The Reds are in upbeat mood ahead of an Old Trafford clash that features the personal duel between Mourinho and Guardiola.
In 2011, Vincent Kompany scored what could be considered a title-winning goal in the Manchester derby in a 1-0 win. Since then, the derby has not felt as heated or as decisive with the fate of the Premier League title not significantly resting on its outcome.
This time round the buzz, the anticipation and importance seems undoubtedly back in this contest.
After derbies with two passive managers in Manuel Pellegrini and Louis Van Gaal manning the dugouts, both sets of supporters have two heart-on-the-sleeve bosses considered in the world’s elite bracket in Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho.
Both are serial winners and are in charge of the two Premier League favourites for the league title, so a contest in which one can gain a three-point advantage - on top of the existing hostile rivalry - is absolutely pivotal.
So why are Manchester United fans collectively in a confident mood ahead of the derby?
Defensive stability
Manchester City have scored the most goals in the Premier League so far (albeit including two penalties) and the red half of Manchester boast the best defensive record thus far, so a superbly balanced contest should await us.
Daley Blind is starting to hear praise from fans and media alike after being an under-rated gem for the club for a now prolonged period. He has formed a very impressive centre-back pairing with Eric Bailly, who has started life in England outstandingly with man of the match performances in all but one of his games. What Blind lacks in pace, power and strength, Bailly makes up for and the historically rash and reckless Ivorian is compensated by the composure and coolness of the Dutchman – it’s a perfectly harmonised defensive pairing.
United fans should be confident in them two, alongside the rejuvenated full backs in Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia, in nullifying City’s attacking exploits.
Aguero factor
In a match that was billed as world-class striker vs world-class striker, one side losing their key front man is a blow to their chances. Any side missing a world’s top-10 striker will be significantly weaker, particularly so with Kelechi Iheanacho as the only reserve striker. As per usual, the Argentine is already City’s top scorer by some way this season and it will add to the intrigue seeing what Pep Guardiola does without his greatest goal threat.
Perhaps he could experiment with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Nolito and Raheem Sterling as a ‘false nine’, like he has done at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, meaning the United defence could have less of a focal point to deal with. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a difference-maker on his own, the three aforementioned names won’t strike too much fear into a typically solid and blossoming Mourinho defence.
The midfield edge
In an affair this tightly-matched, the midfield is usually where the game is won or lost. One bamboozling run, one piece of magic to unlock a defence or perhaps in turn one lapse of concentration from a defensive standpoint could prove key. With a 4-2-3-1 vs 4-1-4-1, it’s going to be one five-man midfield matched against another.
If Guardiola does continue with the system, Mourinho’s men could have the edge. Fernandinho has been deployed as a lone holding midfielder with two creative players in front not renowned for upholding defensive duties in David Silva and De Bruyne.
In United’s midfield the guile, trickery and gut-busting running of Paul Pogba has been somewhat surprisingly complimented by a powerful, tactically disciplined reborn Marouane Fellaini.
United’s midfield axis has the ability to counteract the impact of City’s mesmeric passing with Fellaini and the ability to propel the team forward on a crucial counter with Pogba. The stark difference in height, power and physicality could prove the difference in a game which needs quick turnovers in possession and legs to carry the team forward.
Older players like Valencia and Fellaini appear revitalised and returning to the form they’re capable of and new stars in Ibrahimovic and Bailly have already excited many with impressive showings already – this is an exciting new era for Manchester United fans.
If we see the defensive assuredness and attacking fluidity we have already been buoyed watching, then this weekend we could see Mourinho’s men lay THE marker for the Premier League and prove why United won’t settle for anything less than the Premier League title this season.
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