countless previews ever since Jose Mourinho decided to shift base to the red half of Manchester and set up a date with old club colleague-turned-nemesis Pep Guardiola.
Media billing, although a bit exasperatingly, has been centred around these two men: The Philosopher vs the Special One, Guardiola’s Superman to Mourinho’s Lex Luthor, tiki-taka vs managerial pragmatism, the ex-Barcelona manager against the ex-Real Madrid boss.
All the similes, metaphors and comparisons have been pulled out to make this seem like a match-up against the two touchline strategists with little or no heed paid to their men in the middle: men who, in case you forgot, are going to be doing the actual running and ball-kicking.
And that is why we should be looking at some of the battles on the ground:
Zlatan vs Stones and Otamendi/Kolarov
The Swede’s scoring streak since signing on a free in the summer may have ended at Hull, but make no mistake about it – he is the biggest and baddest foe that John Stones, City's new centre-back, will come across this summer. The force of nature that he is, a number of big men have fallen prey to Ibra so far – including the likes of Wes Morgan and Jose Fonte.
He will take no exception to the world’s most expensive defender ever. The 22-year-old Stones was a £47.5 million signing for Guardiola as part of the latter’s summer overhaul at City. He seems to have settled rather quickly, but Saturday will be a different proposition altogether – Ibrahimovic will prove to be a battering ram and an overly-physical force that will look to bully the young Englishman.
The identity of Stones’s partner will be crucial as Otamendi has been preferred at centre-back after Kolarov started the season in the position. The latter, a left-back by trade, could again be pushed into the centre given that Otamendi has not always convinced since signing for City. Ibrahimovic’s burning hatred of Guardiola and his time at Barcelona under the latter will only serve as a catalyst to fire up the mercurial Swede even further.
Claudio Bravo vs the United attack
The City manager’s biggest headache is that he will have to make changes at both ends of the pitch. Having persisted with back-up Willy Callabero between the sticks in the first three matches of the season, the signing of ex-Barca stopper Claudio Bravo should see City at its fluid best. The Chilean is known to be a sweeper keeper, with the highest passing accuracy in Europe’s top five leagues last season.
The United attack – Ibrahimovic, Rooney, Martial and Mata – have plenty of firepower and have more shots on target this season than the squad of last year. They will look to pepper the City goal with shots and more shots, especially considering that Bravo will be making his debut for the Sky Blues a mere 48 hours after returning from his international debut.
United’s midfield destroyers vs City’s midfield maestros
The midfield is where this game could potentially be won and lost, with both teams unsure of their best combination in this area of the pitch. Mourinho, who has so far played a 4-2-3-1 with the world-record signing Paul Pogba and the rejuvenated Marouanne Fellaini in the middle, could opt for one of three things: play the same combo, play Wayne Rooney in a deeper midfield role to try and nullify City bossing the area, or play any of Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera or Morgan Schneiderlin as an extra midfielder making it a 4-3-2-1.
For City, both David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, two of the best attacking midfielders in the world, have played in withdrawn midfield roles, occupying deeper positions as they look to orchestrate attacks from deep. Sitting behind them acting as a screen for the defence will be Fernandinho, for so long the Brazilian has been accustomed to playing alongside another deep-lying midfielder. Saturday will prove a test of his credentials as a true anchorman.
Iheanacho/Sterling vs Bailly and Blind/Smalling
Sergio Aguero’s suspension has meant that Guardiola is likely to start wunderkind Iheanacho in the place of the wily Argentine. The Nigerian is pacy and direct, scoring eight goals in seven starts and 19 substitute appearances last season. Guardiola has experimented with the false nine formation before, and Raheem Sterling could start as a No 9, paving the way for summer signing Leroy Sane to make his first start.
Eric Bailly, solid in his early days at Old Trafford, has established himself as a guaranteed starter under Mourinho. Daley Blind, expected by many to be shunted in favour of Chris Smalling, has started all three of United’s league games and registered a 96.5% pass accuracy in their last outing against Hull. Come Saturday, the manager may opt for this combination of brain and brawns once again.
Other talking points
Mourinho goes into this game with his record against Guardiola reading three wins, seven losses and six draws. The Portuguese may have a slight edge in this encounter due to Aguero missing out. United should employ a 4-2-3-1, while City should stick with the 4-1-2-3 that has served them well.
City’s dynamism sees that changing into a 3-2-2-3 while in possession with the full-backs pushing higher up the midfield, almost on the halfway line in an attempt to suffocate the other team due to a lack of ball retention. United’s manager will have to be extra careful when not in possession of the ball. The home team’s best option is to have a pacy counter down the wings. While Anthony Martial looks all set to battle with Bacary Sagna, Marcus Rashford could prove to be Mourinho’s ace in the hole.
Antonio Valencia may also miss out for the Red Devils, after a late return from the World Cup qualifiers. Barely landing in Manchester a day before the match, Matteo Darmian, Phil Jones and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are standbys for the Ecuadorian.
Overall, the match may not glitter and dazzle like some expect it to, because of the simple reason that these are still early days in the season and both managers and their respective squads are still in the process of acclimatisation. A point would be a satisfactory result for both camps.
