A method for influencing lateral web spreading in a printing unit in a rotary printing press, the printing unit having first and second transfer cylinders contacting each other along a contact zone for receiving a web to be printed on therebetween and undergoing a deflection during operation, and at least one plate cylinder which is respectively settable against one of the first and second transfer cylinders for printing on at least one side of the web receivable in the contact zone. The method includes passing the web between the first and second transfer cylinders through the contact zone; and applying a bending moment to at least one of the first and second blanket cylinders counter to a direction of the deflection of the at least one of the first and second blanket cylinders to reduce the deflection, the bending moment being effected by a variable force applied to a cylinder axle of the at least one of the first and second blanket cylinders by a bending apparatus, so that a pressure in a center region of the contact zone along a length of the contact zone is increased thereby increasing the effective radius of at least one rubber blanket clamped onto one of the first and second transfer cylinders from the center region of the contact zone outward so that a concave velocity profile is produced on the web passing through the contact zone between the first and second transfer cylinders, the velocity at the outer sides of the concave velocity profile being greater than the velocity at the center of the velocity profile.