MEN Sport reporter James Robson assesses the likely line-ups and their current form for the Manchester derby.
Manchester United
DE GEA: After a decidedly shaky start, has begun to establish himself at United. But those early gaffes will see City target him as a potential weak link 6
SMALLING: Emerged as right- back for club and country and his height and discipline should see him preferred to Fabio on Sunday 7
VIDIC: Horror start to the campaign with injury ruling him out of the opening game of the season. Returned in Champions League on Tuesday, only to see red. Needs to shake off the rust for City challenge 7
FERDINAND: Injury concerns continue to trouble him and now his international place even looks under threat. But Fergie may want to go with his most experienced defensive partnership on a day like this 7
EVRA: Increasingly relied on as the most experienced voice in an ever-changing United rearguard, the Frenchman still oozes class in both defensive and attacking situations 8
NANI: Ever more influential, he has emerged as one of Ferguson’s key figures. Scored one and made one in this fixture last year and will again be one of United’s main threats 8
ANDERSON: Impressive in the thrilling Community Shield victory, his tenacity and bite will be needed against City’s powerhouse midfield. Adding consistency to his game 7
FLETCHER: Sorely missed when mystery virus decimated the second half of last season. Ferguson is sure to look to his steel to combat the strength
of De Jong, Yaya Toure and Barry 7
YOUNG: Outstanding start to the season for both club and country. Performances have levelled out in recent weeks, but he adds a thrilling dimension on the left 8
ROONEY: Even after his dramas with England, Rooney’s form for United has been nothing short of sensational with goals galore. Two penalties in Europe on Tuesday took his tally to 11 goals in nine games. City beware 9
HERNANDEZ: Missed the start of the season with concussion and also faces battle with Danny Welbeck for a starting role. But scored three goals already, including crucial late equaliser against Liverpool last week 8
Manchester City
HART: Number one for both club and country. Will have been disappointed with Villarreal’s opening goal on Tuesday, but still a dependable and commanding keeper 7
RICHARDS: Power and pace, but still prone to lapses in concentration. On his day an irrepressible force. Will have his hands full dealing with Young’s threat 7
KOMPANY: Unsteady start to season – not least the part he played in United’s last-gasp winner in the Community Shield. But the skipper embodies the spirit of Mancini’s side 7
LESCOTT: Benefiting from developing a steady partnership with Kompany, but still has hair-raising moments. Impressive aerial ability will be needed in the face of Young’s dangerous set-pieces 6
CLICHY: His greater defensive responsibilities could see him picked ahead of Aleks Kolarov to try to nullify Nani’s threat on the right. Can also get forward when opportunity arises 7
NASRI: A big part of the fluid, attacking football City have produced this season. Could have ended up at United when leaving Arsenal in the summer and will be keen to show Ferguson what he missed 7
DE JONG: A key figure in the FA Cup semi-final victory, Mancini will be looking for a similar performance at Old Trafford. Simply bossed the midfield at Wembley and could be key again on Sunday 8
YAYA TOURE: The match-winner at Wembley and at times unstoppable when charging from midfield. United will bid to curb his influence, but it’s easier said than done 8
BARRY: Still an understated figure in Mancini’s side, but is in his element in the big game atmosphere. Assured and disciplined, will be key in the battle for midfield dominance 7
SILVA: Standout player of the season so far, the Spanish magician has even earned comparisons with Lionel Messi. Blessed with impeccable vision and touch. Can anyone stop him? 9
AGUERO: Carlos who? Tevez’s countryman has usurped him at the Etihad Stadium with his incredible goal-scoring. Nine goals in 10 games, including late winner against Villarreal on Tuesday, prove he’s one of the deadliest strikers around 9
This article appears on the United and City pages of the website
Agree with the line-ups and ratings? Have your say.
Derby ratings: Likely line-ups and ratings for Manchester United vs Manchester City
October 21, 2011
Comments
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Nasri could have ended up in Trafford? Really? Not according to Samir, he had his heart set on Manchester.
We have a better keeper, a much more powerful and creative midfield, and a potent/deadly striker. City will win by two clear goals. No problem!
MEN's ratings are in the brackets and mine are next to the players name's.
Manchester United
DE GEA: 8 (6)
SMALLING: 8 (7)....VIDIC: 10 (7).....FERDINAND: 7 (7).....EVRA: 9 (8)
NANI: 9 (8)......ANDERSON: 8 (7).......FLETCHER: 7 (7)......YOUNG: 8 (8)
ROONEY: 10 (9)........HERNANDEZ: 10 (8)
I have no idea how MEN's could give the best defender in the world Vidic a 7 adn the worlds best left back Evra an 8. It is insane to try and question De Gea when he has been getting better with the matches and the mistakes that the ABU press loved writing about earlier in the season are now clearly out of his game. Giving Nani an 8 is an insult as he is quickly becoming one of the worlds best players and is an extremely talented and improtant member of the unites setup. Chicharito deserved more than a rating of 8, he is now a true ManUtd superstar and one of the worlds best strikers who I fully believe will become the worlds best player.
Manchester City
HART: 8 (7)
RICHARDS: 5 (7)....KOMPANY: 7 (7)....LESCOTT: 5 (6)....CLICHY: 7 (7)
NASRI: 7 (7)....DE JONG: 7 (8)....YAYA TOURE: 7 (8)....BARRY: 5 (7).....SILVA: 9 (9)
AGUERO: 9 (9)
Milner, Lescott and Richards a really poor players at best. City's top players are Hart, Silva and Aguero. I have always felt that Nasri is highly over-rated and at best is an average player and before this summer I know for a fact City fans felt the same.
City should play Balotelli as well as Milner. has Nasri really deserved a start? It wouldn't surprise me if Ferguson selects Jones instead of Ferdinand - remember Mario gave him a right going over in the semi-final.
I think he has over-marked the rag players a little. Ferdinand is a 5-6 now, Fletcher is a 6.
Manchester City
HART: 8 (7)
RICHARDS: 8 (7)....KOMPANY: 8 (7)....LESCOTT: 7 (6)....CLICHY: 7 (7)
NASRI: 8 (7)....DE JONG: 9 (8)....YAYA TOURE: 8 (8)....BARRY: 8 (7).....SILVA: 10 (9)
AGUERO: 10 (9)
Manchester United
DE GEA: 5 (6)
SMALLING: 6 (7)....VIDIC: 7 (7).....FERDINAND: 6 (7).....EVRA: 8 (8)
NANI: 7 (8)......ANDERSON: 6 (7).......FLETCHER: 6 (7)......YOUNG: 7 (8)
ROONEY: 10 (9)........HERNANDEZ: 7 (8)
Wow, you can tell you a Raggy now cant you, lets make the teams 442 eh and not 451 for city and 442 for you lot.
First point your Spanish under 12 keeper isnt in Joes league Hart 9 DeGay 7
Evra is NOT playing like he did 2 years ago so an 8 is ok and Clichy is clearly an 8 also we are talking about right now NOT 2 years ago
Richards 5? Ha, now your just being stupid and Smalling 8, behave fella Richards 8 Smalling 7
Vinney 7 This is REALLY funny, Vinney 9 Vidic 9 end of or 10 10 your choice, these 2 are 2 of the best in world football
Lescott 5 but plug 7 Have you even watched plug playing of late? its quite clear that back injury is worst than utd will tell people Lescott 6 Plug 6
Nasri 7 Young 8 Young is playing very well
Silva 10 Nani 9 Silva is the stand out player in this game and is one of the top 5 in the world at the moment but hey dont listen to me, listen to EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT HAS SAID THIS EVEN MESSI
Yaya 8 Anderson 7 IF you honestly believe Anderson is better than Yaya then you have a problem
DeJong 7 Fletcher 7 wow again what is wrong with you? Fletcher hasnt even played for the last 6/7 months really? DeJong 8 Fletcher 6
Aguero 10 Looney 9 the reason for this is Looney is always ready to be sent off otherwise it would be 10 10
To keep to you formation we now put Balotelli against Hernandez Not a midfielder so Balo 8 Hernandez 8 again im going off THIS YEARS form??? and Balo has scored 4 in 4? Has Hernandez done that? 2 or 3?
Thats a tad less bias than your fella................
I'd like Ballotelli in for Sunday but who do you leave out?
De Jong should be all over the midfield like Ted Bovis on heat.
I would prfer Clichy in but imagine Kolarov smashing the ball at De Gea and Aguero slotting away De Gea's spillages.
Their keeper is the weak point so jostle him and break his will.
Rather than making an ass of myself today and proferring a score, i'll wait 'til Monday when i'll rate utd players... i've never rated city so why should i start now...!!
As a seasoned anti-Robson'er i'll once more disagree with him. I expect Welbeck to start the match but then again, it's usually utter folly to attempt to pre-empt Alex's team selection.
unfortunately I've got a strange itch that we're gonna have someone sent off, hopefully my crystal balls are in need of a polish.
This is really simple - UTD (Collective Rating 7) - CIty (Collective Rating 8)
2 - 1 CITY on Sunday.
It's a waste of time argung with clueless rags about the merits of the 2 team's players. There was one idiot on here a whie back who was adamant that Cleverly was better than Silva. When you are dealing with that sort of blinkered opinion, its best just to ignore.
If Balotelli does not start this game mark me down for a two year subscription to the Manchester Evening News. Expect Milner to start as well.
My City team for Sunday would be:-
Hart
Richards
Clichy
Lescott
Kompany
Barry
De Jong
Toure Yaya
Silva
Balotelli
Aguerro
Roberto will want to try and stifle United in midfield, so he may bring in Milner instead of Balotelli.
To be perfectly honest I don't care who United select. Individually, they do not have as strong a squad as us, but they do play well as a team.
It's going to be interesting on Sunday, I can see another controversial decision deciding it. Hopefully this time it will go City's way.
Super Mario to score and Ferdinand to get sent off.
How on earth can anyone seriously rate Barry as more than a 2? He's the slowest and dullest player ever to pull on an England shirt. Makes Michael Carrick look like Pele.
Lets just hope that the United team is the same one as for that MASSIVE derby against Liverpool, their game of the season......Lets face it according to SAF they have played all the big teams already. Yeah Right....
................................III
................................III
................................III
................................III
..............................Hart
Zabaleta...Kompany...Lescott...Kolarov
.........DeJong.......Toure.......Barry
.....................Nasri.. .....Silva
...........................Aguero
.................................0
Seriously that should be United's biggest concern - who will shut down Silva and it won't be Fletcher. Unfortunately for the game I expect SAF to shut down the mid-fileld as per Liverpool game. If that's the case then expect a City win.
Just don't know how United's mid-field is going to provide any flair if Fletcher is in it. I would much prefer to see Carrick playing the same rule as Tuesday - in that role he can pass forward accurately - that was his strength at Spurs before SAF decided to make him a defensive mid-fielder. SAF has just got too conservative/defensive recently.
Should be interesting if both managers don't go too defensive but I think that is what will happen - so O-O or 2-0 to City.
Fans from either side of the fence would surely rate their own players above that of the team they profess to dislike/hate/envy, so can't see such ratings as anything but doomed to extremes of bias from the off.
As for my own admittedly biased point of view, I reckon only Silva and De Jong are marginally better than what United would have to offer in their respective positions. I can only see those two, on paper, as being able to improve on an already impressive United squad that (frighteningly, for the rest of the league) has plenty of upside yet to fulfill. I do rate Kompany, but consider him on par with the four we already have competing for the two central defensive positions.
That said, I do believe Citeh have a slight edge in form, momentum and overall consistency coming into this game. United has been unsettled lately, defensively and in central midfield, where we haven't been able to field our first choice partnerships on a consistent enough basis due to injuries. To be fair, Citeh have had their share of injuries too, but not to United's extent. On the other hand, United will have the edge in youth AND experience - yes, an oxymoron but there you go. We'll also have the advantage of playing at Old Trafford. So, all in all, surely the makings of a finely poised game. The first goal might be telling, and as per usual, an individual mistake or two, or moments of unmitigated brilliance (a la Rooney last season) may well determine the final outcome.
From a purely technical standpoint, I suspect the exertions of the past two games for both teams will have a telling influence as the game progresses. The team that has played more efficiently in the last two games in terms of micro-managing energy expenditure, i.e. making the ball do the work, positional play, rotation & substitutions = minutes played, etc., will carry an advantage coming into the derby. The key stats in this regard are: number of passes vs. the overall distance run by the team, passing success rate, and the goals scored/attempts on goal ratio. Possession stats can be an indicator, but not in cases where a team has been set up to counter-attack.
In any case, here's the United team I would like to see take the field on Sunday:
.........................De Gea...........................
Jones............Rio...........Vidic...........Evra
Nani..........Fletcher.....Anderson.....Young
................Hernandez........Rooney...........
Subs: Lindegaard, Smalling, Valencia,
Cleverley (70th - in for Fletcher or
Anderson), Giggs, Park (80th - in for
Anderson or Young), Welbeck (80th -
in for Hernandez)
If leading vs. Citeh, then for last 15 mins:
.........................De Gea...........................
Jones............Rio...........Vidic...........Evra
................Cleverley.......Anderson...........
..........Nani..........Rooney.........Park........
..........................Welbeck........................
If tied (or trailing) vs. Citeh, from 65th:
.........................De Gea...........................
Jones............Rio...........Vidic...........Evra
......Cleverley.....Anderson.....Young........
..........Nani........Rooney....Hernandez......
I wonder how many of the blues on here were the ones begging "rags" to buy there derby tickets off them in the 70s and 80s......
To all those in denial,just how did united get all them tickets in every section of maine road....pity you lot didn't support your local team back in the day....
Nice to see Sergio so relaxed that he has one of our bananas on his back. Also has Shreks hair grown?.
Where is Mario? Anyways 10 will be In City's starting eleven for sure on his current scincilating form.
Hart, Richards, Clichy, Nasri, Kompany, Lescott, Yaya, De Jong, Barry, Milner understated - all 8's
Silva, 10, Kun 10,
Edin 8 and AJ 7
DE GEA: 7
SMALLING: 6 VIDIC: 5 FERDINAND: 5 EVRA: 5 JONES, 6 Claverly, Park and Carrick all 4's .
NANI: 7.(hope he stays on his feet?) ANDERSON:(who is he?) 4 FLETCHER (who?): 4 YOUNG: 7
ROONEY: 8 HERNANDEZ: 8
You Where saying?
1-6 Can i have you're ratings for after the game please.