Three Tactical Changes That Man Utd Boss Mourinho Should Make To Defeat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City
In easily the biggest clash of the Premier League so far this season, Pep Guardiola will face an old foe in Jose Mourinho when his Manchester City side travel to Old Trafford on Sunday. The Cityzens have been in fine form recently but fell to their first defeat earlier this week in Europe. But they will come out all guns blazing, to fight for all three points.
This is a chance for the Red Devils to cover some ground at the top of the table and will also have to be at their best to get anything from this game. Guardiola’s side are playing some fascinating football and will be hard to beat. So here are three tactical changes Mourinho can make, to get the better of the visitors:
Martial And Lukaku As Two Strikers Up Front
Pep Guardiola’s men have been hard to beat this season but their backline has hardly been stretched or tested. This is something Mourinho will surely have spotted and using Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku on the shoulders of Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi will give City a tough time in building from the back. This will also mean that Martial can feed off Lukaku, who can act as a target man, something the Red Devils are accustomed to, very well. This will be a new challenge for the visitors, who could have some trouble in countering it.
Marking De Bruyne Using Ander Herrera
It was not long ago that Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera was sent off for the job he performed on Belgian international Eden Hazard of Chelsea. Facing his former side, Mourinho decided that he needed a player to constantly harass the 26-year old playmaker and it worked pretty well, at least until the red card.
He might want to do something similar this weekend, to stop yet another playmaker in Kevin de Bruyne. Easily one of the best in his role this season, De Bruyne has been hard to mark in most games but if Herrera can do what he did to Hazard, Manchester City will struggle to create as many chances in this game.
Wing-backs In An Advanced Role
Mourinho will surely fight for all three points but given the scoring prowess of his neighbours, he might be forced into a slightly conservative approach. However, the Portuguese tactician can easily surprise Pep Guardiola and using the wing-backs to push City back might be one plan he can deploy.
Injuries to key players is sure to see Manchester United start in a 3-4-3 system or its variant and wing-backs could play a huge role in deciding the outcome of the game. The likes of Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia are expected to start on either flank and Mourinho can have them play further up the wing, pushing the likes of Kyle Walker, Fabian Delph back, and reducing the effect of the likes of Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane on the wings.
Both players have been influential in almost every attack for City and if they are restricted to a withdrawn role, United would have a better shot at all three points.