Manchester United v/s Manchester City: Can Jose Mourinho pip old rival Pep Guardiola in battle of Old Trafford?

So here we are again. Pep Guardiola v/s Jose Mourinho. Light v/s Dark. The Choir Boy v/s The Fallen Angel. ‘Keep the ball’ vs ‘give it to them’.

The battle of the two pre-eminent footballing managers/philosophies of its time is here again, all in the city of Manchester.

The battle lines were drawn in 2016 when Manchester United picked Jose Mourinho to bring its creaking ship out of murky waters, while Manchester City had laid the bluest of carpets feasible to ensure that Pep Guardiola turned up to take the City project to its logical conclusion.

And that ensured that most intriguing footballing managerial rivalry, born in the backrooms of Barcelona, would an intra-town affair in Manchester.

However, things didn’t go to plan in the first season and both managers were overshadowed by Antonio Conte’s Chelsea who romped to the title with the same Chelsea side plus Kante that had imploded under Mourinho.

However, fast forward to 2017 and Manchester is dominating the Premier League table again. The London clubs and Liverpool are all looking up at the Mancunian giants but it’s City who has set the tone this season with an impervious style of football that has slashed through opponents of all shapes and sizes. The full-backs, the subject of mirth for the price City paid have been perfect additions. Kevin de Bruyne always seems to have the perfect ball and Raheem Sterling seems to have matured beyond recognition. And Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus look like they can play together.

They have opened up an eight-point gap which could become 11 if they win at Old Trafford, which will, despite whatever the pundits and managers say, make the destination of the Premier League trophy an almost foregone conclusion.

But anyone who has watched Mourinho over the years knows the Portuguese is not one to give in, even with a Pogba-sized hole in Manchester United’s midfield. Pogba showed United what they were missing after coming back, brilliantly to link defence and attack, but the Portuguese will have to make do without his star midfielder.

However, despite a 4-9 head-to-head loss record to Pep Guardiola (with 6 draws), only a fool would write off Mourinho in such a crunch fixture. These are the kind of games that the managerial genius of Mourinho really comes to the fore.

Manchester United showed in the last game that they don’t need to keep the ball to win as they came out 3-1 ahead at the Emirates, leaving Arsene Wenger fuming after even 33 shots couldn’t find a way past David de Gea, whose Jedi-like reflexes kept Arsenal out for most of the night.

Sunday’s match at Old Trafford is a perfect opportunity for Mourinho to unleash, what some call, the dark arts of football. Stifle an opposition, attack them high up the pitch, break fast and snatch a goal.

The manager has made his name by beating squads with fancier names on the team-sheet. It probably won’t just be a defensive performance from Manchester United given the pace Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Romelu Lukaku give going forward, which is more than capable of stretching any defence.

Before the match, while Pep Guardiola called Mourinho a ‘twin’ over their shared desire to win, the Special One couldn’t help but taking a dig at Man City’s players’ alleged diving as he said: “One thing that I don’t like a lot is that they lose their balance very easily.”

So, can Mourinho finally show Guardiola who’s boss? Or will Manchester City run through the United defence to win their 14th Premier League game in a row and set a record? We will find out on Sunday.