Manchester United of course play Manchester City in a crunch FA Cup third round clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, so with that in mind it’s worth taking a look at these three players who we should be wary of going into the game:
Sergio Aguero
Not many strikers are brought for £38m, settle immediately at their new club and make their price fee look like a snip. Aguero is one of a select few of those strikers who that matches that definition and is bound to hit 20-25 goals easily this season barring injury.
He’s quick, brave and energetic, can score goals from anywhere and has pretty much jumped to the queue of City’s most important player already at this stage of this season. There’s no doubt about it Aguero is a marquee signing for City who have a star on their hands.
Aguero has scored 16 goals so far this season and with United’s defence being vunerable right now will be confident of scoring this weekend. He will also bring others into play and will track back to win the ball giving defenders no time at all to relax.
Joe Hart
Nobody can deny that Hart hasn’t had to work his socks off to become the no.1 for both his club and country. When he signed for City in 2007 from Shrewsbury he was spoken of about becoming potentially a great goalkeeper.
After impressing Sven-Goran Eriksson who promoted him to the first-team, he was then forced to become Shay Given’s understudy under Mark Hughes before reclaiming the goalkeeper’s gloves last season under Roberto Mancini and has never looked back since.
He is now England’s first-choice keeper and is growing into one of the best keepers of his generation. Due to being an excellent shot-stopper, United will have to work hard to beat him. He has been prone to making mistakes from crosses which may play into United’s wingers mind.
David Silva
One of the main reasons for City’s success this season has been due to the form of their chief conductor in midfield in David Silva who runs games for Mancini. And to think there were fans doubting whether he would adapt to the English game.
Silva has been arguably Mancini’s most important signing and it’s his vision in midfield that has been key to City’s success. He has quick feet and very rarely fails to make a completed pass which is a great quality for any player to have.
The former Valencia man excelled in City’s 6-1 win at Old Trafford earlier in the season and Sir Alex Ferguson will know that he will need his central midfielders to be at their best to stop City’s little maestro weaving more magic against his side.
By Adam Dennehey @ADennehey87