One of the most eagerly anticipated games of the Premier League season, the Manchester derby will round off matchday 10 as Manchester United welcome rivals Manchester City to Old Trafford on Sunday evening.
Having had a crisis just a few weeks ago, the Red Devils have sprung together three consecutive victories to somehow calm the waters.
They head into the Manchester derby just six points behind City on the league table having beaten Sheffield United and Brentford in their two last games.
United face a City side that is looking to build some momentum after recovering from a wobble of their own prior to the international break; Rodri’s suspension is majorly attributed to their back-to-back defeats that came against Wolves and Arsenal.
The Citizens got back to winning ways last weekend after Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland scored to ensure they overcame Brighton 2-1 at home. That was their 21 successive home victory – a new record for a Premier League club across all competitions.
Both City and United will head into this game fresh from victories in the Champions League. United finally got their first UCL victory this season with a dramatic 1-0 win over Copenhagen, while City scored three second half goals to overcome Young Boys in Switzerland.
Of those three goals, Haaland had two to end his Champions League longest drought ( 543 minutes).
Team News
Manchester United will be without Lisandro Martínez, Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Tyrell Malacia, who are all long-term absentees.
City academy player Jadon Sancho also remains exiled by Ten Hag, while Casemiro is back after sitting out the last two games.
For City, they will be without Manuel Akanji, who was sent off against Brighton and Hove. Aside from the center back, Kevin De Bruyen is only the other absentee for Pep Guardiola.
Match Facts
The last meeting between these teams came in June’s FA Cup final, with İlkay Gündoğan scoring twice as City moved one step closer to the treble with a 2-1 triumph.
Having beaten City 2-1 last season, United could now win back-to-back home league games against their neighbours for the first time in the post-Alex Ferguson era, having last done so between 2008-09 and 2010-11 (a run of three).
City have a good record at Old Trafford! They have recorded more Premier League victories there (eight) than any other visiting side. Seven of those eight wins have come in their last 12 visits
Man City are aiming to avoid going seven games without a clean sheet for the first time since a run of 10 from October to December 2019.
City are unbeaten in each of the 37 games Rodri has played in since a 1-0 league defeat at Spurs in February 2023.
What the managers said
Speaking ahead of this game, Erik Ten Hag said that all eyes will be on this game.
“I think it’s a match that is so huge because it’s Manchester, it’s internal, but it’s also about world football. All the eyes will be on this game globally.”
While Pep Guardiola said: “They are always dangerous. It doesn’t matter the managers – and I have seen a few – they are always a tough opponent with the quality of the individual, the character, the momentum. They have the ability not to be on top and then just score goals. We know their quality, not doubts about that.”
Probable Line-ups
Manchester United: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Reguilon; Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Silva; Doku, Alvarez, Foden; Haaland
