#2 The Mourinho factor
There’s something about Jose Mourinho that many football fans seem to have forgotten – his fight and spiritedness remain unchanged. The Portuguese endured a torrid start to the season, as poor results led to speculations that he could be sacked.
However, he has managed to turn the tide and is now leading United to one of their more stable runs in recent times. It’s now been three wins on the trot and the team is clearly playing better than ever. Mourinho remains as pragmatic as ever, but he is still very special.
Anytime he is on a row like this, he is very difficult to stop. For the first time this season, he appears to have finally understood his players and he's getting the best out of most of those who were previously struggling.
The Mourinho factor will be key in the Manchester derby and should he get his acts rights, Manchester City will be in serious trouble, just like Juventus and Chelsea before.