Man City loom for goal-shy Man Utd

Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (2nd L) gestures next to Manchester City’s Croatian midfielder #08 Mateo Kovacic, Manchester City’s Croatian defender #24 Josko Gvardiol and Manchester City’s English defender #02 Kyle Walker during a training session on the eve of the UEFA Champions League Group G football match between Young Boys and Manchester City at Wankdorf Stadium in Bern on October 24, 2023. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

Manchester City will test the strength of Manchester United’s recent revival at Old Trafford this weekend, while red-hot leaders Tottenham are seeking their eighth win in 10 games.

Pep Guardiola’s champions have put their own mini-slump behind them and go into Sunday’s game against their local rivals as firm favourites.

Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham can go five points clear of the chasing pack, at least temporarily, if they beat Crystal Palace on Friday.

AFP Sport picks out three talking points ahead of the action in the English top flight.

Can Rashford find cutting edge against Man City?
Marcus Rashford scored the winning goal at Old Trafford last year as Manchester United came from behind to beat Manchester City 2-1 — the ninth time in a row he had scored at his home ground.

The England forward went on to score 30 goals for the club during the season, lifting himself into the bracket of elite forwards.

But it is a different story during the current campaign, with Rashford stuck on a solitary goal in a team struggling to find fluency and a cutting edge.

United, in eighth place, have scored just 11 times in the Premier League this season — just twice more than City forward Erling Haaland has managed on his own.

Manager Erik ten Hag predicted earlier this month that Rashford would soon be