For this week’s addition of Fantasy Football scout, we are mixing it up. Rather than suggesting players to buy and sell across the board we are focusing specifically on this weekend’s biggest game: The Manchester Derby.
It’s in big matches when Fantasy Football players can often feel conflicted, when you generally own at least one player from each team. A striker from one team and defender from another.
While player form heading into a game is generally more important, personal records against certain teams or in particular fixtures is also something to consider.
For example, Fantasy Football players knew Luis Suarez was an automatic captain when Liverpool faced Norwich during his time at the club. Suarez scored 12 goals in six career appearances against the Canaries, including three hat-tricks.
But not everyone does well against particular opponents and there are certainly some surprising records for some big names that will be involved in Saturday’s Manchester Derby.
Raheem Sterling - 0 goals in 20 appearances
Starting with perhaps the most bizarre personal drought against one side is Raheem Sterling against Manchester United. Sterling has played in 13 Manchester derbies in the past and failed to score in all of them. In fact, including his time at Liverpool, Sterling has remarkably gone 20 career appearances without a single goal against the Red Devil’s. He’s has 29 shots without success across 16 Premier League encounters with United. Perhaps the lack of fans at Old Trafford will help Sterling overcome his mental block, as it did against former club Liverpool at the back end of last season.
Kevin De Bruyne - 1 goal in 9 appearances
For someone that has arguably been the Premier League’s best player for so many years now, Kevin De Bruyne has a surprisingly poor goal scoring record in the Manchester Derby. He has managed only one goal in nine previous appearances against United, with that sole goal coming back in 2016. However, it’s worth pointing out if there was any playmaker capable of slicing United’s woeful defence open further it is De Bruyne. He heads into Saturday’s game with nine assists in his last seven games for City.
Anthony Martial - 5 goals in 11 appearances
Perhaps this is the fixture that could spark Anthony Martial back into form for United. The Frenchman, albeit a big doubt heading into Saturday, has scored five goals in 11 Manchester derbies, including in both league games last season. The only problem is Martial has not scored a single league goal so far this season and has only managed three shots on target in six appearances.
Marcus Rashford - 5 goals in 10 appearances
While there are still doubts whether Marcus Rashford is a natural finisher, you cannot question the youngster’s record in big games for United. In fact, against no team has Rashford scored more goals in his career than City (5). He famously scored in his first Derby back in 2016 and netted in both of his appearances against Pep Guardiola’s side last season.
Sergio Aguero - 9 goals in 16 appearances
Fortunately for United, Guardiola has already confirmed Sergio Aguero will be on the bench on Saturday. Aguero’s near post finishers have haunted close friend David de Gea down the years and the underperforming United goalkeeper will be glad to see him absent from City’s starting XI. Aguero has scored 9 goals in 16 career appearances against United, with only Wayne Rooney (11) netting more in this fixture in the Premier League era.
Gabriel Jesus - 0 goals in 8 appearances
With Sergio Aguero out of contention for a start, it is likely Gabriel Jesus will lead the line for City. The Brazilian will certainly be out to improve his frankly poor record against United, with 0 goals in eight career appearances in the Manchester Derby. In his defence, he has only started two games in that time, having spent most of his time at City in Aguero’s shadow.
Riyad Mahrez - 1 goal in 12 appearances
Another City forward with a poor record against United is Riyad Mahrez. The Algerian has one goal in 12 career appearances against United and no goals in nine in the league. In the Manchester Derby specifically he has 1 in five, with that coming in last season’s Carabao Cup semi-final. Mahrez does head into Saturday’s game in form, however, having recently scored a hat-trick against Burnley.
Bruno Fernandes - 0 in 1 appearance
Bruno Fernandes capped his first ever Manchester Derby appearance last season with a sublime assist that helped United beat City at Old Trafford. You sense that it United are to get any sort of positive result then Fernandes will need to be at his best, which he certainly has been more often than not ever since joining the club. In fact, Fernandes has played a direct hand in 37 goals in 39 games in all competitions since making his United debut back in February.
