For this weekend’s game Willie is predicting a United win: “I think we’ll beat them 2-0, that’ll be my bet for this weekend anyway”.
Advertisement
The ESPN FC crew question whether or not Manchester United can keep up with Manchester City’s goalscoring prowess ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby.
Manchester City have won six of their past eight Manchester derbies in league competition (lost two), having won only six of the previous 42.
Wayne Rooney turned 30 on Saturday and yet, despite a few evidence of slowing up in the last couple of seasons, neither United’s nor City’s manager believes this will be his last Manchester derby.
“We finished second in the Premier League, above United”. With Chelsea and Liverpool enduring a nightmare start to the season, the Red Devils and the Citizens already find themselves in the thick of the title race.
“I’m happy that we are more balanced in our selection. You have seen which players I have bought – but we need more”. We have to see if we can develop as a team. Sometimes you don’t expect to lose like we did last season there.
“It is harder these days”, Van Gaal added. (But) when you look at the facts, they are first and we are third. City lead the table with 21 points, while a win for United could push them over City by one point in the table.
“That is dependable of the player”, Van Gaal said when asked how long he thought Rooney could play on for.
Van Gaal, whose side will move ahead of City with a win, said: “It’s not important who is the favourite”. My thought process isn’t about where people say we should be.
“We stayed in the hotel the next day, we had a smooth flight”.
“So we have not trained too much today”. I think we are getting there. We have to recover because it is a match at a high level.
And they will be eager to continue in the same way at Old Trafford this weekend.
Manuel Pellegrini was on the brink of the sack after his side were beaten 4-2 by United in April at the Etihad Stadium, but following the painful defeat, City battled back to win a club-record 11 successive league matches.
Advertisement
While only in the hotseat since 2014, Van Gaal realises the significance of the rivalry.
