Manchester City v Manchester United: Why the Manchester derby is massive for these FIVE players

Everyone wants to perform well in a local derby, but for these five stars, a big performance would mean a huge deal.
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Sunday’s Manchester derby could be decided by a moment of brilliance, a crucial tackle or even a 90-minute slog from an individual player.

Manchester City and Manchester United head into the game in very different places, both in the league and regarding the morale around the clubs, but for either team three points would be huge in trying to achieve their aims by the end of the season.

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It’s also a massively important game for the players, many of whom could greatly enhance their status among the supporters with a solid derby display.

But for these five in particular, Sunday’s match carries extra significance and pressure.

Anthony Elanga is expected to play in his first Manchester derby this weekend. Credit: Getty Anthony Elanga is expected to play in his first Manchester derby this weekend. Credit: Getty
Anthony Elanga is expected to play in his first Manchester derby this weekend. Credit: Getty

Anthony Elanga

When the sides last met, Elanga wasn’t even in United’s matchday squad, but so quickly has he risen up the ranks at Old Trafford, the winger is likely to start at the weekend.

Little has so far fazed Elanga, who has thrived under the pressure of playing at Elland Road and the Wanda Metropolitano, but City is an altogether different beast.

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Having lived in Manchester for so long, Elanga knows full well what this derby means to supporters and he will be desperate to put in a great display.

City are also the best side he will have faced in his fledgling career, and the Swede will need to adapt quickly to the pace of proceedings, while there could also be more defensive expectations than he’s ever experienced.

Jack Grealish

Having scored in midweek, the England international will be hopeful of starting at the Etihad, against the club he could have joined in 2020.

Grealish has had a mixed start to his career at City and hasn’t always found it easy to play at the speed and penetration Pep Guardiola asks of his players.

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It’s for that reason the No.10 didn’t play in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford and might not start on Sunday, but Grealish has plenty of experience of local derbies from his time with Aston Villa and will be itching to add his name to City folklore on Sunday.

While it’s not been the easiest of starts to life at the Etihad for Grealish, a standout performance against United could be the catalyst for his career to really take off at City.

Jadon Sancho

The winger approaches the derby as perhaps United’s most in-form player over the last month, against the side he famously left in 2017 due to a lack of playing time.

Five years later and Sancho is one of Europe’s most promising young players, who will be out for revenge against the club and manager who let him leave.

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Sancho also didn’t start when the sides met in November and his first taste of a senior Manchester derby didn’t go quite as he expected. But the former Borussia Dortmund man heads into this encounter playing in a much more consistent manner.

In the recent loss to Tottenham Hotspur, Antonio Conte utilised the space behind City’s full-backs, something Sancho will no doubt look to do at the Etihad.

It’s the 187th Manchester derby this weekend. Credit: Getty.It’s the 187th Manchester derby this weekend. Credit: Getty.
It’s the 187th Manchester derby this weekend. Credit: Getty.

Rodri

Bruno Fernandes is enduring a mixed spell in the United team, but the recent 1-1 draw away to Atletico Madrid demonstrated that even when playing poorly he can produce a match-changing moment.

Should he start, Paul Pogba is the same, meaning City’s midfield could have to be wary of the creative threat they can cause.

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The responsibility for that will fall largely on Rodri’s shoulders, and despite being one of City’s most consistent players this season, his levels have just dropped slightly in recent weeks.

Against Spurs, the Sky Blues failed to stop Harry Kane delivering killer through balls, and Rodri’s ability to stop Fernandes doing the same could determine who will win Sunday’s clash.

Harry Maguire

Much like against Leeds United two weeks ago, Maguire approaches this weekend’s game with plenty of questions swirling around his position in the team.

There have been reports the Red Devils are planning to sign a new centre-back in the summer, and even suggestions that he’s been too critical of team-mates.

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All this comes against a backdrop of poor form this season for the United captain, who was rested last week in the 0-0 draw with Watford.

There’s no certainty he’ll start at the Etihad, but should he do so, Maguire will be hoping for a similar response to the one he showed against Leeds.