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‘Something has to give’
- Updated: September 6, 2016
Preparation for the opening Manchester derby of the season has been far from ideal for the respective managers, writes Sky Sports’ James Cooper.
United face City at Old Trafford – live on Sky Sports – at lunchtime this Saturday, but the World Cup qualifiers over the weekend have affected the plans of home boss Jose Mourinho and City counterpart Pep Guardiola.
It is highly unusual to have a Manchester derby so early in a season with an international break preceding it, especially when this will be a game scrutinised like few that have gone before it.
Manchester’s newest managers should have come face to face in Beijing back in July but rain in the China capital put paid to that, increasing the sense of anticipation ahead of this clash which sees the two combatants with a perfect Premier League record going into Saturday’s match.
Having so many players off on their travels has added an extra dimension to the plans of both Jose and Pep, City know already that they’ll be without the suspended Sergio Aguero for the game but United may face defensive problems.
Mourinho has had 16 of his players off with their senior international teams plus Marcus Rashford with England’s U21s, and of those 16, 12 are now back in the fold.
It might be early in the season but so far Manchester United have had a settled back four comprising Antonio Valencia, Eric Bailly, Daley Blind and Luke Shaw, that may be broken up for the visit of Manchester City thanks to injuries and travelling schedules.
There are major question marks surrounding the fitness of Shaw after he was sent home from international duty by new England boss Sam Allardyce …
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