Sammy McIlroy is certain if Manchester United beat Manchester City on Sunday, it will turn the Premier League season on its head.
Manchester United won two tough games on the road against Watford and Arsenal over the course of the last week, but Manchester City have kept their winning run going, with the help of late winners against Huddersfield, Southampton and West Ham.
Pep Guardiola’s team still have an eight-point advantage over their neighbours in the league table ahead of their showdown in the Manchester derby on Sunday at Old Trafford.
McIlroy has stressed the importance of the derby game on Sunday as he admits Manchester United cannot afford to lose and allow their rivals to take an eleven-point lead, even though it is not half way through the Premier League season.
He does not believe a draw is a good enough result for Jose Mourinho’s men either, and feels a win on Sunday for Manchester United would upset calculations in the Premier League.
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Asked about the importance of the derby, McIlroy said on MUTV “Massive is an understatement, we just cannot get beaten.
“It’s not Christmas yet, but you can’t let Manchester City go eleven points clear.
“A draw, you can say we are back to square one, but if United win the game, it turns the season upside down.”
Manchester City walked away with a 2-1 win at Old Trafford last season and are currently on a 13-game winning streak in the league.
