Man City v Man Utd: Man of the Match Tip

In the man of the match betting it’s no surprise to see Wayne Rooney (8/1 Bluesquare) and Sergio Aguero (8/1 BetVictor) at the shortest odds with Carlos Tevez (9/1 Betfred) hot on their heels. But at a much longer price, I think there’s value to be had in siding with David De Gea -  a 20/1 shot with BetVictor.

The turnaround in fortunes for the Manchester United goalkeeper has been so stark that he’s been described as the most improved player of the season. The Spaniard took time to adapt to the English game but since the turn of the year he has been a major component in the Red Devils’ rise to the top of the table.

Where first the £18m price tag looked a huge burden on young shoulders, now it looks a reasonable outlay on a shot-stopper drawing comparisons with the great Peter Schmeichel. He produced one of the saves of the season in injury time at Stamford Bridge to ensure that United left with a crucial point. He was the star of the show at Ewood Park earlier this month as the champions notched up another hard fought victory. That was one of five clean sheets in the space of six games at a vital stage of the run-in.

It’s inconceivable that City won’t have spells of bombarding the visitors’ goal in this title-decider. If the Red Devils are to leave the Etihad Stadium with a valuable point or better, then the 21-year-old is likely to play a big part. At long odds, he now looks capable of delivering a man of the match performance when it counts.