Man Utd host Man City at Old Trafford in the English Premier League at lunchtime on Saturday. The hosts needed a late goal to rescue a point at Atalanta in midweek but have a fine record against City under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Pep Guardiola\u2019s team has already failed to score in three Premier League matches this season and won\u2019t want to fall further off the leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United have performed poorly this season even when winning matches. They have lost five times in the last 11 and even their four wins have come through late winners at West Ham and against Villarreal and Atalanta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having lost consecutive league matches in 4-2 and 5-0 thrashings by Leicester and Liverpool, pressure mounted on Solskjaer\u2019s job. He responded by changing formation and cruising to a 3-0 win away at Tottenham. In their last match, a late Cristiano Ronaldo goal was needed to rescue a 2-2 draw at Atlanta in the Champions League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Man Utd will be without central defender Raphael Varane for a month due to a hamstring injury. Victor Lindelof is also doubtful in central defence, which puts the 3-5-2 formation of the last two matches in doubt. Paul Pogba is suspended so Fred will return in the double pivot for this match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In attack, Edinson Cavani will return to partner Ronaldo with Marcus Rashford likely to be on the bench. Should Solskjaer want to stick with a back three, then either Lindelof has to be fit or he could move Luke Shaw into the left center-back and start Alex Telles at left wingback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the humiliation in their last home match, the players will be very motivated to avoid a repeat. There is also real pressure on them knowing that the crowd could turn should they concede an early goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Solskjaer has found joy against Guardiola\u2019s City (4 wins in 8) by playing an abrasive, defensive style and using counterattacks. The same is expected in this match and the side could focus on keeping a clean sheet in the first half to rebuild some confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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City has had a slightly strange season thus far. After netting five goals twice and six goals twice in August and September and winning at Stamford Bridge, they were then beaten by PSG. They have continued to score freely in certain matches since then with their last five bringing a five-goal haul and two matches where they netted four times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, City has failed to score in 3 of their 10 league matches already, the same total as all of last season. Their last league match saw a 2-0 home loss to Crystal Palace with a paltry 0.7 xG produced. Aymeric Laporte\u2019s red card before half-time didn\u2019t help but they lacked ideas before that too. They bounced back to the cruise to a 4-1 win at home against Club Brugge in midweek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
City is without Aymeric Laporte in central defence due to suspension. John Stones is expected to play ahead of Nathan Ake alongside Ruben Dias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only significant injury is to Ferran Torres in the attack. Phil Foden is expected to play as the false nine with two of Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling, and Jack Grealish down the flanks. Kevin De Bruyne will return to the XI likely in place of Ilkay Gundogan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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City will play to dominate the match and will be prepared to face a Man Utd back five. Guardiola will put a lot of focus on stopping counter-attacks through Cavani and Ronaldo and may be safer in how his side keeps possession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Man City will play to win this match but a draw would not be a disaster. A defeat certainly would be and Guardiola will not want the embarrassment of yet another loss to Solskjaer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
United<\/strong> have lost 4 of their last 8 home PL matches <\/p>\n\n\n\n Man Utd\u2019s inconsistent results and performance levels make this a difficult match to predict. City has what it takes to win but a draw is probably the safest bet with under 3.5 goals. It\u2019s difficult to see Man Utd winning this match despite Solskjaer\u2019s record against Guardiola. Man Utd host Man City at Old Trafford in the English Premier League at lunchtime on Saturday. The hosts needed a late goal to rescue a point at Atalanta in midweek but have a fine record against City under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Pep Guardiola\u2019s team has already failed to score in three Premier League matches this season and won\u2019t want to fall further off the leaders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":34779,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","beyondwords_generate_audio":"","beyondwords_project_id":"","beyondwords_content_id":"","beyondwords_preview_token":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_delete_content":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_status":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"categories":[1254,969],"tags":[283,39,38,72],"yoast_head":"\n
Man Utd<\/strong> are 10 home matches without a clean sheet
United<\/strong> have seen over 2.5 goals in their last 3 PL matches
Solskjaer<\/strong> has won 4 of his 8 meetings with City boss Guardiola<\/strong> (all competitions)
City<\/strong> are winless in their last 4 PL matches vs Man Utd (L3, D1)
City<\/strong> have failed to score in 3 of their 10 PL matches this season, already as many as in 2020\/21<\/p>\n\n\n\nVerdict<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Best Bet: Draw\/City double chance + under 3.5 goals at 1.90<\/strong><\/a>
Alternative Bet: Draw at 3.90<\/strong><\/a>
Value Bet: Score draw at 4.50<\/strong><\/a>
Correct Score Tip: Man Utd 1-1 Man City at 8.25<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"