Two fallen Mancunian mammoths headline this weekend's round of Premier League action, as Manchester City and Manchester United renew hostilities at the Etihad in Sunday's Manchester derby.
While Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim will be experiencing his first taste of derby day since taking charge of the 20-time English champions, he has already masterminded one slaughter of the Citizens in 2024-25.
Match preview
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Going as far as to question himself after Man City's latest chastening evening on the continent, as Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie propelled Juventus to a 2-0 triumph over the English champions on Turin turf, Pep Guardiola is not walking in a winter wonderland whatsoever.
A corner had seemingly been turned when Nottingham Forest rocked up to the Etihad and left battered and bruised after a 3-0 defeat, but City reverted to weak ways in the Premier League at Crystal Palace's Selhurst Park home, where they had to come from behind twice just to snatch a share of the spoils.
Now reeling from their seventh defeat in 10 matches in all competitions - form that could justifiably lead to the sacking of most managers not named Guardiola - Man City are only just clinging onto a top-four place in the Premier League table and are eight points behind leaders Liverpool at the time of writing.
Results going against them on Saturday could bump City out of the Champions League berths before the derby, but if there is any crumb of comfort for the Citizens faithful to cling onto, it is the fact that their stuttering side have scored three goals in back-to-back home games against Feyenoord and Forest.
However, Nuno Espirito Santo's team are the only side City have kept a clean sheet against during their pitiful 10-game run; each of the other nine matches has seen Guardiola's men ship at least two goals, including four to an Amorim-inspired Sporting Lisbon before the Portuguese answered the Old Trafford call.
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While City's Scandinavian sensation Erling Haaland had no answer to Juve's defensive might in the Champions League, Man United's Nordic marksman Rasmus Hojlund provided the dash of inspiration necessary to get his teammates, and Andre Onana in particular, out of jail against Viktoria Plzen.
Man United's number one was culpable for Matej Vydra's opening goal in the Europa League affair, but Hojlund's brace off the bench saw Amorim join an exclusive club of Man United managers; only Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson also won both of their first two continental games in charge of the club.
Victory in Europe was the ideal tonic to back-to-back Premier League losses to Arsenal and - surprisingly - Nottingham Forest, who also capitalised on horror moments from Onana and his defence last weekend to leave the Red Devils in an unlucky 13th place in the table.
As scepticism and criticism of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's involvement heightens amid behind-the-scenes turmoil, Amorim could do worse than replicate his astonishing 4-1 slaughter of City with Sporting, but the road omens are not promising for Man United.
Indeed, the Red Devils have failed to win any of their last five Premier League matches on the road, have only beaten Southampton away from home in the top flight this term and boast just two successes from their last 13 league games on rival territory.
Man City have also conquered their formerly noisy neighbours in each of their last three meetings at the Etihad, and should Guardiola's men give themselves a shot in the arm with derby delight on Sunday, Amorim would have suffered three straight top-flight losses for the first time in his fledgling managerial career.
Team News
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Controversially taking the walk of shame after scoring a terrific equaliser against Crystal Palace, City defender Rico Lewis will miss the Manchester derby through suspension and will be one of six Citizens to sit out the visit of the Red Devils.
Rodri (ACL), Oscar Bobb (leg) and Nathan Ake (thigh) will not be seen until 2025, and Sunday's blockbuster is also set to come too soon for Manuel Akanji (unspecified) and John Stones (foot), potentially forcing Guardiola to introduce an inexperienced academy graduate in defence.
Either Jahmai Simpson-Pusey - at centre-back - or Josh Wilson-Esbrand - at left-back - should fill the Lewis void in a ravaged rearguard, but Guardiola has also suggested that he could experiment with playing some players out of position or switching to a three-man backline with wing-backs.
In a rare piece of positive injury news, Mateo Kovacic was back on the bench in midweek and should be in contention to come into the midfield.
In contrast, the Man United infirmary is virtually empty barring the perpetually injured Luke Shaw, who recently suffered a setback in his recovery from a calf concern; Jonny Evans is training and in with a good chance of making the squad on Sunday.
Amorim's alterations have been grabbing headlines during his early days in charge of the club, and the Portuguese will no doubt make sweeping changes for derby day too, which spells danger for Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford after their tepid displays in midweek.
Indeed, two of Hojlund, Mason Mount and Alejandro Garnacho - who could cause an off-colour Kyle Walker all sorts of problems - should come into the attacking trident, and it will be fascinating to see whether Amorim deems Leny Yoro ready for a fixture of such magnitude.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Simpson-Pusey, Gvardiol; De Bruyne, Kovacic; Silva, Foden, Nunes; Haaland
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez; Diallo, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund
We say: Manchester City 3-2 Manchester United
City's diminished defence, Man United's propensity to gift goals to the opposition and the visitors' shoddy form away from home all points to a Manchester derby living up to the pre-game billing, and for the second time this season, Guardiola and Amorim could witness their outfits share five goals between them.
However, a repeat of the Portuguese's 4-1 pummelling with Sporting is surely out of the question; we do back the Red Devils to breach a depleted City backline more than once, but the champions remain an attacking force to be reckoned with at home and can capitalise on their visitors' Thursday night fatigue to prevail in an exhilarating encounter.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
