The Manchester derby has become one of the fiercest rivalries over the past ten years. The two sides will meet for the 188th time on Sunday (October 10) when Manchester City welcomes bitter rivals Manchester United to the Etihad Stadium. The Citizens' summer signing, Erling Haaland, is on fire right now and is in position to set yet another exceptional record in the Man City vs Man Utd clash.
What record could Erling Haaland break against Manchester United?
Noreiwagn Erling Haaland has been in a record-breaking sphere after hitting 11 goals in his first 7 appearances. The dangerous striker is widely expected to break the Premier League record for most goals in a single season. Andy Cole and Alan Shearer have jointly held the record for most goals in a single Premier League season with 34. Haaland's goal-scoring prowess suggests that he will have little trouble breaking the current record in his first season.
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But on Sunday, Erling will be eying a different record, one that no one has done before. He netted two hat-tricks in his previous two home league matches against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace. Haaland will set a new record of three consecutive hat-tricks in home Premier League fixtures if he can score a hat-trick against Manchester United. In the 2018-2019 campaign, former Man City striker Sergio Aguero had three hat-tricks at home.
Can Haaland achieve the feat by scoring three goals against a top-tier European football team? Given Haaland's recent performance and Manchester United's current defensive shortcomings, it won't be surprising to see Haaland score numerous goals during this match.
Manchester United vs Manchester City: Match Preview
The Manchester City vs Manchester United Premier League match will start at 7 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time) on October 2. Both Manchester sides will likely miss some of their regular starters for this contest. The reigning champions, Manchester City, will miss two of their English stars, John Stones and Kalvin Phillips. However, the return of defender Aymeric Laporte is great news for manager Pep Guardiola. The rest of the players in the squad are fit and available for selection. Guardiola’s preferred formation could be 4-3-3 in this fixture.
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Probable Starting Line Up (Manchester City)
GK: Ederson; Defenders: Walker, Akanji, Dias, Cancelo; Midfielders: Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Forwards: Foden, Haaland, Grealish
Manchester United, on the other hand, are in even more of a selection dilemma as a number of players are out for this clash due to injury issues. Because of fitness issues, Donny van de Beek, Brandon Williams, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, and Scott McTominay are all likely to miss this derby clash. Manager Erik ten Hag may prefer to field a 4-2-3-1 formation for more defensive solidarity.
Probable Starting Line Up (Manchester United)
GK: De Gea; Defenders: Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Malacia; Midfielders: Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony, Fernandes, Sancho; Forward: Rashford
Manchester City vs Manchester United 2022: Match Prediction
Manchester City are in second place in the Premier League 2022-2023 season at the moment with 17 points in 7 matches. On the other hand, Manchester United have made a strong comeback after disappointing results in their opening two fixtures. They are now in sixth position with 12 points in six matches. Given the squad's strength and the current form, the Citizens will surely start as favourites against the Red Devils in this fixture.
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Aftermath
The Manchester City side is currently dominating both domestic and international competitions. Their main hitman, Erling Haaland, has been in excellent form, and it appears that he and his new teammates have developed a close bond. The Norwegian wonderkid will be eager to set a new record when he plays against Manchester United. If Haaland finds his usual form, it would be more worrisome for Manchester United, who are trying to correct their defensive mistakes. Overall, Sunday's Man City vs Man Utd game promises to be an exciting one to watch.
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