Manchester City could have won the Premier League title against Manchester United at the Etihad back in 2018.
Though United were a distant sight in the rear-view mirror of their rivals in the title race and had nothing to play for on paper, the eternal bragging rights that City would have gained from winning the title against their great rivals would have been a painful memory for many fans to live with.
And when City went 2-0 up in the first half and looked in complete control of the game, it seemed like United were destined to come to terms with that embarrassment as their opponents lifted the title at the end of the game.
But then something changed.
If you ask any United fan what Paul Pogba's worst 45 minutes as a United player, they may mention the first half of that City match but if you ask them what his best was, it would be the second.
In the second half of the Manchester derby, Pogba put the team on his back, scoring two goals in quick succession to put United level and consistently put the City defence to the sword with his passing. Surprisingly in itself, only Alexis Sanchez with his two assists came close to matching the Frenchman's performance in that second half.
And that performance, alongside how Pogba has played since his return to the squad from injury, should be a prime example of why Ralf Rangnick needs to pick the Frenchman against City on Sunday.
Pogba can control the tempo of the game with his passing but is also press-resistant due to his frame and athleticism and is therefore probably United's best all-round player on the ball. That will prove useful against the highly-technical midfield trio that City will deploy of Rodri, Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, who scored in the fixture back in 2018.
It could also be argued that Pogba should start over Bruno Fernandes. In recent weeks the Portuguese playmaker has been prone to attempting to force chance creation when the team's back is against the wall and this has resulted in the team losing possession. The lack of patience in possession has hinted at a desperation to his and United's wider attacking play.
Fernandes' role does require him to lose possession due to the need to try and create openings but the number of misplaced passes in recent weeks has been stark, whereas Pogba's security in possession and speed in the transition could prove key. It could also be argued that Fred is also necessary for this fixture, given his big-game form.
It is unlikely that United beat City on Sunday given the form of their rivals but if they are to have any chance then they need to make some hard choices and pick the right starting XI to combat the talent that their noisy neighbours have at their disposal. Pogba figures prominently among those plans. Or, at least, he should do.
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