This weekend’s Manchester derby promises to be a highly anticipated clash between two clubs that are struggling to find their best form.
Manchester City: Pep Guardiola’s City team is facing a tough period. After drawing 1-1 with Crystal Palace last weekend, their woes continued in midweek when they were defeated 2-1 by Juventus in the Champions League, a result that significantly hurt their chances of advancing to the knockout stages. This defeat, added to the club’s poor overall form, means City have won just one of their last 10 matches across all competitions, suffering seven losses, including a heavy 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon, managed by Ruben Amorim, who now leads United.
Despite this challenging stretch, Guardiola will take some solace in the fact that there are no new injury concerns after their trip to Italy. However, City will be without the suspended Rico Lewis, who received a red card against Crystal Palace. The champions also remain without their star midfielder, Rodri, though Mateo Kovacic, who has been sidelined, is back in training and might make his return this weekend. Another key decision Guardiola faces is in goal, having dropped Ederson for the recent Premier League matches, opting instead for Stefan Ortega. It appears that Ortega will continue in goal for the derby.
Manchester United: On the other side, Manchester United’s situation is also far from ideal. The optimism surrounding Ruben Amorim’s appointment has been dampened by back-to-back league defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. Additionally, the shock departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth has added further uncertainty to the mood around Old Trafford. However, United did manage to get back on track in the Europa League, with a crucial 2-1 win over Viktoria Plzen. Rasmus Højlund came off the bench to score twice, rescuing the team’s hopes of securing all three points. Amad Diallo played a significant role in the attack, while Mason Mount, another substitute, impressed during his time on the field and will be eager to start in the derby.
United’s injury concerns have eased somewhat, with Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelöf both available again. Luke Shaw remains the only major absentee.
Predicted Lineups:
- Manchester City XI: Ortega; Walker, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Bernardo, Gundogan, Savio; de Bruyne, Doku; Haaland
- Manchester United XI: Onana; Yoro, de Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui; Mainoo, Ugarte; Dalot, Diallo, Fernandes; Højlund
Both teams are under pressure, with City trying to recover from their disappointing form, while United will be eager to capitalize on City’s struggles to close the gap in the Premier League standings. The derby is set to be a fierce contest, with both sides looking for a much-needed victory to restore confidence and momentum.