Manchester Derby Preview: Can Man Utd keep Erling Haaland quiet?

After the International break and the general lack of club football in September, the Premier League returns with a bang this weekend.

While the North London Derby kicks things off on Saturday lunchtime, eyes will very quickly turn to Manchester on Sunday afternoon as Manchester City welcome Manchester United to the Etihad.

This will be the 188th competitive meeting between the two sides and United have had the upper hand overall, winning 77 compared to City’s 57.

City have closed the gap substantially of late and many will argue they are actually now well clear of their close rivals. City have won five Premier League titles since United last lifted one.

Pep Guardiola’s side are currently capable of running riot against United but form tends to go out the window when these two sides play. In the last 10 meetings in the Premier League, City have won five times to United’s four.

What bodes well for the neutral is both teams are at least playing well. City are still unbeaten in the Premier League and United have won four on the bounce after losing their first two.

Despite a positive up-turn in results, United will have to be weary of City’s new number nine, Erling Haaland. He has scored 14 times in his first nine appearances for the club and with a WhoScored rating of 8.11 he is the highest rated player in the Premier League this season.

After fluffing his lines against Liverpool in the Community Shield at the start of August, Haaland has scored or assisted in all seven of his Premier League appearances.

United not only have to contend with dealing with Haaland, but also whether to play their own big name, Cristiano Ronaldo. The 37-year-old started the season out of the team and has been playing catch up ever since. Ronaldo has remarkably scored just one from 25 shots for club and country this season and his only goal came from the penalty spot away to Moldovan side FC Sheriff.

We are only just creeping into October and Ronaldo has already made more substitute appearances in the league this season than any other campaign since 2004/05. Ten Hag has used Ronaldo from the bench in five of their opening six league matches this season. A seven-game run without a league goal, stretching back into last season, is also his worst run since his first stint at United.

It is already clear Ronaldo does not suit Ten hag’s style of play but the Dutchman may have no choice but the field the Portugal international with major doubts over the availability of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford. Ten Hag may elect for Anthony Elanga or Bruno Fernandes through the middle, in what would be hugely embarrassing for Ronaldo.

City will be seen as the overwhelming favourites on Sunday, but United’s can’t be written off. They have already beaten Liverpool and Arsenal this season and in Lisandro Martinez they have a defender that already has experience of keeping Haaland quiet.