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#3 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) vs Rodri (Manchester City)
United have gone through the motions in their last few games. But the man who has consistently delivered is Bruno Fernandes, the creative inspiration and a prolific chance-creating machine.
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In fact, Fernandes has created the most chances in the Premier League this season. That includes five big chances, and he has also contributed seven top-flight goals in ten games (scored 4, assisted 3) this season.
His ability to lay killer passes and directness of play will be a huge test to City's defensive mettle. So Rodri, City's anchorman, will have a Herculean job of keeping Fernandes quiet.
The Spaniard is an excellent tackler, averaging 2.1 per game this season. His vision and reading of the game is second to none. But he'll have to muster every ounce of those qualities against Fernandes on Saturday.
#2 Phil Foden (Manchester City) vs Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
Manchester City have a striker issue after they failed to land Harry Kane to fill the Sergio Aguero-shaped void. But lately, Phil Foden has started as the false nine, and has shown his ability to excel in it.
He has scored three goals and made one assist in that position in the last four games. Foden has also provided excellent width down the flanks by drifting onto the left flank.
United's defence has shown that false nine is the perfect system to undo them. That's owing to their lack of defensive intelligence, particularly from Maguire, who's been a disaster lately.
The Red Devils captain has lost his sense of positioning, and the less we talk about his marking the better. Another inept performance will be ruthlessly punished by Foden.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) vs Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
If there were any doubts about Cristiano Ronaldo's ability to carry United on his shoulders, the 36-year-old has emphatically squished them. He has scored nine goals in 12 games across competitions so far.
Most of his strikes have been late equalisers or stoppage-time winners, demonstrating his ability to come up clutch in key moments even in the twilight of his career.
Naturally, he'll be looked upon to produce the goods against City too. The task of stopping him in his tracks will be on the broad shoulders of Ruben Dias, who has been the best centre-back in the Premier League since joining City last year.
He uses his physical strength on the ball to bully strikers, and is well-known for last-ditch challenges. So his Portugal teammate can expect to see a few of his shots blocked or diverted out for corners. Either way, it could be a feisty duel.
