5 players who could decide the Manchester Derby

Manchester United and Manchester City will go head to head in yet another clash for supremacy on Sunday afternoon. The Red Devils are coming off a refreshing win over Juventus.

Manchester City, on the other hand, completed their usual business against Shakhtar Donetsk, scoring six goals past them. The last Manchester Derby was an entertaining affair. City led by two goals at half-time but Paul Pogba and Chris Smalling’s second-half goals gave the Reds, the victory.

Over the years many great players have taken the pitch for the Manchester Derby. Wayne Rooney is one of those who enjoyed playing against the Cityzens. He is the highest scorer in the Manchester Derby with 11. His overhead kick in the derby wouldn’t be forgotten any time soon.

The next active player amongst the highest scorers in the derby is Sergio Aguero. Aguero has netted nine times against the Red Devils and was a star in the rampant 6-1 victory over them.

With injuries to star players on both sides, those that are available have to step up. Kevin De Bruyne is out due to a knee injury and both Lukaku and Sanchez are struggling to make the squad list.

We look at five players who could decide the outcome of the Manchester Derby:

#5 Anthony Martial

The Frenchman has been in fine form as of late. The French winger was looking terribly out of sorts in the earlier half of the season. But, Martial has scored 5 goals in his last four league games.

Martial scored twice against Chelsea, and one each against Newcastle, Bournemouth, and Everton. The 22-year old is a good shooter from long range and can cause troubles for any defence he is up against.

Martial will be hoping to add to his tally on Sunday. If Martial adds to his tally, he will become one of the select few to score in five consecutive Premier League games for Manchester United. Dwight Yorke, Eric Cantona, Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie, and Cristiano Ronaldo are the only other players to have achieved the feat.

The young winger will be against Kyle Walker which is a big test for both the players. Martial could very well be the decider in the Manchester Derby. He has the shooting ability, has the crossing technique a fair amount of pace to act as a pivot for his team.

#4 David De Gea

The Spaniard is creating his own legacy at the Theatre of Dreams. David De Gea had the mammoth task of replacing Edwin Van Der Sar between the sticks. He used to make grave mistakes during his early days but he is nothing more than the best player in the Manchester United team right now.

De Gea was the first keeper to win the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award. He has won it a record four times now and is the current holder. While there have been many critics and experts saying that he should leave the club for his own good, De Gea is staying with the team. Not only is he staying, but he is also doing all within his ability to keep them afloat.

De Gea delivers game after game, even after being under immense pressure because of the lenient defence. He made crucial saves in the comeback win against Newcastle. He also made four saves in the game against Chelsea.

The Spaniard was at the top of his game against Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo in particular in the match at Old Trafford. De Gea denied Ronaldo all night long, as well as his other teammates, only letting one goal past him.

The only thing he lacks is support from the defence. David Silva, Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, all are capable of running straight across the defence to create a 1v1 opportunity. De Gea’s capability of dealing with close range shots would come in handy on Sunday.

He is a star player who has helped close the game out on several occasions for his team. Last season’s game against Arsenal was a game that he decided on his own, he can do the same this weekend.

#3 Sergio Aguero

Who else? Sergio Aguero is the player with the most number of goals in the Manchester derby, among the current squad players of both teams. Two goals in the derby would see him equalize Joe Hayes’ and Francis Lee’s scoring tally in the Manchester Derby.

Aguero has not scored in his last three games against the Red Devils but he is familiar to scoring against them. He has netted eight times against the eternal rivals. Gabriel Jesus will be favourite to start after his hat-trick against Shakhtar but benching Aguero in the derby wouldn’t be an apt choice from Pep.

Aguero is not a goal-poacher and offers much more on the pitch. He is a proper center-forward who fits the philosophy of Pep Guardiola. He has good dribbling skills, is a good passer and can beat defenders on 1v1. Given the slow defensive reaction from Smalling and Lindelof, Aguero’s experienced playing style can be the catalyst to victory.

Aguero can also combine well with David Silva to cause more problems. His positioning and finishing just add to the misery of the opposition defence. Will Aguero score against Manchester United? Don’t bet against it.

#2 Bernardo Silva

Bernardo Silva is flourishing under Pep Guardiola. With Kevin De Bruyne being injured, he has been an integral part of the Manchester City midfield. He plays in the free 8 role along with David Silva. His excellent positional play has been a big headache for oppositions.

Silva keeps switching between the left and right midfield positions. He can also move up-front and hold the team in the attacking third. He is a prolific passer as well. When he scored against Arsenal, he made use of the hole that Aguero created in the defence.

The Portuguese international is a bright lad, who doesn’t hesitate to shoot either. He might have been tempted to make the same vertical run parallel to Aguero, but his game understanding is way above his age.

He makes good runs either to open up space for his team-mates or to receive the ball and create again. He has managed to cause problems for oppositions with his smart runs, which are more beneficial for creating space for his team-mates.

Amidst the great midfield play that he is displaying, he is also scoring and making assists. He can operate in the left side half space, left wing, right wing, wherever you like him. This kid performing in the Manchester Derby means, treat to the eyes, as well as trouble to the Reds.

#1 Paul Pogba

We don’t know what kind of hairstyle Paul Pogba will sport. He is sure to catch the eyes of spectators with some or the other. But what we do know, is he will be itching to perform on derby day. Last time at Etihad, when he was under heavy criticism from everyone in England.

But his performance on that day, especially in the second half, scoring two goals and being the central figure for his team, shut his critics up in classic Pogba fashion. The main problem lies with his inconsistency. On one day, he can drop a 10/10 but he can be utterly poor the next day.

He is a charismatic figure in the team, always making his presence felt. If the Etihad Stadium, boos him he will turn them into inspiration for a terrific performance. His big task on Sunday will be to keep track of David Silva. He will have to work his way around Fernandinho and the City defence. But the World Cup winner is more than capable of handling things on his own.

Paul Pogba is a threat from outside the box, a very good motivator and a strong box to box player. This man has the talent to deal with things on his own, Sunday could be just another day for him. He has got three goals and three assists in his 11 Premier League appearances this season and would be a major threat while looking to add to his tally.

Edited by Debjyoti Samanta