3 reasons why Danny Welbeck needs to start against Manchester City

3. Big game mentality

Danny Welbeck stats

It’s almost a cliche to describe the academy products of Alex Ferguson’s reign as big game players, but as was so often the case, it was the likes of John O’Shea, Wes Brown and of course the famous “Class of ’92? who so often came up big for United when they most needed it.

As shown by his towering header against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last season, and his sterling work in the return leg at Old Trafford, Welbeck is a player who continues this fine tradition, and his appetite for the big occasion could be key to nullifying City and making the most of the scraps available in attack.

Whether he plays wide left, up front or even behind Rooney, in a similar role to the one he played in the second leg against Madrid last year, Welbeck has the tenacity to press from the front as well as the aforementioned pace and movement to turn successful duels into direct runs on goal on the biggest stages of all.

Yaya Toure, David Silva and Samir Nasri are all set to dominate the midfield battle at Old Trafford, but should Moyes throw Welbeck into the melee from the start, his readiness to close down opponents in their own half could snatch the momentum away from these celebrated names through his graft, pace and power. It’s unlikely that Kompany or his derided partners Martin Demichelis or Joleon Lescott would enjoy the extra attention either, and we’ve all seen what happens to their composure and performances when placed in situations outside of their comfort zones.