How Manchester United's giants can hurt Manchester City's magicians... Jose Mourinho's side look up the table at rivals but on the pitch the tables have turned on Pep Guardiola' side

  • Manchester United host local rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday
  • Jose Mourinho has packed his side with height and power that could be crucial
  • Pep Guardiola's City are the second worst team in the league at aerial duels
  • Only Tottenham, meanwhile, have attempted more crosses than United

Back in November 2014, Louis van Gaal blamed the height of his players on their lack of scoring from set-pieces ahead of a Manchester derby.

They just aren't tall enough, the 66-year-old Dutchman explained before they went on to be beaten 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium. Three years later, the tables have turned.

Jose Mourinho's United may be looking up at Pep Guardiola's City in the Premier League table but on the pitch at Old Trafford, it will be the other way around.

Manchester United take on local rivals Manchester City in the derby at Old Trafford on Sunday

Manchester United take on local rivals Manchester City in the derby at Old Trafford on Sunday

Jose Mourinho's side may look up at City in the table but on the pitch the tables will be turned

Jose Mourinho's side may look up at City in the table but on the pitch the tables will be turned

HOW THE SIDES MEASURE UP 

MAN UTD (3-4-2-1)


David de Gea – 6ft 4in

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Phil Jones – 6ft 1in

Chris Smalling – 6ft 4.5in

Marcos Rojo – 6ft 2in

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Antonio Valencia – 5ft 11in

Nemanja Matic – 6ft 4in

Ander Herrera – 6ft

Ashley Young – 5ft 9in

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Jesse Lingard – 5ft 9in

Marcus Rashford – 6ft 1in 

Romelu Lukaku – 6ft 3in

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AVERAGE: 6ft 1in 

MAN CITY (4-3-3)

Ederson – 6ft 2in

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Kyle Walker – 5ft 10in

Vincent Kompany – 6ft 4in

Nicolas Otamendi – 5ft 10in

Fabian Delph – 5ft 8.5in

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Kevin De Bruyne – 5ft 11in

Fernandinho – 5ft 10.5in

David Silva – 5ft 8in

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Raheem Sterling – 5ft 7in

Sergio Aguero – 5ft 8in

Leroy Sane – 6ft

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AVERAGE: 5ft 10in

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Mourinho has packed his side with power and it is their towering height which could hurt City in Sunday's clash.

The statistics show Guardiola's City are the second worst in the league for winning aerial duels, beaten only to the wooden spoon by Liverpool.

Mourinho's United, meanwhile, tend to like swinging a ball into the box.

David Moyes was mocked for his team's tendency to cross, with them once producing a record 81 against Fulham during his time there. Though not quite as desperate or drastic, the occasional cross can have its advantages, as Mourinho knows.

This season, only Tottenham (261) have attempted more open-play crosses than United (242) in the top flight.

David Moyes was mocked for United's tendency to cross during his tenure at Old Trafford

David Moyes was mocked for United's tendency to cross during his tenure at Old Trafford

But United have scored six headers this season. Only Arsenal and Chelsea have scored more

But United have scored six headers this season. Only Arsenal and Chelsea have scored more

And only Chelsea (9) and Arsenal (7) have scored more headed goals than them (6).

They know their strengths and City should know what is coming their way at the Theatre of Dreams.

In 6ft 4in Nemanja Matic and 6ft 3in Romelu Lukaku, Mourinho added two more giants to his imposing line-up in the summer. At 6ft 2in, Victor Linedelof was his shortest signing.

It left them with the Premier League's third tallest squad on average with only West Brom and Watford above them.

Mourinho, however, was quick to joke when asked about this advantage at his pre-match press conference on Friday. On whether this would be a battle of United's giants against City's genius, the Portuguese said: 'I think it will be easy for [Vincent] Kompany to compete against [Juan] Mata in the air.'

Indeed it would, though that is not the one-on-one Guardiola will be worried about. Lukaku, after all, has five inches on 5ft 10in Nicolas Otamendi.

City conceded through a corner against Huddersfield and then against West Ham last week

City conceded through a corner against Huddersfield and then against West Ham last week

That is one of the reasons why Guardiola has told his team to restrict the number of free-kicks they allow United, knowing that Mourinho has a number of six-footers.

Against Huddersfield two weeks ago, City conceded through a corner.

Then against Southampton, they were fortunate not to concede to a Virgil van Dijk header, though the Saints' leveller came via a cross which left back Fabian Delph misjudged.

Then against West Ham, another corner, another cross, another header, another goal.

City zonal mark from corners and it remains to be seen whether they change for the derby

City zonal mark from corners and it remains to be seen whether they change for the derby

In all, City gave away 12 corners in those three matches and conceded two of their goals from set-pieces and the other from a cross. It gave away their vulnerability.

City tend to zonal mark from corners and it remains to be seen whether they will make a change against Mourinho's super-sized side.

It is being billed as a game of United's physicality and power against City's style and flare. One has an average height of 6ft 1in and the other 5ft 10in.

It will be a tall order for United to beat a team that have not lost in the league so far but they at least know there is one way they can harm them. 

CAN MANCHESTER UNITED USE THEIR AERIAL ADVANTAGE TO PUNISH CITY? 
Most open play crosses Most headed goals  Most aerial duels won
Tottenham - 261 Chelsea - 9 Burnley - 337
Manchester United - 242 Arsenal - 7 Stoke - 328 
West Ham - 241 Manchester United - 6 Watford - 324 
Southampton - 240 Manchester City - 5 Leicester - 310
Chelsea - 229 Watford - 5 Newcastle - 309 
Huddersfield - 228 Liverpool - 5 West Ham - 306 
Manchester City - 218 Newcastle - 5 Everton - 304 
Swansea - 214 Stoke - 5 West Brom - 297 
Bournemouth - 206 West Brom - 4 Bournemouth - 289 
West Brom - 205 Brighton - 4 Huddersfield - 281 
Watford - 204 Burnley - 4 Brighton - 277 
Liverpool - 200 Leicester - 4 Swansea - 272 
Brighton - 199 Everton - 4 Southampton - 270 
Burnley - 196 West Ham - 3 Arsenal - 263 
Crystal Palace - 191 Southampton - 3 Crystal Palace - 261 
Newcastle - 184 Bournemouth - 2 Manchester United - 251 
Leicester - 184 Tottenham - 1 Tottenham - 242 
Stoke - 169 Huddersfield - 1 Chelsea - 237 
Everton - 153Swansea - 0 Manchester City - 222 
Arsenal - 132Crystal Palace - 0  Liverpool - 221