Manchester Derby: 3 things we expect to see

#2 Through balls played by City midfielders

David Silva

Guardiola’s sides are known for their passing football and evidently, his midfielders play a lot of through balls to the advancing forwards. Tomorrow’s match should be no exception and the speed and agility of the United centre-backs would be tested by the City midfielders.

City are spoilt for choice in the midfield as they a have a number of world-class midfielders in David Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Sane, all of whom are quite adept at playing those vital passes.

United’s centre-backs are in good form but Chris Smalling, especially, is not known for being very fast. Moreover, he would also have to deal with the crosses likely to be played by the likes of Sterling and Sane.

Therefore, Victor Lindelof would have to cover more ground to stop the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero from doing the damage from those through balls. Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera, United’s defensive midfielders, should try to block those passes as much as possible.