The 2024/25 season is set to kick-off this weekend with a blockbuster clash between FA Cup holders Manchester United and Premier League winners Manchester City.

While many Red Devils fans are hoping for a repeat of the famous FA Cup final triumph over their crosstown rivals in May, thanks to a myriad of injuries and City’s brilliance that does seem a bit unlikely.

That being said, there are a few things that, if they go in United’s favour, could help them to a 22nd Community Shield triumph.

Here’s the three ways that can happen.

Look, if Manchester City play to their best on Saturday, we’re 99.99% sure they’ll win the game.

Pep Guardiola’s side have won the Premier League a record-breaking four consecutive times after all.

But if they aren’t quite at the races, then Manchester United are in with a shout of causing an upset. As they exemplified in the FA Cup final, when Guardiola’s side put in a subpar performance, United do have the quality within their ranks to cause them serious problems.

With Rasmus Hojlund out injured, there’s a lot of pressure on Joshua Zirkzee to put in a top performance on his United debut.

And when one considers his outstanding for with Bologna prior to his £35m transfer to Old Trafford – he bagged 15 goal contributions to guide his team to the UEFA Champions League – we wouldn’t be shocked if Zirkzee stars at Wembley.

The forward’s ability to drop deep and play an almost false nine role could cause City’s defence some problems on Saturday, as will his ability to hold up play and find United’s pacy wide players with incisive passes in behind.

Let’s call a spade a spade: in an ideal world, Casemiro doesn’t play for United on Saturday as he’s been sold to another club.

We don’t live in an ideal world though so Casemiro is still a United player and, thanks to the club’s injury issues, he also looks set to start in the Community Shield.

If the Red Devils are going to have any hope of winning the Manchester derby, they’ll need the Brazilian to re-find a yard in his legs and re-find a semblance of the form which once made him one of the best midfielders in the world during his time at Real Madrid.

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