MAN UP

FORMER Manchester United defender Phil Jones reckons that if the Red Devils’ koppe are screwed on right, they can get some valuable Premier League points in their Manchester derby against City on Sunday at 5.30pm.

With one win, a draw and a defeat in their first three matches of the season, United are down in ninth place on the standings.

The blue half of Manchester, meanwhile, are even further down the log – in 13th place with two defeats and a win in their three matches.

While both teams are looking for a pick-me-up, Jones reckons it’s the battle of the mind that will determine the outcome of the clash.

City will take the field without Omar Marmoush after he suffered an injury while on international duty with Egypt and because they have lost more matches than they’ve won so far this season, Jones smells blood.

He is quoted by the United website as saying: “It doesn’t matter about form going into the Manchester derby. We’ve been out of form many times and gone there and won or got a positive result at Old Trafford. So I fully expect United to get a positive result in the game…

“If you’ve got the right mentality and you do the basics well in a derby, the rest of what you’re working on tactically and technically, they will come out. They’ll show, as they are professional football players who play for the best clubs in the world... ”

Amad Diallo scored the winner in last season’s match at the Etihad Stadium, as United won 2-1.

Coach Pep Guardiola’s City, though, have won five of the last eight derbies.

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES:

Saturday: Arsenal v Forest (1.30pm), Bournemouth v Brighton, Newcastle v Wolves, Everton v Villa, Palace v Sunderland, Fulham v Leeds (all 4pm), West Ham v Tottenham (6.30pm), Brentford v Chelsea (9pm)

Sunday: Burnley v Liverpool (3pm), Man City v Man Utd (5.30pm)