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This Sunday is going to be a super Sunday for all the football fans out there as the Old Trafford is set to host the Manchester derby in a fixture of match-week 16.
These two sides have faced each other 40 times in the Premier League, out of which 20 games have been won my United and 12 by City.
Pep Guardiola's side will be hoping to continue their dream start and extend their lead at the top while Jose Mourinho will be looking to narrow the gap between the two sides in the points table.
While both the sides gear up for a crucial game ahead, here are few reasons why this derby will be the best of the lot.
#5 Possibility of the dream run being broken
Manchester City leveled the second best record of longest winning streak in Premier League by defeating West Ham in their recent fixture. The Sky Blues are now on a 13-game winning streak equaling Chelsea's record in the league.
Manchester City's win streak started with an away win against Bournemouth and it has continued till their recent victory against West Ham.
The Cityzens will be looking to equal Arsenal's record of 14 wins in style when they face their arch rivals away from home. Howeverm they would certainly know that it is going to be a tough ask for the team.
This record on the line will surely be an additional spice to the intense battle that awaits.
#4 David de Gea in the form of his life
David de Gea's recent top performances in the league is another element which will make this derby a lot more interesting.
The Spaniard recently equaled the Premier League record of most number of saves in a single game by making 14 saves in total against Arsenal last week. He will certainly look to continue that form against the table toppers this weekend.
The 27-year-old has made 53 saves this season so far, a record that is second only to Lukasz Fabianski, who has produced 61 saves till now. He has conceded a mere nine goals in the league and has kept an identical number of clean-sheets in the process.
It is going to be a big test ahead for 'The Wall' as prepares himself to face the team with the most lethal attack in the league this year.
#3 United's impressive home record
Manchester United have been a dominant side at home this season and are yet to drop a single point while playing at Old Trafford, which makes the upcoming battle even better.
The Red Devils are the only side to have 100% win record at home so far and they have won all seven games in the Premier League and have also won all three games in Champions league there.
United have scored 20 and conceded only one Premier League goal at home this season.
On the other hand, Manchester City have enjoyed playing away from home as they have a 100% away record in their seven games this season. This also included a victory against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season. The table toppers also thrashed Watford 6-0 away from home and have managed to score 18 goals in seven away games so far.
One of the two 100% win records is going to be crushed this weekend and this fact further intensifies the fixture between the two sides.
#2 The dominance of City's attack
One of the biggest talking points this season has been Manchester City's excellent attacking game upfront, which shows from the fact that they have scored a whopping 46 goals in 15 games till now. They are averaging a magnificent number of three goals per game!
The Sky Blues have scored at least a one goal in every game they have played so far and have even netted five or more times in four games till now. This include a 5-0 thrashing of Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.
Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling find themselves among the top-5 goalscorers of the league with nine goals each whereas Gabriel Jesus is just behind them with eight goals in the season.
The assist chart completely belongs to City as three of their players are placed in top-five in the list. The architects of their midfield, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva, have set up eight goals each while Leroy Sane has assisted six goals.
This attacking power of City will be tested this weekend against a defensively strong opponent in the form of Jose Mourinho's men.
#1 Pep Guardiola - Jose Mourinho
How could anyone miss one of the epic managerial rivalries while talking about this derby ?
This is a contest that is rich in its history and narrative, stretching right back to the early 1990s when Jose Mourinho was a part of Sir Bobby Robson’s coaching team at Camp Nou, where Pep Guardiola played his early football.
This pair have met on 19 occasions, where Guardiola has enjoyed a larger amount of success. The Spaniard has won eight games while Mourinho has won only four.
The team managed by Guardiola has scored 28 goals while Mourinho's side has scored 18 in total. The biggest win was recorded by Pep during their first El Clasico against each other, when his brilliant Barcelona side thrashed Real Madrid 5-0.
This rivalry is much more than statistics though. The two managers have a penchant of taking a dig against each other in their respective interviews.
In a recent interview Mourinho stated, "I'm telling the truth, he (Nemanja Matic) is injured but will play for sure. No stories of Lacazette or David Silva. All the truth. Our opponents have all these issues. They have a big issue but in the end everybody is ready to play."
With all these factors beautifully poised, no football fan would like to miss this excellent treat that awaits him this weekend.
