That is the opinion of pundit and former Spurs and Liverpool star Jamie Redknapp.
The Manchester United man is ruled out of the must-win clash after picking up a straight red card against Arsenal on Saturday.
Before last weekend's victory at the Emirates, Mourinho had been criticised for the way he set his side up against the bigger teams.
But Redknapp expects Pogba's absence to mean the Portuguese boss reverts to his defensive style.
"I would say they'd miss him [Pogba] in any other game," he said on Sky Sports show The Debate.
"But against City, I expect Jose to unleash the dogs on them.
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“If they try and go take Man City on for blow-for-blow, they will get destroyed”
Jamie Redknapp
"I can see a situation where Jose almost says to Herrera 'I want you to go and mark David Silva, don't give him any time to breathe'
"If they try and go take Man City on for blow-for-blow, they will get destroyed."
And Redknapp believes Herrera's lack of 'ego' means he is a better fit than Pogba in this weekend's tie.
"Of course you want Paul Pogba to play in an ideal world and I'm sure he [Jose] will say that," he added.
"But deep down in his mind, he'll want to stop Man City and that might be how to do it.
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"Because Herrera has no ego, he'll happily go and follow De Bruyne round.
"It's a gameplan, because everyone is finding it so difficult to stop Man City.
"Because Pogba won't do that, he's got an ego and rightly so because he's a fantastic player.
"It gives you a different gameplan if Herrera is in there."
City v United kicks off at 4.30pm at Old Trafford.