Most fans of a Manchester persuasion will probably have found themselves looking out for one game when the fixtures were announced: the Manchester derby.

Although we expected fireworks when arch enemies Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola met again at the helm of two rival clubs, the problems both managers faced last season were so enormous that it seemed to dampen hostilities. Both men were too busy putting out fires at their own clubs to think about starting them across the road.

This time last year, when a Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium was scheduled for the end of April, it looked like it could end up a title decider. In the end it barely decided the minor placings. And although this might seem stupidly similar to opinions trotted out just one year ago, the derbies could well decide the destination of the title this time around. The first derby is at Old Trafford in December whilst the Etihad clash once again comes in April, just seven games before the end of the season.

Both sides will spend heavily this summer. Manchester City have invested in Bernardo Silva and goalkeeper Ederson already, whilst United look set to bring in Alvaro Morata and Victor Lindelof. With four players expected to cost the guts of £180m, it looks like the figures in football have been let off the leash, and the Manchester derby could see the most expensively assembled kick-about in history.

But this fixture could well be about the same old problems for both sides.

This summer, City are expected to spend on attack-minded full-backs, the problem position last season. That might fix the team’s balance, allowing better wide options in attack and lowering the chances that passing moves break down, in turn lowering the number of counter attacks City concede.

But that could put even more strain on central defensive areas, who could find themselves exposed when full-backs attack with abandon, especially against a team like Manchester United next season. If they do manage to bag Alvaro Morata, they’ll have a focal point of a striker who, if not quite in the Ibrahimovic mould, will at least bring others into play.

That could be crucial because, as we saw in the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium in April, United lived on the counter attack, yet had severe trouble linking attacks with any real fluidity. The pace of players Mkhitaryan and Rashford will be unleashed by Morata, and that could have real implications for City in their defensive channels after their full-backs have bombed on.

What is interesting about the December clash, however, is that it comes just after the final round of Champions League fixtures. There’s so much that could happen between now and then, of course, but the end of the Champions League’s first phase usually spells the start of the festive period. Last season, you could argue that the wheels came off Arsenal’s title run at the same period - buoyant after topping their Champions League group and unbeaten since the opening day of the season, they came unstuck in away games against Everton and Manchester City before starting their now-habitual pattern in the new year.

Until the Champions League draw is announced, we won’t know which side will have an away game in the midweek leading up to the derby or whether both teams will have been safely through to the knockout stages beforehand, offering up the possibility of rested sides. There are certain to be other factors like injuries to be taken into account, too.

But it’s clear that this summer is going to have a huge effect on the title race, and both Manchester clubs will be looking forward to the derbies not just to beat local rivals, but title rivals, too.

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