Highlights
- The Manchester derby between City and United on March 3 kicks off at the unusual time of 3:30pm GMT.
- Hosts Man City are the overwhelming favourites to win the fixture at the Etihad Stadium.
- Erik ten Hag’s side will be looking to bounce back after a shock home defeat to Fulham.
Manchester City host Manchester United in the Premier League on March 3. While the Citizens are looking to bolster their title hopes, the Red Devils’ aim is to pull off a shock away win to enhance their chances of securing a top-four finish. Despite being played on a Sunday, the game will kick off at the unusual time of 3.30pm GMT.
Pep Guardiola’s men are hoping to secure a fourth successive Premier League title, in what would be a first in the competition’s history. However, Arsenal and Liverpool are proving to be stubborn opposition at the top of the table, so a victory against their local rivals is essential if they’re to keep themselves firmly in the chase.
|
Premier League table (as of 28/02/24) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Team |
GD |
Points |
|
1. |
Liverpool |
+38 |
60 |
|
2. |
Manchester City |
+33 |
59 |
|
3. |
Arsenal |
+39 |
58 |
|
4. |
Aston Villa |
+21 |
52 |
|
5. |
Tottenham |
+14 |
47 |
|
6. |
Manchester United |
0 |
44 |
On the other hand, things haven’t been as positive for Erik ten Hag, who has come under intense scrutiny during the current campaign due to United’s inconsistent and underwhelming performances. The Dutch manager is in desperate need of positive results soon if his side are to have any hope of sealing Champions League qualification.
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That said, the next league fixture on the agenda for United is a short trip to the home of fierce rivals, Manchester City. The reverse fixture saw the reigning English champions make Old Trafford their playground as City strolled to a convincing 3-0 victory. The form of the two teams suggests there could be a repeat in the upcoming game, with Man City in excellent shape heading into the fixture.
Why Manchester derby kicks off at 3.30pm
Unusual start time for the later Sunday game
Football fans from all over the world will tune in as the two Manchester clubs go head-to-head for the second time this season. However, they’ll need to be aware that the fixture begins an hour earlier than it normally would.
The majority of Sunday games are played at either 2pm or 4.30pm in the UK, but referee Andy Madley will blow the starting whistle at 3.30pm for this mouth-watering clash. This is due to apparent agreement between the police and broadcasters. Sky Sports will show the match as part of their ‘Super Sunday’ coverage, and The Sun have reported that the organisation have collaborated with the police to agree on the changed kick-off time.
Crowd trouble is a regular occurrence at some derbies, and it appears the relevant authorities have decided to err on the side of caution on this occasion. This has had a knock-on effect on the earlier game in the day, which will now see Burnley and Bournemouth’s game start at 1pm GMT rather than 2pm GMT.
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Pride and points at stake
Manchester City could potentially move to the summit of the Premier League table depending on Liverpool’s result against Nottingham Forest the day before Guardiola’s men face United. All three points will be demanded by the revered Catalan coach with home advantage expected to play into City’s hands.
Man United suffered a late defeat in their prior league game against Fulham and there’s a danger that this will have a negative impact on the players’ confidence heading into the derby. Ten Hag is trying to keep his side’s hopes of playing in the Champions League next season alive, but failure to win at the Etihad could seriously dent these aspirations. One thing’s for sure: there’s plenty at stake for both sides.
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