Harry's game: United hope for surprise impact in derby

Richard Jolly outlines how the stars could align for stand-in striker Harry Maguire to provide a threat against Man City

- Richard Jolly

In a week when one Manchester club lost a forward, another gained one. Manchester City were stripped of Erling Haaland but Manchester United repurposed Harry Maguire, sending him on in attack in the 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.

But for Murillo’s injury-time goal-line clearance, it would have seemed an inspired change by Ruben Amorim. As it is, it may look like a move that stemmed more from desperation than inspiration.

A Manchester derby will occur without a player with two hattricks in them, plus the scorer of probably the most celebrated goal of Amorim’s time at Old Trafford: Amad Diallo delivered a dramatic winner at the Etihad Stadium. It was both an anomaly – Amorim’s other best Premier League results are arguably draws, against Liverpool and Arsenal – and typical: United’s goalscorers that day were Bruno Fernandes and Amad.

Neither is a striker. Indeed, Fernandes has often operated in central midfield for Amorim while Amad has not played at all for eight weeks. And yet they are United’s two top scorers in the Portuguese’s reign.

His side have a mere 25 goals in 19 league games, a record that is arguably still worse when it is factored in that nine came in three matches against the promoted trio who seem set to be relegated and a further four against Sean Dyche’s Everton.