“The last time I was this excited about a United youngster was, well, you can go right back to Paul Scholes and David Beckham for that. As for Ronaldo I can see the similarities. Everybody goes on about his pace but he’s also got unbelievable feet for someone so quick. He’s not small either and I like how his manager has coaxed him in gently and not put all the responsibility onto him straight away.”

“He’s looking absolutely fantastic and now that he’s back playing in his favourite position of centre-forward he’s started to score goals as well. So I can see similarities and if he becomes half the player Ronaldo is then we’re all in for a treat.”

The reason for the 18 year old’s recent switch to centre-forward is of course due to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s injury that will deprive United of their Swedish maestro for the duration of the season. Sharpe however, sees a significant silver lining to the otherwise cruel blow. 

“When you look on paper at the amount of goals he’s scored you could say the top four place is now in danger. But he (Ibrahimovic) does slow things down a bit and if Marcus Rashford is given a go as a number nine he could cause as many problems, if not more, than Ibrahimovic does. In the handful of games that are left, Rashford is more than capable of scoring the goals to secure that top four spot.”

Bet now on the Manchester Derby!

“Ibra is a big miss in that he raises the standard of the team around him when he plays but he can still have a big influence in the dressing room and the pace of Rashford and the younger lads might work to United’s advantage.”

As for Ibra’s future, that remains clouded in serious doubt following this week’s confirmation of cruciate knee-ligament damage that will surely rule the striking legend out for a lengthy spell. With a contract extension presently unsigned somewhere in Ed Woodward’s office, Sharpe is pragmatic as to United’s best strategy.

"Clouded future". Zlatan Ibrahimovic

“It’s a tricky one because at 36 when you’ve just done your cruciate that’s a twelve month out job. So Ibra is not going to be looking to come back until February of next year. That’s a long wait and he’ll be on a lot of money. For a one-year contract is that wait worth it when in the summer there’s every chance that the manager will go out and buy a big money striker anyway?”

“It’s a tough one for the club and I understand just to dump him when he gets injured is a harsh thing to do but this is not showfriends, its showbusiness. The club have got to do what is right for them and if that means letting Ibrahimovic go then I’m sure that’s what they’re going to do.”

Precisely who that ‘big money striker’ will be only time will tell but we can be certain in today’s climate the sums will be mind-blowing. This week saw the Reds’ neighbours and closest rivals Manchester City reportedly pull out of a deal for Monaco’s superstar-in-the-making Kylian Mbappe after being quoted an astonishing $120m. Would United baulk at such a figure given their need to replace not only Ibrahimovic but also, possibly, Wayne Rooney this summer?

“If Mbappe is going to score goals and help sell hundreds of thousands of shirts around the world they’re probably not going to lose out on the deal anyway. With Jose Mourinho now they make a statement and being one of the biggest clubs in the world they have to pay transfer fees in accordance with that. So to buy the best in the world, to be the best in the world you’re going to have to pay that fee. I don’t think they’d even flinch to be honest.”

For the thirteen time Premier League champions to have any hope of landing such big fish it is essential they can offer Champions League football next term – “Griezmann won’t be an option if United miss out on Europe” – which leads us to the present and this Thursday’s momentously important derby, a combustible ninety minutes that could conceivably decide each club’s fate for the foreseeable future.

Summer target? Kilian Mbappe

Having won three league titles during his eight years at Old Trafford – not to mention being involved in several all-Manchester skirmishes – Sharpe is well aware of what qualities are needed as the finish line approaches and the must-win games come thick and fast.

“United have got to keep the pressure on now. It’s squeaky bum time and a lot of things can happen. So they have to hold their nerve because it’s not about performances anymore, it’s about results. United have got a really tough run-in playing against the biggest teams but they’re renowned for pulling off results against them so there is no reason why they can’t do it. This derby game though is absolutely vital.”

“The way United played against Chelsea last week is just the way they need to against City. They played high and denied Chelsea any chance of gaining momentum or confidence. City’s defence is their weak link so United need to get at them from the word go and don’t allow them to get into any kind of stride.”

Though the magnitude of this game is enthralling for neutrals there is no question that bigger and better things were expected of both Manchester giants this year. Can either Guardiola or Mourinho really be satisfied with their opening seasons in charge?

“In a private conversation Pep and Jose would both admit that they’ve under-achieved a little. Pep would have been expecting to challenge for the league and Jose – as good as he has done – will be looking at those home draws this year and thinking if they’d won half of them they’d be up there with Chelsea. He’ll be disappointed with his home record.”

Perhaps then being the away side on Thursday evening is a blessing in disguise for a club Sharpe clearly still holds dear. It certainly places even more demands on their blue neighbours who simply dare not miss out on football’s holy grail.

“Unlike United who have the Europa League still to play for City are in the last chance saloon. This is their one and only chance and they’re not a million miles away from United with Everton and Arsenal still chasing too. So City will definitely be feeling the pressure and with Pep experiencing his first season in his managerial life without a trophy it is imperative they get top four.”

Shaun Wright-Phillips Exclusive: Sterling could be a big threat not only for City but for England as well

Lee Sharpe’s quickfire questions

Score prediction for derby
2-1 to United

First goalscorer
Rashford

Who will be the Premier League’s leading goalscorer?
Lukaku

Who will win the Champions League?
Juventus

Lee Sharpe's greatest goals for Man-U

It has become a bit of a cliché: a football team play a Champions League game on Wednesday night or a Europa League clash on a Thursday night; they then play a domestic match the following weekend, and an adverse performance or result leads many to suggest that the European clash had a bearing.

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Could it really be true that in the days of football teams having enormous squads, they still find it difficult to follow up a match in Europe with the next domestic game? Surely some canny rotation can work wonders, while the confidence gained from a positive Champions League match could surely aid their cause next time out?

Leicester City nosedive after being crowned champions

During the 2016/17 season, we studied several teams across Europe that played in the Champions League, and the first team to be examined were Leicester City. The Foxes had pulled several rabbits out of the hat to become champions of England in the 2015/16 campaign and were now ready to take the continent by storm.

On paper, the squad was stronger than ever before. Islam Slimani and Ahmed Musa had been added as attacking players, with Claudio Ranieri persuading Jamie Vardy and RiyadMahrez to remain at the King Power. Only N’GoloKanté slipped through their grasp as the Frenchman signed for Chelsea.

Ranieri was keen to make a decent fist of their unlikely place in the Champions League, and Leicester’s group draw couldn’t have been kinder, with Club Brugge, FC Porto and FC Copenhagen the other three teams in the section. A 3-0 win in Belgium followed by a 1-0 win over Porto set the Foxes on course for the last 16.

However, there was a stark contrast between what was being achieved in the Champions League and their domestic form, with Leicester noticeably under par away from home during the early part of the season. At the time of writing, Leicester have qualified for the last 16 of the European Cup as group winners, yet they have taken just a point on the road this season.

Similarly, part of the reason why Leicester were able to win the 2015/16 Premier League title was precisely because there was a power vacuum in English football. In addition to champions Chelsea imploding under JoséMourinho and Liverpool finding their feet under Jürgen Klopp, there were the stumbles occurring at Arsenal and Manchester City.

Both of the latter teams had the constant distraction of Champions League football since September, with Leicester simply able to concentrate on each Premier League game that came along, while there were no expectation levels once Leicester had secured enough points to avoid relegation.

Ranieri was hasty to ensure that his team were eliminated from both domestic cup competitions as a far greater prize began to emerge, and Leicester were able to win the Premier League by ten points. However, this year they are “in a relegation battle”, according to their Italian manager, who will hope to achieve a turnaround in domestic performances and results.

Will Chelsea and Liverpool prosper this season?

Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are the other English teams in the Champions League this season. Meanwhile, Manchester United are involved in the Europa League, and it appears as thoughJoséMourinho is willing to take this competition seriously given some of the sides he has put out.

The top English clubs who don’t feature in Europe this season are Chelsea and Liverpool. At the time of writing, they occupy the top two positions in the Premier League, with the former having won their last seven matches to make a swift ascent to the summit.

While it’s still early days in the Premier League title challenge, it surely isn’t a coincidence that Antonio Conte and Jürgen Klopp can sit down every week and make a week-long preparation plan for their forthcoming match. Indeed, neither manager is even willing to field the majority of first-teamers when it comes to domestic cup competitions.

In an age when football is so focused on each player having supreme fitness levels and the ability to outrun the opposition, it surely follows that these top teams who aren’t involved in European competition will have a distinct advantage during the weeks and months when Champions League and Europa League fixtures are prevalent.

Between mid-September and the beginning of December, there are six group fixtures that need to be played, and the rigours of fielding a strong team in these matches that are sandwiched by domestic encounters can take their toll.

After the group stage, English clubs are dealt a hectic fixture schedule that differs greatly to the extended winter break that is enjoyed by European counterparts in Germany, Spain, France and Italy. Indeed, the lack of a winter break in England is often cited as a reason why the England national team don’t fare well enough in summer international tournaments.

As we head towards late February, the knockout stages of the Champions League and Europa League take place, with teams involved once again having to play two games per week on a regular basis. Injuries and fatigue start to become prevalent as a long, hard season starts to reach its culmination.

Will Atlético Madrid forsake La Liga this season?

After 13 games played, Atlético have slipped nine points behind city rivals Real Madrid. While it’s not an insurmountable gap, and manager Diego Simeone will be at pains to claim that his side haven’t given up on things domestically, the Argentine must be acutely aware that forsaking La Liga could actually play into his team’s hands.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are arch-rivals who could be battling all the way to the line in Spain this term, with Atlético realistically unlikely to overhaul either side when you consider that they have been punching above their weight for such a long time.

However, Atlético have been the bridesmaid of Europe in the past few seasons, reaching the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016 before coming a cropper against Real on both occasions.

Many feel that the 15 points that have been dropped domestically by Los Colchoneros this season may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, with Atlético going through to the last 16 of the Champions League as likely group winners, and they will automatically avoid another Spanish side in the last 16.

Simeone has seen his team already beat Bayern Munich in the group stage of the Champions League this term, thus illustrating their mastery of the competition. While the Madrid side are far from a flash in the pan like Leicester City, the growing imbalance of money across Europe means that they might not have a better chance to achieve success in this competition before a stronger English challenge emerges.

RB Leipzig steal a march on Dortmund and Bayern

Who knows whether Red Bull Leipzig will “do a Leicester” and claim an unlikely Bundesliga title this season? At the time of writing, the German team have enjoyed a storming campaign thanks to an unbeaten start that has seen them win nine games and draw three thus far.

Seven straight wins have recently been enjoyed at exactly the same time that Chelsea have been enjoying the same thing in England. Coincidence? Or is it just that they have been growing stronger in a league without the distractions of the Champions League or even the Europa League.

A 3-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen was especially notable considering it took place just days before Leverkusen were involved in a crunch Champions League clash against CSKA. There was also a 3-1 victory against a Mainz side who had previously been pulverised 6-1 by Anderlecht in the Europa League.

Leipzig are now in the groove, just like Leicester were last season. They have a vibrant young team and some money behind them, while they also know that Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund’s participation in Europe is likely to continue for the remainder of the campaign.

At the time of writing, Bayern have dropped nine points, and there were two points dropped at home to Cologne immediately after the team had suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Atlético Madrid. Similarly, a 2-1 win away to PSV was followed by another 1-1 draw, this time at home to Hoffenheim.

It could be that Bayern are perhaps recovering from the departure of Pep Guardiola and acclimatising to the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti and his new methods. However, it remains a difficult challenge to balance domestic and European duties, even if you have a bulging squad of international players like the Bavarian side.

Borussia Dortmund have been devastating at times this season, though they suffered a 2-0 reverse at Bayer Leverkusen immediately after a 2-2 draw against Real Madrid, while that spectacular 8-4 victory against Legia Warsaw had the continent purring. That was before a 2-1 reverse took place at Eintracht Frankfurt, bringing Thomas Tuchel’s side back down to earth with a bump.

The reality is that an additional workload for any football team brings a variety of complications. While the clubs in the Champions League often have a massive squad with practically two players for every position, managers are nearly always more successful with a settled team when it comes to domestic and European engagements.

Therefore, the demands on top players to feature at their best at the weekend before dusting themselves down and featuring just a few days later can often take their toll. This is especially the case towards the end of a season where knockout football is being played and these intense clashes can require high levels of fitness and concentration.

Thibaut Courtois

Courtois was one of several Chelsea players lambasted at times last season, but he has returned to the form that made him one of Europe’s best.

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Worked harder by Manchester City than he will have been all season, there were a couple of real standout saves from Courtois that should not be forgotten.

Damien Delaney

After conceding five last weekend, a clean sheet was desperately needed for Crystal Palace – who have carried the ugliest record in 2016.

Damien Delaney continues to perform at the highest level and was a rock against Southampton, helping the Eagles to secure a vital victory and a rare clean sheet.

Bruno Martins Indi

Gone are the days when Stoke City were a wreck without Ryan Shawcross.

Bruno Martins Indi and Marc Muniesa have looked solid in the last two games and, in fact, Shawcross may struggle to return to the XI. Hughes experimented with a 3-4-3 against Burnley and the Potters were clinical to kill the game in the first half.

David Luiz

What I believed to be overreaction to Luiz’s nudge on Aguero in the first half seemed to inspire the Brazilian further.

He has been magnificent of late, but his display at the heart of the Chelsea defence this weekend is one of the best we will see all season.

Maybe, just maybe, resigning Luiz was not the worst piece of business ever.

Nathan Ake

Amidst all the chaos in the game at Vitality Stadium, Nathan Ake remained a figure of calm right up to the last. Stealing the headlines with his late scrambled finish, Ake’s performances of late have shown why he was once rated so highly at Chelsea.

IdrissaGueye

Despite the talent in Manchester United’s midfield, IdrissaGueye was again the dominant force at Goodison Park.

Intercepting passes and tackling efficiently, Gueye continues to prove himself as one of the best midfielders in the league.

Didier Ndong

Sunderland’s road to recovery continued this weekend and, while Defoe and Anichebe will receive much of the praise, they had Didier Ndong to thank in the heart of the midfield.

Making sure the Black Cats maintained numerical advantage in the middle third, Ndong was dominant throughout.

Christian Eriksen

It seems as though Eriksen’s belting strike against Chelsea has reinvigorated his season.

As poor as Swansea were, Spurs looked a different side. Eriksen was one of the key protagonists in such change, as he moved the ball quickly, producing some sublime passes and found the net twice.

Matt Phillips

Quickly making himself in a fantasy football hero, Matt Phillips has been a shining light in West Brom’s recent rich vein of form.

His direct running and newly-found end product have made the Baggies a force to be reckoned with and the Scot put Watford to the sword with ease this weekend.

Diego Costa

Whatever happened to all of Chelsea’s players last year becomes more mysterious with each performance.

Diego Costa is a new man this season, focusing on football rather than scrapping, and he looks truly unstoppable for the most part. Costa dominated Manchester City’s defence this weekend, leading Chelsea’s comeback with his wonderfully taken goal.

Alexis Sanchez

There was talk of Alexis’ hat-trick being the best in Premier League history and its hard to argue with that.

While Arsenal were dominant against West Ham, the Chilean was the real difference between the two sides. The Irons’ defence could not handle his movement and we are unlikely to see a better individual display this season.

Southampton to beat Crystal Palace – 34/27

After the heartbreak of last weekend’s defeat to Swansea, Crystal Palace must be wondering what they have to do to pick up even a point. The home crowd will be nervous for the visit of Southampton, too, particularly after the Saints defeated Arsenal in the EFL Cup in midweek.

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Alan Pardew’s side have now lost six on the bounce in the league, while Southampton claimed an important victory over Everton last time out. Despite the quality in the Palace squad, Pardew has been unable to stop the leaking of the defence or get the best out of his attacking players. Southampton have one of the meanest defences in the league, meaning that the Eagles would need a true turnaround to take anything from this game.

Although they have to play away from home, Southampton to win the game is the clear value bet from this match.

Stoke City to beat Burnley – 8/13

Stoke City return to the Bet 365 Stadium on the back of an impressive victory away at Watford last time out. Despite missing several of their key players, Mark Hughes’ team looked well-balanced and limited their hosts to only a handful of chances. Burnley suffered their second defeat in a row last weekend, however, as they succumbed to the pressure of Manchester City to lose 2-1.

Separated by only a couple of points in the table, these two sides have markedly different ambitions for the season. Stoke are about to enter a challenging Christmas period that could easily derail their hopes of a top half finish, while Burnley will be delighted to have breathing space from the relegation zone.

Despite how resolute Sean Dyche’s side can be, Stoke’s performance last weekend, along with the bellowing home crowd, makes them the best offer from this game – even at 8/13.

Tottenham to beat Swansea – 9/25

Success against Crystal Palace last time out needs to be the start of something greater for Swansea, but its hard to see that growing against Spurs at White Hart Lane. Although the Lilywhites suffered defeat against Chelsea, their much improved performance gave an indication that they can return to their levels of last season.

Odds are heavily in Spurs’ favour this game and understandably so. Harry Kane’s return to the side has rejuvenated the team in possession, while Swansea’s five goals scored last time out have been the outlier in an otherwise difficult season for the club offensively.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side absolutely must win this game and its likely they will do so rather comfortably.

Real Madrid are the team in form heading into El Clasico on Saturday but Barcelona are the favourites for a vital victory.

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Madrid have moved six points clear at the top of the Primera Division after a run of six straight wins and will head to Camp Nou full of confidence.

In contrast, Barcelona have taken just two points from their last two games after following up their goalless stalemate against nine-man Malaga with a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad last weekend.

Luis Enrique's men, who have also lost to Celta Vigo and Alaves in LaLiga this season, know they cannot afford to drop points against their rivals if they are to retain their title. They have already been pushed out to 6/4 to be crowned champions, with Real now the 3/5 favourites.

That could all change if Barca can make the most of home advantage this weekend and they are 17/20 to win the first El Clasico of the campaign. 888sport are also offering odds on either team to win both of these fixtures this season and Barcelona are 4/1 to take six points off Real, who are 15/2 to win both matches and leave the Catalans needing plenty of help from other teams to have any chance of catching them.

Real have not won both El Clasicos in one LaLiga season since 2007/08 while Barcahave had more success in recent years, doing the double in 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2013/14.

The momentum is with Real at the moment, though, and they are 14/5 to add to Barca’s problems with victory this weekend or 49/50 to avoid defeat. Two early goals from Cristiano Ronaldo fired them to a 2-1 win at home to Sporting Gijon last weekend, although they rode their luck as the visitors missed a second-half penalty.

Ronaldo now has eight goals in his last four LaLiga games and he is 37/25 to be on target on Saturday, 53/10 to score the first goal or 24/5 to score in a Real win.

Arguably the best bet of the match is the 23/50 available for both teams to score. Incredibly, it is a bet which would have paid out in 19 of the last 20 meetings between these two teams, with Barcelona’s clean sheet in a 4-0 victory in the capital last November ending a run of both teams scoring which stretched back to May 2011.

Backing both teams to score and choosing the winner offers the chance for a bigger return, with Barca available at 41/20 and Real 19/4.

This is a fixture which usually guarantees goals, with at least three being scored in the last nine meetings, and over 2.5 goals on Saturday is priced at 12/25. For more ambitious punters, over 3.5 is an 11/9 option and has occurred at least once in El Clasico in each of the last six seasons.

Sporting Lisbon vs REAL MADRID

The situation for Sporting is simple: win or face elimination from the competition. After four games, the Portuguese side are five points behind Madrid and Jorge Jesus’ men are in dire need of a minor miracle to stand any chance of reaching the last-16.

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Sporting cannot afford to get drawn into the emotion of another Ronaldo return; the 18-time Primeira Liga winners must remain focused on the difficult task at hand...

Real’s 3-0 victory away at Atletico sent shockwaves across La Liga and Los Blancos will fancy their chances of claiming their first Spanish title since 2012. However, the European Cup will always remain the number one priority; such is their affinity with the competition.

If Madrid derby hat-trick hero Cristiano Ronaldo (8/9 anytime) and Gareth Bale (7/5) continue their fine form, this could be very one-sided...

TIP: Real Madrid to win @ 8/13

ARSENAL vs PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

Arsene Wenger’s side are in fantastic form, avoiding defeat in 17 successive games in all competitions. The Gunners have hit the back of the net in all but one of their last 16 fixtures – and it would take a brave man to back against the hosts on Tuesday night.

Olivier Giroud netted a vital equaliser in Saturday’s draw with Manchester United and Arsenal should see plenty of chances in what could be a high-scoring contest...

The visitors have been scoring for fun so far this season and Edison Cavani (17/11 to net during 90 minutes) may be the main threat to Petr Cech’s goal if he can pass a late fitness test. The Uruguayan, who has netted 15 goals in 15 club appearances this campaign, was substituted off in PSG’s 4-0 victory over Rennes earlier this month and he hasn’t featured since.

With Cavani back, PSG will fancy their chances but they still have enough quality without the 29-year-old...

TIP: Both teams to score @ 17/24

Borussia Monchengladbach vs MANCHESTER CITY

It is do or die time for Borussia Monchengladbach. The Germans must beat Pep Guardiola’s side to stand any chance of reaching the knockout stages this season and it may be a step too far for the Bundesliga outfit.

Monchengladbach have won once in their last five home fixtures in all competitions and it is hard to see “That German Team” bucking the trend against last season’s semi-finalists...

Realistically, City only need a draw to secure their spot in the next round but the Blues will still have one eye on advancing to the last-16 as group winners.

With Sergio Aguero (EVS to score anytime) netting three goals in his last four appearances, the Argentina man could be one to look out for in this contest. After all, he netted a superb treble in the reverse fixture between the two sides back in September...

TIP: Manchester City to win @ 4/5

Celtic vs BARCELONA

Celtic always give it a go in front of their passionate home fans and Brendan Rodgers will have his troops fired up for the visit of European giants Barcelona.

The Bhoys manager may play on the emotion of Celtic’s recent victories over the Spanish side and the likes of Moussa Dembele and Scott Brown will have to be on top form to stand any chance of limiting Barcelona’s dominance in possession and on the scoreboard...

For me, the visitors could get a hatful – especially if they score in the first 15 minutes. On their day, Barcelona are still the best club side in European football and the attacking trident of Lionel Messi (3/5), Luis Suarez (5/8) and Neymar (8/9) will cause problems for Celtic’s suspect defence.

It won’t be a repeat of their 7-0 thrashing at Camp Nou but Luis Enrique’s men could add to their already impressive goals tally if they find their best form on Wednesday...

TIP: Barcelona to score in both halves @ 3/4

Odds are correct as of November 21^st: a £10 stake on this four-fold returns £87.26 – click here for more Football Betting Odds