Okay so the moment has finally arrived. Rarely do we get such a scenario, where the destiny of a league title rests on the outcome of a single match. And let’s make no mistake about that, that’s exactly how Monday night’s Manchester Derby has panned out. It’s winner takes all at the Etihad Stadium the day after tomorrow; except that a draw is as good as a win for Manchester United.
A couple of weeks ago, when Arsenal got the better of Manchester City at the Emirates, it seemed as if the old lady has sung for the 20th time in United’s favour. With eight points the difference and six games to go back then, it was ostensibly game, set and match. However, as time told so intriguingly, that wasn’t the case to be. United then went on to drop three points at Wigan, against a team fighting for their life and showcasing the apposite desperation and intent. While 19th beating top is an anomaly – especially considering the fact that the side at the top is the side that has built a two-decade dynasty on finishing off title races in April –, that result wasn’t exactly a bolt from the blue. That particular bolt was conjured up by the blue half of Liverpool, when United squandered – in every single possible sense of the term – a two goal cushion at Old Trafford. Everton have nothing much except bragging rights over Liverpool to play for in the league as things stand. And such a complacent performance against them was definitely not something one associates with Sir Alex Ferguson’s sides in clutch time.
United now have 83 points from 35 games, three more than City, and only need a draw to stay ahead of their archenemy and all but seal the title – considering their remaining pair of fixtures is considerably less taxing than that of their neighbours. City, meanwhile, have the momentum on their side. It looks as if City had bottled the EPL title after falling eight points behind in the title race, and now by dropping five points in the last three gameweeks, United look like following the same “bottling” pattern. City’s much superior goal difference – +60 compared to United’s +54 – means that a win would be enough to supplant Sir Alex’s side from the top of the pile, and three wins from their last three games should win Roberto Mancini’s side the title.
Onto the game itself; Mancini will have Mario Balotelli back from his suspension, but he would in all probability stick with the Argentinean strike partnership of Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero, who’ve been firing on a multitude of cylinders of late. Another positive news on the injury front for Mancini is that Micah Richards is also back from his hamstring injury enforced absence, and that should shore up the defence ahead of Monday. Sir Alex on the other hand might think about replacing Rafael – who has been out of sorts recently – with one of Phil Jones or Chris Smalling. And there is a fair chance that Ryan Giggs would start United’s biggest game of the season.
City do have a couple of tricky fixtures after the derby – Newcastle (A), QPR (H) – one going hell bent for leather in the race for Champions League football, while the other clinging onto EPL survival by the skin of their teeth. United face Swansea at home and Sunderland away, neither of them with much to play for this season; and hence, it is all the more important for City to get the three points on Monday.
United rarely do let go of leads this time of the year, but if their recent performances are anything to go by, they are very much there for the taking.
