Man Utd Preview
Firstly, I'd like to apologise for the no review of the cup semi-final, I missed all the game and the game was that big I felt it was unfair to judge on a 5-10 minute highlight. From what I've read and seen, we played well but just never killed the game and ultimately got punished. A top 7 side in the PL will always punish if you don't kill teams off. Maybe dodgy decisions doesn't help but maybe the team should start doing what Barcelona do, fall over and break play up a lot. It frustrates and really works when you're ahead. Nothing worse than a bought freekick after bought freekick when you're losing. Teams lose their cool and if you keep yours, the chances will come and there will be plenty of them. But the team is too nice. Perhaps in the summer and pre-season Pep might address this. But moving on.
We need CL football next season and winning tomorrow night will more than likely seal this. It will disrupt Man Utd and Everton and Arsenal have a mountain to climb. Liverpool have dropped points and with us having some games in hand on them, overturning them means they are well and truly in the race for the top 4 too. The more teams involved the better... As long as we are moving above them. Beating a serious threat at home, in the derby, at night is what dreams are made of. With that set and sorted, we move onto team news.
Pogba and Ibrahimovic are out. Man Utd will instead play with pace, organisation and look to hurt City out wide (Mikh and Martial) and up front (Lingard and Rashford). Not the best on paper but you bet Man Utd will play to their advantage. The only problem is where to fit all their players in. Who drops out? Mata? Herrera is cleared to play, Carrick will probably play so it's tricky. Someone misses out and it'll be interesting to see who. Man Utd are defensively good but their team has weaknesses. We saw at OT earlier, the team are statue-esk when it doesn't go their way. They lose organisation and focus (Mourinho is all about that) and that's what City need to do. This will only happen if Kevin De Bruyne is on top form. Simple. No Silva tomorrow so KDB will shadow Aguero up top, who is fit. This leaves plenty of space for Sane and Sterling, who I hope starts as we always seem to threaten more when him and Sane start. United will not sit 10 men behind the ball, United kind of need to win. City do not. A draw is a good result and I would take a 0-0. It keeps United behind us with another game less to go. Dinho and Yaya would make sense, although Delph has looked good. Bench. Navas has looked ok at RB but it's a problem. We need quality. He's the best of a really bad bunch, Same with Clichy. I suspect Bravo will start again which leaves one big question, can Kompany play twice in quick succession? Stones is injured and might be ready for the bench. I suspect Kompany will play tomorrow and rested on Sunday. It would make sense. City play more organised with Vinnie. Kolarov could well partner him. I don't get the feeling Pep enjoys Otamendi too much. His passing isn't great. Score prediction is 1-1, I'm boring.
Team Prediction -
Bravo-Navas-Kolarov-Kompany-Clichy-Fernandinho-Yaya-KDB-Sterling-Sane-Aguero.
Oh and Jesus is back and might make the bench. I'd be surprised to see him.
