The highly anticipated top-of-the table derby day clash between Manchester United and Manchester City is ready to blow the roof off the Premier League! Old Trafford will provide the setting for the most anticipated match of the season. Local bragging rights are up for stakes, but the importance is now far more real.
Castrol EDGE Performance data shows that, in the EPL, both Manchester clubs have been in superb goalscoring form, with City netting a league-high 27 goals so far, followed by United in second place with 25. The titanic clash will be a showdown of the Premier League's best strikers! Share your thoughts online, on Twitter and on Facebook.
The Premier Leagues two high-flyers will meet for the first time at Old Trafford with Wayne Rooney having lasting memories of last season's corresponding fixture following his spectacular late winner! Sergio Aguero stepped off the substitutes' bench for City against Villarreal to keep their Champions League hopes alive with a last-grasp winner and will be relishing the challenge of derby day!
For City, summer signing Sergio Aguero has been their top scorer, with the Argentine netting a goal every 55 minutes on average, while he has also managed to provide two assists. The ubiquitous Rooney has already notched a league-high nine goals this season as well as providing two assists (and those 18 goal-scoring chances).
Manchester City strikers Edin Dzeko enjoyed a spectacular start to his first full Premier League season having scored 6 goals so far. Interestingly, despite his image as a physical target man, the Bosnian has also created 13 goal-scoring chances so far this season, a haul only Wayne Rooney and Kevin Doyle can better among central strikers.
Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez has also been a reliable second striker for United, netting three goals so far this season. With an impressive 43% conversion rate and after scoring United's dramatic equaliser at Anfield last week, the Mexican will be another dangerous threat to the Manchester City defence.
Premier League personality Mario Balotelli comes back into contention following his European suspension and will hope to partner Sergio Aguero up front after impressing last week against Aston Villa. With just 226 Premier League on-pitch minutes, the Italian has found the back of net once every 75 minutes on average!
Danny Welbeck won't be short of confidence heading into Sunday's big clash. After signing a new and improved contract with the Red Devils, the England striker will be looking to kick-start the next stage of his Manchester United career. Having already jumped ahead of Dimitar Berbatov in the pecking order, Welbeck is earning more plaudits with every game he plays.
With both teams flying at the top of the Premier League, the first Manchester derby of the 2011/12 season is the most-anticipated fixture of the campaign so far. It's a good time to be a Mancunian, but which colour will the city be this Sunday afternoon? Share your thoughts online, on Twitter and on Facebook.