Can ‘parking the bus’ become counter-attacking excellence?

The usual Jose Mourinho big-game strategy is safety-first. His team sits back, suffocating and frustrating their opposition before increasing their attacking endeavour after half-time.

But that seems a dangerous approach against Manchester City for a number of reasons.

City are in exemplary attacking form having scored 33 goals in their last 11 matches in all competition and scored six times in each of their last two home games.

Manchester United’s defending has not been good enough to believe they can invite pressure and repel City’s attacks. United have kept one clean sheet in their last ten matches.

The absence of Lukaku also hampers that plan, despite his poor form. Lukaku has become a frustrated and isolated figure since August, but a target man is required when sitting back and needing to release the pressure.

If United aren’t careful, they will face a tidal wave of City pressure.

Instead, United must try and cause defensive headaches of their own.

Mourinho probably won’t start all three of Anthony Martial, Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford, but that need not be a problem. Juan Mata is likely to start on the right, and can drop deep to be in position to spark quick counter attacks when possession is won.

The success of that plan may determine United’s fate.

Can Martial find space behind Walker?

There are very few, if any, obvious weaknesses in Pep Guardiola’s team, but Manchester United could look to exploit one of their strengths.

Kyle Walker’s preference to surge forward and overlap either Bernardo Silva or Riyad Mahrez is no secret, but Walker will be in direct opposition to United’s most in-form player.

Mourinho can tell

Martial to track Walker’s forward runs, avoiding City doubling up on Luke Shaw and potentially leaving him exposed.

But doing that only threatens to stymie Martial’s effectiveness.

It would be a brave call from Mourinho, but why not give Martial a free role and tell him to stay high up the pitch?

That either forces Walker to be less adventurous or gives Martial the chance to take on John Stones.

Can Manchester United defend set pieces?

Manchester City may have created the most chances in the league (168 to United’s 110), but no team in the division has created a smaller percentage of their chances from set pieces.

That’s largely because City take many of their corners and free-kicks short, immediately turning set-piece situation into open play.

Guardiola does not consider crossing from set-pieces as an effective method of his team scoring goals.

You wonder whether he might change that plan against United.

Mourinho’s team conceded twice from crosses against Chelsea and have conceded far too many set-piece goals in 2018.

If Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof have become United’s first-choice central defensive pairing, they and Paul Pogba have all lost their men at corners and free-kicks more often than Mourinho would like.

With Aymeric Laporte and John Stones both excellent headers of the ball, perhaps Guardiola might use a regulation corner delivery as a surprise tactic?

Vincent Kompany knows all about scoring a headed winner in this fixture. It only takes one clever run.

Mahrez, Bernardo Silva or both?

Manchester City’s team virtually picks itself.

The back five should be settled, assuming Guardiola resists the temptation to pick captain Kompany.

Ahead of them, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, David Silva and Fernandinho should all be certs to start, with only Sterling’s full 90 minutes against Shakhtar creating any doubt. That leaves one position, on the right of midfield.

Alongside Sterling and Laporte, Bernardo Silva has been City’s good news story of the season. The reason Kevin de Bruyne has not been missed is because Bernardo has fitted so snugly into the team.

David Silva pushes higher up the pitch and does De Bruyne’s creating, Bernardo Silva flitters and flutters and does De Bruyne’s dribbling. Together the pair make it work, and Bernardo is surely the favourite to start tomorrow.

But Mahrez is also in excellent form having started three of City’s last four Premier League matches. He also played 90 minutes in the Champions League, meaning Guardiola is most likely to use him as an impact sub.

Will referee Taylor guard against tactical fouls?

It’s hardly the biggest ongoing Manchester City scandal given the revelations from German media outlet Der Spiegel this week, but Guardiola was quizzed about the use of tactical fouls after observations made by Gary Neville on Sky Sports.

“Never have my teams been focused on doing something wrong against the opponents,” Guardiola said.

“Sometimes situations happen but we are a team that always try to attack, to defend well, to try to play our game but never having to think about making actions like that.”

A nice line, but not necessarily true.

In the Amazon documentary All or Nothing about Guardiola’s time in charge at City, Mikel Arteta is recorded telling players in the dressing room: “Make fouls. If there’s a transition, make fouls.”

Guardiola’s former assistant Dominic Torrent says the same: “When we lose the ball it’s very important for Pep to press high in five seconds. If you don’t win it back within five seconds then make a foul and go back.”

Referee Anthony Taylor will be expected to pick up on any such fouls against a Manchester United team that will try and play on the counter.

Mourinho will not be shy in pointing out any City players who he believes are getting away with the dark arts.