Erik ten Hag urges his team not to simply concentrate on Erling Haaland during the Manchester derby between Man City and Man Utd.
Man City vs. Man Utd is live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 1 pm on Super Sunday; kickoff is 2 pm. Man City vs. Man Utd is the first Manchester derby of the season, and Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag feels his team can win it.
Erik ten Hag is certain that Manchester United can defeat Manchester City in the Sunday derby, but he is adamant that they won't concentrate all of their efforts on trying to stop Erling Haaland.
Haaland, who transferred to City from Borussia Dortmund in the offseason, is responsible for 11 of his team's 23 Premier League goals.
The 22-year-old has adapted well to football life in England and will play United for the first time on Sunday at the Eithad, live on Sky Sports.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, who have been instrumental in United's recent mini-revival under Ten Hag, are set to oppose him, but the Dutchman would not be drawn on how to stop the powerful center-forward.
Ten Hag, who was crowned September's manager of the month on Friday, stated at his pre-game press conference that "we play against Manchester City, not Haaland."
They have a team with more than 11 players, but we are confident in our talents and know that we can defeat such opponents if we play as a unit both in and out of possession.
That is the attitude we must adopt when we line up, when we begin the game, and when we play on Sunday for more than 90 minutes, without a doubt.
Martinez, a 5-foot 9-inch defender for United, can "handle" playing against taller forwards like Haaland, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Haaland, who is 6 feet 4 inches tall, is seven inches taller than Martinez, the league's shortest central defender.
However, the Argentine earlier silenced Haaland by neutralizing the Norwegian in Ajax's 4-0 Champions League victory at home over Borussia Dortmund last October.
When questioned about the Sunday encounter between Haaland and Martinez, Guardiola responded: "There is no denying that Erling is taller.
"However, I enjoy it when people underrate football players based on their stature. He may say, "I'm here, I'm a good player, and I can play wherever." He's a great player with terrific buildup and aggression, as you've seen in his actions.
"There is no question that if United spends this money on him, Erik will recognize him from Ajax.
"He has played against strikers who are taller than him before. I'm fairly certain that large one strikers exist in Holland, and he manages it. It's important to be brave and intelligent.
However, in the box, the crosses are in a higher position because Erling is taller, so we'll see what happens.
Situation Before The Game Begins
Prior to their first matchup of the season, champions City and United are separated by five points, but Ten Hag's team has a game in hand.
Man City has played seven games so far this season, winning five and drawing two, for a total of 17 points. United has won their last four games after dropping their first two, giving them 12 points after six games.
53 of the 187 previous Manchester derbies have ended in draws, with City winning 57, United 77, and no contests. At the Etihad in March, City won the last match 4-1.
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