Season Hangs On This Game

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This fixture will change Manchester United, for the better or worse. Either it kickstarts Erik ten Hag’s lumbering season and sends the club on its way to the top again, or it kicks them back down and into the dirt just when the results were turning around. Man United vs Man City prediction might well be the most important prediction of this season so far, and considering the finely poised season, maybe of the whole year.

Man United vs Man City prediction

As covered in the storylines to watch piece by The Peoples Person, things are finally looking up for United, at least from a results perspective.

However, the performances haven’t matched the results.

Still, if there’s one game United always seem to get themselves up for, especially at Old Trafford, it’s the one against Man City.

Sometimes, when there’s a malaise around the club, performances are not up to scratch, a game against rivals is the perfect tonic to get the players up and running again.

It happened last year when after consecutive defeats to Brentford and Brighton, United won against Liverpool, setting the foundation for a great first season.

If United manage to repeat that trick against City, this will be the turnaround moment.

United need to start fast, as the fans will be behind them to start the game. It is not something that they have done so far this season.

Getting in City’s faces with combative and abrasive play to unsettle them should be the first thing on Ten Hag’s checklist. The worst thing a team can do in a derby is down tools and get outworked.

It is no secret that man-to-man, City are the better team but that’s where the intangibles of “wanting it more” kick in.

“Passion” and “desire” are often overused words in football when there’s a lack of analytical viewpoint on the game but for United, that’s the thing they need to rely on, especially in the face of injuries.

The template is clear- start fast, be clinical in attack, and be dogged in defence.

It will be the turnaround moment then. Otherwise, United fans are already scarily used to the team getting embarrassed against fierce rivals in big games.

The Peoples Person predicts Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City.