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The stage is set for the first Manchester Derby of the 2021-22 campaign. Manchester United host Manchester City at Old Trafford in their Premier League fixture on Sunday.
Just three points separate the two arch-rivals in the league standings, who have been evenly matched in the final third. The Red Devils have scored 19 goals and the Cityzens have found the back of the net 20 times. Pep Guardiola's men have been meaner defensively and have conceded just six goals. Meanwhile the hosts have let in 15 goals with five of them coming against Liverpool.
Both teams have fared well in the UEFA Champions League and are currently the leaders in their respective groups. The addition of Cristiano Ronaldo to United's ranks has definitely had a positive impact on their results. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner will be looking to leave a good account of himself in his first Manchester Derby since 2009.
Star players like Raphael Varane and Paul Pogba will miss out for Manchester United. Meanwhile, Aymeric Laporte and Ferran Torres will sit this one out for Manchester City.
Nonetheless, both sides have highly capable players in their ranks who will need to step up in this game. On that note, we take a look at the five players to watch out for as Manchester United square off against their local foes on Sunday.
#5 Aaron Wan-Bissaka | Manchester United
Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka has not missed a single minute of action in all 10 Premier League games this season. He is the only player from either team to have done so. He is one of the first names on the team sheet for Solskjaer. His pace and tackling prowess make him a great defensive asset for the hosts.
He has made a name for himself for his tough tackles and last-minute interceptions. He has not disappointed this season either, attempting two successful tackles per 90 minutes.
The left-flank is a strength for Manchester City. Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish all have the ability to make great runs into the box. Wan-Bissaka is expected to be a busy man on Sunday.
#4 Bernardo Silva | Manchester City
Bernardo Silva has enjoyed a great start to the 2021-22 season. In a season where Manchester City have not yet had a standout player, he has impressed with his work rate and selflessness.
The Portuguese's performance against Burnley was the defining moment of the campaign in which he scored the opening goal. He was brilliant throughout the game with the ball at his feet.
He has been a crucial link for the Cityzens as he took it upon himself to take the ball from deep into good attacking positions. As Opta makes it clear, no player has made more progressive runs in the English top-flight than him.
Also See: Only 4 players have scored a Premier League hat-trick against Manchester United: Where are they now?
#3 Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United
Manchester City need to keep an eye on Cristiano Ronaldo. But there's another Portuguese player in Manchester United's ranks who might hold the key to split open City defense on Sunday. Bruno Fernandes has been the most creative player in the Premier League. He has averaged 3.7 key passes a game this term, picking up three assists as well.
Fernandes has also scored four goals so far, making him the joint top-scorer for the club. Well, United will need his creativity more than his goal-scoring exploits against Manchester City. He will be United's most important player in the middle of the park on Sunday.
#2 Gabriel Jesus | Manchester City
Manchester City have not been at their prolific best this season and one of the reasons for that is inconsistent performances from their attacking players. Gabriel Jesus would've hoped that he would finally be the first-choice striker for Guardiola after Sergio Aguero's move to Barcelona. But this season he has started on the wing in a three-man attacking system and to everyone's surprise, he has adjusted well to that role.
He has five assists and two goals in eight starts in the league. His goal tally may not be that impressive for a striker. But some good shifts on the flanks have helped him gain much-needed confidence.
He found the back of the net in the midweek Champions League game against Club Brugge in a 4-1 victory. He will be hoping to score his first derby goal here.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo has hit the ground running with the Red Devils and Manchester City should be wary of him and his match-winning abilities. The player has fit into the squad seamlessly and in seven appearances has four goals and an assist to his name.
Ronaldo's determination and drive to score makes him one of the trickiest opponents to go up against on the pitch. He might be the biggest test of the Manchester City defense yet, who let in two goals against Crystal Palace last week.
He has scored five goals in 12 appearances against the visitors. Four of them came in the Manchester derby and one in the Champions League for Real Madrid in 2012. He will be looking to add to his goal tally here.
He has delivered match-winning performances for the club in the Champions League. He scored a brace on Tuesday against Atalanta to clutch out a 2-2 draw from the game. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will again be expecting a standout performance from him.
