Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan delivered separate motivational messages to the players during their final training session before tonight’s derby.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took the 20-man squad back to the club’s former training ground, The Cliff, on Wednesday morning to limber up ahead of the 8pm kick-off.
Onlookers told the MEN the United players broke up into separate groups and Phelan went round to each one to ‘gee up’ the players amid their poor form. United have lost six of their last eight in all competitions and have fallen back down to sixth in the Premier League fable.
Solskjaer is understood to have spoken separately with Scott McTominay, who seems certain to be recalled for this evening’s Old Trafford encounter. Phil Jones is believed to be out injured but Luke Shaw is available again following a three-match domestic and European suspension.
Man Utd squad vs Man City includes Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial
United relocated to The Hilton Hotel on Deansgate for their pre-match base on Tuesday night, rather than The Lowry Hotel or The Hilton Garden Inn at Lancashire Cricket Ground. Sources say United’s last journey to Old Trafford from The Lowry for an evening game took an hour-and-a-half.
Solskjaer said on Tuesday United had had little time to train after the embarrassing 4-0 trashing by Everton on Sunday, due to the short turn-around between games, but the Norwegian squeezed one last session into their preparations at the legendary The Cliff.
United left The Cliff to relocate to Carrington in 2000 but the club still owns the property and United Women’s manager Casey Stoney is hopeful of using it as the team’s base next season.
Why Manchester United are training at The Cliff instead of Carrington ahead of Man City fixture
