Max Verstappen picked up where he left off last season by clinching pole position for the opening race in 2024 in Bahrain.

After what has been a difficult few days for Red Bull in light of the ongoing Christian Horner situation, the Dutchman’s performance, and that of the car, will provide a moment of satisfaction for the Austrian team.

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Verstappen clinched pole with a fastest lap of one minute, 29.179 seconds. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc joined him on the front row in 1:29.407 with George Russell the fastest of the Mercedes to come third in 1:29.485.

If Q1 was tightly-fought with Carlos Sainz topping the timesheets, Q2 was led by Leclerc, who ended it two-tenths of a second faster than Verstappen.

QUALIFYING CLASSIFICATION

Verstappen and Leclerc start on the front row for the season opener 🙌#F1 #BAHRAIN PIC.TWITTER.COM/KMZ6J1JV7E

— Formula 1 (@F1) MARCH 1, 2024

But when it really mattered, the Dutchman came through once more. Verstappen won a remarkable 19 of the 22 races last year and he will be the obvious man to beat in Bahrain tomorrow.

He said: “It was a lot of fun actually, the track had a lot of grip but with the wind over the last few days, it’s been quite tricky to get the whole lap together and it was the same in qualifying, in Q1, Q2 you go a bit faster with the track ramping up but to really get everything out of it in Q3 was a little bit difficult.

“I’m very happy to be on pole, to be honest it was a little bit unexpected but in qualifying I think the car came to us and I felt a bit happier with the whole car.

“I said yesterday we need to fine tune a few things on the car to try and get that perfect balance, but with the wind that was not possible, but luckily we went in the right direction and we could really push a bit more with the car.”

Sainz ended up fourth with Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri rounding out the top eight.

Lewis Hamilton was a disappointing ninth, over five-tenths off the pace.

The State of Play

Manchester United make the short trip across town to the Etihad on the back of some good form. Their defeat to Fulham last weekend was their first in eight games in all competitions and they bounced back immediately with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup.

Erik ten Hag appears to have found some consistency from his side even if performances remain a little unconvincing.

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They will be tested to the full on Sunday when they come up against a City side that was rampant in the 6-2 midweek win at Luton.

Pep Guardiola’s men have won 16 and drawn two of their last 18 games and appear to have key players returning to form and full fitness – evidenced by Erling Haaland’s five goals and Kevin De Bruyne’s four assists at Kenilworth Road.

City are a point behind leaders Liverpool and their bid to land a double treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup remains on track.

Team News

Jack Grealish has been ruled out after limping out of the action before half-time at Luton with a groin injury to continue his frustrating season.

Erik ten Hag and Manchester United have major issues in two departments with no senior left-back as both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are out injured, whilst Rasmus Hojlund is still missing up-front.

All eyes on Sunday 👊#MUFC || #PL PIC.TWITTER.COM/WBIHGWGMDL

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) MARCH 1, 2024

Expected Line-ups

Man City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Ake; Rodri, Bernardo; Foden, De Bruyne, Doku; Haaland

Man Utd: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Evans, Lindelof; Casemiro, Mainoo; Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho; Rashford

What they Said

Pep Guardiola on Manchester United

“What I have learned from my experience in these kind of games is to stay relaxed, don’t talk too much, talk about tactics and not the emotion. The emotion will be there. They [United] are able to go to Wolves and beat them, able to go to Luton and beat them, go to Aston Villa and win a few weeks ago. They have the quality and in one action can create something special. When they play well, they win games. In 2024, they have lost one game, they have proved their consistency.”

PEP 💬 What I’ve learnt with my experience in these games, [is to be] more calm, relax. Don’t talk about many things, just focus on tactical issues. The emotion will be there. Prepare the game knowing their quality PIC.TWITTER.COM/2OCYU3RQQO

— Manchester City (@ManCity) MARCH 1, 2024

Erik ten Hag on preparation for the derby

“We will prepare well, the players are ready for it, they are looking forward to it – I can smell it when I speak to the players. We are excited. They have a good team – that’s the challenge. But there are more good teams.”

When and How to Watch

This match will be played at the Etihad Stadium at 15:30 on Sunday, March 3rd. It will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and can be streamed live via the Sky Go app, too, in the UK.

Prediction

City have won the last three meetings between the sides at the Etihad – two in the league and one in the FA Cup – scoring a combined 12 goals in the process. And with Haaland and De Bruyne firing it could be a very long afternoon for United.

The Red Devils’ recent away form has been good with six successive wins, but extending that to seven would be a significant surprise.

Expect City to cruise to victory with something to spare.

Marco Silva understands Erik ten Hag’s anger at Fulham sending a TikTok mocking Bruno Fernandes, and says he would have been equally furious had it been the other way round.

A clip of Fernandes appearing to make the most of minimal contact from Cottagers midfielder Sasa Lukic during Fulham’s 2-1 win at Old Trafford on Saturday has been circulating on social media this week and yestrday appeared on the London club’s official TikTok account.

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The video was accompanied by comedic music, a caption of “so glad he’s okay” and an eye roll emoji.

Ten Hag said he had not seen the clip but leapt to the defence of the Portugal midfielder, insisting Fulham were “absolutely not right” and demanding an apology from the London club.

Fulham boss Silva also claimed to have not seen the TikTok but felt Ten Hag was correct in his response.

He said: ”I’m aware of it. I haven’t seen it – I’m not a fan of social media.

“It was a reaction from Ten Hag. When a manager defends a player, it’s normal. I would defend one of ours until the end.

Marco has arrived for his pre-#FULBRI presser. 🎙️ PIC.TWITTER.COM/Z1MS8IEXXK

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) MARCH 1, 2024

“He said he hadn’t seen it, he was responding to a question. Ten Hag defended his player, I understand that.

“All the other noise comes because it’s Man Utd. If it was Marco Silva reacting, it would be finished in 10 seconds.”

On Fernandes, he added: “Bruno is a top player and a top professional.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola remains wary of Manchester United’s ability on the road as he prepares to welcome Erik ten Hag’s men to the Etihad on Sunday.

United have won their last six away games in all competitions and will arrive on the back of an encouraging 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup on Wednesday night.

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Guardiola said: “What I have learned from my experience in these kind of games is to stay relaxed, don’t talk too much, talk about tactics and not the emotion. The emotion will be there.

“They [United] are able to go to Wolves and beat them, able to go to Luton and beat them, go to Aston Villa and win a few weeks ago.

“They have the quality and in one action can create something special.

“When they play well, they win games. In 2024, they have lost one game, they have proved their consistency.”

PEP 💬 What I’ve learnt with my experience in these games, [is to be] more calm, relax. Don’t talk about many things, just focus on tactical issues. The emotion will be there. Prepare the game knowing their quality PIC.TWITTER.COM/2OCYU3RQQO

— Manchester City (@ManCity) MARCH 1, 2024

Guardiola was asked numerous times about the dynamic in Manchester and if Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival at Old Trafford would have a significant effect on City’s top-dog status.

He added: “I expect the best from Manchester United but I don’t talk about what they do. As opponents I respect them too much and I don’t want any misunderstandings of my words. I know them and have a lot of respect for the institution – United, Erik and the players.

“In the 80s it was Liverpool, in the 90s it was United and now we’ve won seven Premier League titles in the last 11, 12 years. But in the last 50 or 60 years, there has never been a team that has controlled everything.

“Big clubs have to win and it’s not easy for United to come from an incredible period with Alex Ferguson and I can understand that.”

City will go into the derby without Jack Grealish. The England international limped out of Tuesday’s 6-2 hammering of Luton before half-time and won’t be considered.

Guardiola said: “He won’t be fit for the weekend. When he will come back I don’t know.

“Setbacks in life are always there, and must be overcome.”

France boss Didier Deschamps is confident Paul Pogba did not take a banned substance intentionally and admits the midfielder’s four-year ban from football “saddens him”.

Pogba was yesterday handed the sanction by Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal after testing positive for testosterone following Juventus’ 3-0 win over Udinese on August 20, 2023.

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The 30-year-old said he would contest the verdict at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and insisted he had “never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations”.

Deschamps backed that stance, telling L’Equipe: “I don’t believe for a minute that Pogba intended to or wanted to dope. Knowing him well, I know that is not how he is. 

“What Paul has experienced these past months has been extremely difficult and I can’t be insensitive to his pain, given what he has done with the national team and the relationships that have been formed with the France national team.”

Pogba has won 91 caps for his country and was a key player in their World Cup triumph in Russia in 2018.

Unless the ruling is overturned, it is inconceivable he will play for Les Bleus again.

Deschamps added: “His situation saddens me and I really hope that things will work out. I want to believe that in any case.

“The presence of an illegal substance is incontestable. That’s the problem for Paul and he will have to lead the fight to defend himself.”

Jamie Carragher believes Manchester United will always be in the shadow of Manchester City while Pep Guardiola is in charge at the Etihad.

United’s new minority owner Jim Ratcliffe talked bullishly of knocking European champions City “off their perch” when claiming a 25 per cent share of the club. He has been equally aggressive in his moves of far, poaching City’s Omar Berrada to become chief executive while talks continue over a deal for Newcastle United’s sporting director Dan Ashworth.

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Carragher thinks those changes will improve United but not to a sufficient level to overtake their city rivals.

Writing in The Telegraph, he said: “Manchester United can forget about knocking Manchester City off their perch while Pep Guardiola remains in English football.

“United can change owners, headhunt the best chief executive and sporting director in the world, revamp their recruitment department, rebuild Old Trafford and appoint their best manager since Sir Alex Ferguson. It doesn’t matter. So long as Guardiola is around, City will lose no sleep.

“United will never be the most dominant club in their city, let alone the rest of the country, until City are in the process of hiring a new coach.”

Carragher accepts Jurgen Klopp’s impending departure from Liverpool could have ramifications for the Premier League leaders and feels City will only relinquish some of their powers when Guardiola also walks away.

He added: “The source of hope is that Guardiola will not be around forever. Everyone beyond the Etihad is praying he does not extend the contract that runs until 2025.

“When he has had enough the tide might turn, just as Jurgen Klopp’s imminent exit from Liverpool runs the possibility of his club falling back into the pack. 

“The champagne corks will be popping in the Ineos offices on the day Guardiola goes because it will reduce the timescale by which United’s ambitions can realistically be realised.”

Sky Sports pundit Carragher helped set the news narrative this week with a critical analysis of United’s press during Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Fulham.

Ten Hag bit back in his media conference ahead of Wednesday’s FA Cup win at Nottingham Forest, accusing the Merseysider of a lack of objectivity.

Carragher said: “My analysis on Sky’s Monday Night Football last week was intended to demonstrate why United are so inconsistent. Manager Erik ten Hag had a go back for what he perceived as unfair criticism. He felt I have been critical from day one. Actually it was from game two when his United team lost at Brentford – but it was directed at the players, not the manager.

“But fair play to him for saying what he did. I have nothing but respect and admiration for managers who defend themselves and their teams. If creating a siege mentality at United leads to positive results and improved performances, it is the perfect response.”

United go to City on Sunday with Carragher believing they have to play “underdog football” and rely a little bit on luck to get a result.

He said: “As has been the case for the past few years, United are rank outsiders. They can win the game, but only by playing ‘underdog football’ with men sitting deep behind the ball and hoping to counter-attack. 

“Nine times out 10 that is not good enough against a team of City’s ability. There is always a chance in a one-off game the strategy will work. It will need a shock result.”