Manchester United and Manchester City meet at Old Trafford on Sunday in the first derby of the Premier League season, with both sides looking to prove they have what it takes to challenge for the title.
United head into the clash with their promising pre-season optimism tempered by an inconsistent start under Michael Carrick, while City arrive with a perfect record under new manager Enzo Maresca despite signs that the Italian is still working out his best formula.
The derby should provide an early indication of where the two Manchester clubs stand.
Carrick transformed United’s fortunes last season after taking over as interim manager following the club’s split with Ruben Amorim in January. His tenure began with a 2-0 home victory over City, and United went on to win 12 of his 17 Premier League matches, suffering just two defeats before finishing third and securing Champions League qualification.
However, a quiet transfer window, highlighted by the arrivals of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, was followed by a shock 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Hull City on the opening day.
United responded with a 5-2 comeback win over Ipswich Town, inspired by a Bruno Fernandes hat-trick, but defensive concerns resurfaced when Everton scored a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw.
Former United defender Gary Neville has warned that those defensive problems could prove costly.
“I don’t think it’s going to go away and that’s my big fear,” the Sky Sports analyst said this week.
City will provide the toughest possible test, particularly with Erling Haaland in devastating form. The Norwegian scored both goals in Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Porto, taking his tally to five goals in three games this season.
Maresca could hardly have asked for a better start to his reign as Guardiola’s successor, although a major close-season spending spree has left him with an abundance of options and plenty of work to do.
“I’m very happy,” Maresca said after City’s hard-fought 1-0 win over promoted Coventry City. “Also, because I’m getting to know the players day by day, we are getting to know each other.
“That means we are going to be better and better.”
Arsenal Set Early Pace
While United and City continue to find their rhythm, defending champions Arsenal have made a commanding start.
Mikel Arteta’s side have won all three of their Premier League games and followed that up with a hard-fought 1-0 Champions League victory over Napoli on Wednesday.
Arsenal travel to Sunderland on Saturday, but they will be wary of the trip after being held to a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light last season.
Liverpool have also begun to find their form under Andoni Iraola, winning away at Ipswich before beating Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. They now welcome Fulham, managed by former Liverpool player Alvaro Arbeloa.
Arbeloa faces mounting pressure after Fulham suffered three consecutive defeats while conceding seven goals, making him the first manager this season to come under serious scrutiny.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto de Zerbi could soon face similar pressure.
Despite spending around £300 million during the close season, Spurs remain winless after three games and have yet to score.
Just over three months ago, De Zerbi guided Tottenham to safety with a victory over Everton on the final day of last season.
Everton, now managed by David Moyes, return to north London on Saturday, and while the stakes are considerably lower this time, De Zerbi desperately needs a victory to justify Tottenham’s huge investment and restore confidence in his project.
