The Top Flight
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Manchester United vs. Manchester City EFL Cup clash is must-win for both clubs

By Craig Pearson

A combo of pictures created in London on August 8, 2016 shows Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho (L) shouting instructions to his players from the touchline during the pre-season friendly football match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United at the DW stadium in Wigan, northwest England, on July 16, 2016 and Manchester City's Spanish head coach Pep Guardiola (R) reacting during the friendly football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg on August 7, 2016.With Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, Manchester threatens to become the centre of the footballing universe during the new Premier League season. / AFP / JON SUPER / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY TOM WILLIAMS (Photo credit should read JON SUPER/AFP/Getty Images)
A combo of pictures created in London on August 8, 2016 shows Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho (L) shouting instructions to his players from the touchline during the pre-season friendly football match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United at the DW stadium in Wigan, northwest England, on July 16, 2016 and Manchester City's Spanish head coach Pep Guardiola (R) reacting during the friendly football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg on August 7, 2016.With Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, Manchester threatens to become the centre of the footballing universe during the new Premier League season. / AFP / JON SUPER / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY TOM WILLIAMS (Photo credit should read JON SUPER/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Manchester United face Manchester City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday. As if a Manchester derby wasn’t already a high-pressured affair, the game just became a must-win for both teams.

Manchester United and Manchester City are two teams who would quite like to play anybody but each other right now. However, that is what will happen on Wednesday when the pair clash in the EFL Cup.

Manchester City haven’t won for five games in all competitions, after what was initially a blazing start to the season. Pep Guardiola’s men won their first ten games in succession. Since then, however, they’ve struggle for just one victory.

Manchester United haven’t endured such a consistently bad run of results as their neighbors. But a 4-0 mauling at the hands of Chelsea on Sunday has raised the alarm bells ringing at Old Trafford. The Mourinho project at United is yet to take flight.

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A 0-0 draw with Liverpool was a positive, despite criticism for the manner in which United approached the game. That display was certainly better than what was served up at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Now Mourinho finds himself under pressure. Only a win is going to relieve that pressure. Another draw against City now will be depicted as a failure to win, rather than avoiding another defeat. A home loss would be especially catastrophic.

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What a game to be going into needing to win. However, the same can be said for Guardiola and City. Five games without a win is not usually a crisis, but when you’re Pep Guardiola and you have the kind of record the Spaniard does, this is a crisis. In his world, at least.

A draw or a loss at Old Trafford will be six games without a win, and the pressure will then only continue to grow. As always, Guardiola will send out his team to attack United. Go for the kill. What will Mourinho do?

That’s the interesting part. In such a high-pressure scenario, the United boss will likely return to type and set out his team to sit deep and defend. But can Mourinho and United afford that? Everybody saw what happened when they did that in the first half of the league encounter at Old Trafford last month.

City played United off the park. It was total domination. How the game was just 2-0 at half time will be unknown until the end of time. City’s defense has looked shaky recently and going straight at that, although risky, might be the better option instead.

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It’s kill or be killed right now. A win in this type of match could fuel either side for the foreseeable future. A loss would be catastrophic. Now both managers need to step to the fore and lead the way. Understand the situation they are in.

A must-win game is one thing.  A must-win Manchester derby is another.

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