Manchester United and Manchester City are going head to head in the Premier League for the first time this season on Sunday.
One player who has been a standout for Manchester United so far under Erik ten Hag is Raphael Varane.
After arriving from Real Madrid for a fee just short of £30 million last summer, Varane had a rocky first season at the club, but has since come into his own.
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He has formed a brilliant partnership with Lisandro Martinez at the back, and the Red Devils have won every fixture he has started this season.
Varane is no stranger to the big occasion, and with a Manchester derby being one of the biggest games each year for the club, Varane understands what the match means to the fans.
When asked about how he understands the significance of the derby, he told TCL that his knowledge of the rivalry level comes from the fans themselves.
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“I think it especially comes from the fans,” Varane said.
“I think the rivalry is very important for them and we respect that and we want to make them happy, so we want to fight and to win against teams like (Manchester) City or Liverpool.”
Varane also said he likes to “keep in touch” with the fans and recognises the positive support fans give players ahead of such games.
“We’re in touch. They always try to motivate the players, they always have a positive word or something like that before games.
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“We can feel their support,” Varane explained.
Manchester United fans have always held an incredibly close connection with the players, and Varane accepts that this connection with the local community is important for both the players and fans.
“Yeah, it’s very important. You have to feel what the fans are expecting from you and what they want – it’s very important.”
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“Yeah, I feel comfortable,” Varane said when asked if he ‘feels like a Mancunian’ now.
“I also feel the support of the fans so that’s very important.”
The Manchester City fixture is set to take place on Sunday, with it being the first Premier League fixture United have played since the 3-1 victory over Arsenal towards the beginning of September.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Manchester United, Raphael Varane, Manchester City
