The club action for Manchester United will resume with a blockbuster Manchester Derby, and Omar Marmoush’s injury for City means Ruben Amorim must unleash the dressing room’s ‘quiet leader’.
For once, Man Utd will be facing a team whose injury troubles are more dire than theirs.
Pep Guardiola could be without as many as 10 players for the derby, which, combined with the poor form, gives Ruben Amorim’s men a genuine chance to kickstart their season.
With Omar Marmoush’s name added to the injured list ahead of the game, Amorim must unleash the player he has previously called the ‘future’ of the club.
Ruben Amorim’s tactical puzzle vs Man City
Omar Marmoush has started two of the three Premier League games for Manchester City this season.
Despite being a natural centre-forward, Guardiola has used him as an inverted left-winger, where he can cut in on his stronger right foot and test the goalkeeper.
Marmoush is pacy, but dribbling is not his biggest threat, especially compared to the player Guardiola will likely replace him with.
Marmoush’s injury means Jeremy Doku will start for City on the left, a similarly inverted left-winger but with a style of play much different from Marmoush’s.
Doku likes to take his man off the dribble all the time, and this is a tactical puzzle for Amorim since a direct threat can scramble defences in an instant.
Fortunately, Amorim has just the right answer to solve that tactical puzzle. He’s been called Man Utd’s ‘quiet’ leader before.
Noussair Mazraoui will be crucial against Man City
Now that Doku is likely to play, United need a player who is proficient at defending one-on-ones, while also having the ability to push Doku back with his own game on the ball.
The role is tailor-made for Noussair Mazraoui, who returned from injury against Burnley before the international break for his first minutes of the season.
Mazraoui shone against Burnley in limited time, showing why he achieved an undroppable status last season.
With a two-week break after his cameo, Mazraoui should be ready to start this game, not just because he’s in great form, but because the team needs him to nullify Doku.
A Pep Guardiola team rarely relies on direct runners to scramble defences, but they will be forced to do so when Doku plays in Marmoush’s place.
Mazraoui is the perfect player to live up to that challenge in that right-sided centre-back role if Amorim is feeling adventurous.
Even if he selects a more defensive team, Mazraoui is the clear-cut best option to start as the right wing-back, where he will have to stop Doku again.
That battle is not the most glamorous one, but it could end up deciding the game.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/rmo1l2a