the Premier League this weekend. Manchester Darby time lad City
against United, and check this one out if United win this. And
then when their game in hand, they actually would go above
Manchester City in
the table. I mean, who would have thought that a few weeks
ago, given their spiraling, start on the Eric 10 hog. But
Nick Mandola, I mean,
what do you expect from this game in particular? Because
all signs point to City dominating this season. Dominating this
This game just like dominated this rivalry in recent Seasons,
but, you know, I'd have had some good results against City.
Some weird ones, right? And they kind of almost know how to
play against Pep Guardiola teams. But this is a different
United Team different group of players different manager.
So it's going to be very interesting this weekend
in that building.
It does feel like it,
this has the recipe for a reality check for Manchester United.
I think they have some players will be fresh and rested and
I think they'll be up for the challenge but it's still very
difficult to break. Old Man City and while
United have the horses to do that. I think if they really
want to do that even with Eric and hog, you're going to have
to see them, taking chances. They don't want to take and
I will give you an eye-popping number. They have played Seven
matches
this year. So far.
Seven matches, man, city is played the, they've allowed six
goals their Collective. Expected goals against is under
for,
they don't give up good chances over the course of a game and
while United has the has the
Talent to manufacture them.
I don't know that they have the channel, the town to stop them,
even with Veron and the way things have been going a little
bit better. So I like man city in this one.
However, I wouldn't want to be a better this weekend because
after the international break, you never know what's going to
happen. Especially with the heightened emotions of a diary.
That's very, very true and iand. I mean,
when he comes to,
you know, it obviously great last 4 games, Four Winds,
Eric 10 hog is figured something out
again a grittiness.
Of determination to defend first and then hit teams on
the counter. We saw it against Arsenal right there, outplayed
for a lot of that game but took their chances with clinical.
Can you see that being a similar kind of game here and
game plan from United under out? Somehow, it's not
beautiful,
it's not the total football you want and loves
and idolizes Pep Guardiola for and obviously
worked under it by Munich with Reserve team. But that's what
you're not going to have to do, right? And kind of replicate
that performance they had against Arsenal to get anything
that City
I don't Care what it looks like for Manchester United this
weekend, when you're facing City, who play the game,
the way that they play, you know what, you're going to have to
do. And that's what Manchester United are going to have to do
in this game.
They're going to have to defend and they're going to have to
look taking to get out on the counter. And it'll be
interesting to see what do they need more than anything in
the world. After they brought in a couple of late signings, right
before the deadline, they
got Antony and they got Casimir Owen.
I needed time. They needed time to work together for Eric 10.
Hog to blood these new players into the And teach them and
work with them. And obviously, the international break is
taken away a little bit of that, but they had an
extra week in there, that a lot of teams didn't hand. So I just
wonder we've seen that we've already seen from 10 hog, that
he is willing to be flexible, tactical, he's willing to
change and do things
differently for the betterment of the team and to get results.
And if he's willing to do that and he put in
a couple solid weeks of training with these players
and they are really starting to feel confident and comfortable
I think playing under his ideas, then I would not be
surprised to see Manchester United. Much more competitive
than a lot of people probably want to say that they
would be or that it might look on paper. So I could see United
making this a really, really, really interesting game.
Probably City going to make it in the end, but it's going to
be a lot closer than. I think, a lot of people would just
look inside United. They're a mess. Manchester City,
arguably, one of the greatest teams of all time. It's going
to be a blowout. It's not
when Nick the on the other hand, it's how on Earth do you
stop Kevin? De bruyne. Underling Holland right now.
That's the issue. Look at the broiler. He's
almost gone under the radar because Harlan's been so good
score. So many goals in his debut. Season early on 11 goals
already in the Premier League but look at the broilers stats.
He's already
leading the Premier League in assists. Expected assist and
chances creative right now and he's just just taking
taking the league by storm once again. And I don't know why I'm
so surprised saying that, but somehow I am because you have
so many great players, but he is the constant. He's the gel
that just knits everything.
Together. So smoothly and his understanding of Harlan,
the particular is scary for any team. They can't begin to
the Premier League. So do you think if it is for an and lissandra
Martinez? Do you think they can stop Harland? Or
is he pretty Unstoppable right now? And it's
a case of trying to hit City on the counter and in hoping for
the best at the other end of the pitch, your best hope of
stopping rule in Harlem, is
David to hear.
Yeah. That's, that's really it. It's funny because you kind of
think about the criticism of the Andrew Martinez, for being
under sighs.
I think a lot of ways that can be a bit of hogwash if you will,
not today. I mean, when you're under sized against Holland
and the fact is what Holland does so? Well is he moves
across the pitch, he finds himself into position. So often
we see him at these weird angles at the back post whether
he's leaping
I love when this guy to leaps
to use his foot in a position and the rest of us would lead
to use the very top of our forehead.
Absolute freak Show and to Bruna and Bernardo Silva both
of these guys, right? Right now,
I think of excuse me, I think back to David Silva when we
would think to ourselves. This guy is
goes not goes away, but doesn't have a gaudy performance
and then just we'll throw a performance that no one else in
the world can match that few people can. And that's what
Kevin De bruyne does. Whenever you think that he's just a cog
in the machine, he cooks up like a two goal to assist
performance.
That leaves you thinking he's walking away with a bomb,
how? Wait, I always say it wrong.
The bottom door.
Yes, You did it. So I think
even if it's not Ballon, d'Or,
extraordinaire, Kevin De bruyne, it,
it's folding, its grealish. It's Harland there's so many
players there that can hurt you, right Mara's. Andy,
what's your score prediction for this one? What's your kind of
overall prediction of how this going to go? You think sit
you're going to Edge it, right? We going to see another classic
man, just the Darby
may be classy. It'll be fascinating to watch
tactically, it's going to be back. There's going to be
periods of back-and-forth in it, that are going. Going to
make City it look,
you know, beatable and that's going to be that's going to be
worrying or that's gonna throw some people off. I think I do
think in the end though. Yeah, it's like 21 and maybe they
need a late goal to win it.
But this is I just see this being a performance from United
where we look back and say, all right, they've got something
going. Now they are actually
building something with, you know, a very smart manager in place
a pretty good squad.
Still some work to be done, but I just, I see a lot of progress
from them like that performance against ours. All not trying to
take too much from 90 minutes, but that performance against
Arsenal,
I think answered a lot of questions
that we had about United,
Nick school productions,
men City to 21.
Okay, so you got you guys, both gone to the one.
I'm going to go.
I'm gonna go tool. I think it was it. Yeah, I
can't resist. I just think there's something about this
United team right now. Brazilian, they've got quality.
Now,
I like the point Andy made about they've had a bit of
extra time to work on things. So I think they may
may impact City a little bit and surprise them a little bit
if that's possible. And also the point, the Nick made about
off the international break. I think there's some weird
results is probably a good time for United to play city as
well.
So yeah. I'm going for a drill but I know what's going to
happen. It's going to be a great atmosphere at the Etihad.
This game always delivers early in the season
and United going to go into this of a lot of confidence.
After those recent victories, as I said strangers it is they
win this win, their game in hand, they go above city, which
is just crazy to me, give them where they were a few weeks
ago, so
head over to pro soccer. Talk on NBC sports.com. For all
the preview of the Manchester Derby. How to watch information
recap and Analysis, the three gents on the screen will have
you covered. And
thanks so much for joining us and I hope you will enjoy
the Manchester Derby and all the Premier League games coming up
this weekend.