Potential Lineups: Manchester City vs Manchester United

The first Manchester derby of the season is about to grace Premier League fans and the Etihad will be the venue where big questions will be answered.

Both clubs have been performing poorer than they would have expected, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men facing the brunt of the battle.

For the Sky Blues, it will be a chance to fill the gap between table-toppers Liverpool and Leicester City while United will be eager to get their season rolling at last, presently enjoying their best streak of games undefeated.

 

Manchester City

Pep Guardiola’s men will be without their prolific goalscorer Sergio Aguero along with Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte. The fitness of Oleksandr Zinchenko is also a doubt with only İlkay Gündoğan returning from his one-game suspension.

City will have to continue to rely on the goalscoring knack of Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus to make an impact. They have already dropped way too many points at this stage of the competition when compared to last season and will be keen on not losing face to United of all clubs.

Goalkeeper: Moraes

Defenders: Walker, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Angelino

Midfielders: De Bruyne, Gundogan, Silva

Forwards: Bernardo, Jesus, Sterling

Formation: 4-3-3

 

Manchester United

Injuries continue to be a concern for the Red Devils with Solskjaer confirming that Diogo Dalot, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, and Eric Bailly remain long-term absentees.

More worryingly, Paul Pogba still won’t be fit for the derby, while Anthony Martial could put up a cameo role. Meanwhile, no new update was given of Nemanja Matic’s fitness.

Thus, Mason Greenwood is all but assured to start as the lone striker and could fulfill a cult role against the Red Devils’ local rivals. Fred and McTominay are bound to continue to impress in the midfield.

Goalkeeper: De Gea

Defenders: Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw

Midfielders: McTominay, Fred

Forwards: James, Lingard, Rashford; Greenwood

Formation: 4-2-3-1