Evans and Varane to pair at the back,Amad starts,Mainoo benched for Amrabat’: predicted Man United XI to face Man City as Ten Hag men set to break another record at Etihad today
Manchester United will make the trip to the Etihad to play Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
United won 1-0 against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup in midweek, which ensured progression to the quarter-finals of the competition, and they are looking to build on that result.
United have the task of taking on City in the Manchester derby and the Reds have not won at the Etihad since March 2021 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in charge. Pep Guardiola’s side won 3-0 at Old Trafford earlier in the season and United have a point to prove.
Regarding the team news, Raphael Varane and Bruno Fernandes are set to be available, but Harry Maguire could be absent again after missing the Forest game through injury.
Samuel Luckhurst
Today’s best bad idea for United is to have Scott McTominay in the position Fernandes usually occupies, with Fernandes still in the team.
There is method to it. United had mixed success with Fernandes on the right against City at Old Trafford and Wembley last season. He scored in both games and United won at home but were outplayed in the FA Cup final. McTominay is a goal threat and could muck in to ensure Kevin De Bruyne does not get time and space on the ball. Marcus Rashford, starting by default, needs to back up his verbal essay in midweek.
Sofyan Amrabat cannot be at left-back against City and neither can Victor Lindelof. United should field a senior back four with Jonny Evans in but Lindelof at right-back, where he is better suited if he is not at centre half.
Tyrone Marshall
It took me a while to settle on a defence here so I can only imagine how difficult it will be for Ten Hag to get his selection calls right. There is value in playing a right-footed left-back, with Phil Foden likely to cut in from that flank, and I would go with the more defensive-minded Lindelof and play Evans at centre-back.
That would also allow Amrabat to play in midfield and offer double protection against De Bruyne with Casemiro. United need to lock down the centre of the pitch if they are to have a chance of victory at the Etihad and Kobbie Mainoo can be the third member of that trio.
Fernandes played on the right against City last season and can reprise that role here, drifting centrally to beef up numbers even more, with Rashford through the middle and Alejandro Garnacho on the left.
