The Derby Within the Derby in Manchester

The first all Manchester Pep Guardiola v José Mourinho matchup is just a day away and I find myself more intrigued by the two managers whom the footballing collective have dubbed the best in the business rather than the 35 or so players who are actually dressing (or not dressing) for the match. Every time these two square off I imagine the Mortal Kombat voice yelling FIGHT! after which they strafe in their 2D manager’s box and occasionally throw an up + down + B.

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Make no mistake about it; this is a vitally important matchup between two sides with Premier League title aspirations who combined for over 300 million dollars in spending this summer to bolster their squads. While each side may dazzle with linkup passes or timely nutmegs, I really don’t expect this match to live up to the importance of a six point affair. The suspension of Sergio Agüero for the blue side of Manchester is absolutely devastating to City, who struggled to score goals against quality competition when Agüero was injured last year.

The absence of a strong attacking threat plays straight into what we all expect from a side coached by José Mourinho. United will remain compact on the defensive end of the pitch, allowing City to have more possession knowing they don’t have their number one option in the box. Once United regain possession, they certainly have enough strength moving forward to pose an attacking threat to any defense. United is already averaging over 17 shots per game this campaign. José shouldn’t change anything, including Juan Mata in the starting lineup, given how dominant United have been offensively.

Pep has fielded the same personnel this year with slight variations on the overall shape. The idea is to have Nolito and Sterling playing wide behind Agüero in a 4-5-1, 4-1-4-1, or 4-3-3. Both wings are excelling this year, particularly Nolito who links up well with his compatriot David Silva on the left side of the pitch. Pep would be wise to keep this tactic, but stick to a 4-3-3 where Iheanacho replaces Agüero and Sterling and Nolito are pressing further up the field. Pep should emphasize pressure specifically on United’s left side which contains Luke Shaw and Daley Blind, two players prone to defensive lapses when put under pressure. Sterling could cause both of these defenders issues by either running right at them, forcing the two defenders to decide which one will follow Sterling creating a break in the back four or by hammering balls into the box from that side of the field, forcing both defenders to stay consistent with clearances. Options for Pep are thin in this first encounter, thus it’s crucial that City takes advantage of weak points in United’s back four.

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Ultimately this match will be more about opening a new chapter in a long lasting rivalry between two egotistical coaching icons. Sure, at times it can be infuriating to witness either of these two do any facet of their job. We know any interview with Pep or José will contain answers to questions that range in verbosity but contain little-to-no content involving the actual questions they’re being asked. Both managers are disciples of the Greg Popovich School of Media Deception, only Popovich will be eternally beloved by fans and players alike once he leaves his post. The same won’t be said of either of these two. We’ve seen Pep and José get physical with their own players, opposing players, and even fans. We know to expect constant harassment of fourth officials on the field week after week.

Whether we like it or not Guardiola and Mourinho are the current managers of the two wealthiest clubs in England. The best managers attract the best players and the best players produce the most entertaining football. We simply have to accept the Manchester derby is now as much about two guys who can’t put the ball in the net themselves as it is about the players who they choose to do just that.

Almost definitely going to happen prediction – 3-1 United