Manchester City vs Manchester United Predicted Lineups

City come in struggling mightily, reeling off back-to-back losses against Tottenham and then Brighton and so this is probably not the best time to have Manchester United coming to the Etihad Stadium for the Manchester derby. City’s midfield has been so easily played through or around, and City’s defence has really struggled, especially in transition. These are the same issues we saw from Pep’s City last season, and they do not seem to have been solved tactically or by new personnel. Rodri getting more minutes in his legs and getting closer to full match fitness will help, and new signing Donnarumma could help settle the defence. Haaland will look to continue his form, having scored in 2 of City’s 3 games so far this season.

Manchester United will be feeling boosted by the last minute victory against Burnley. Despite Cunha likely being out injured for this GW4 clash, Amorim will be looking for a near repeat performance of their display against Arsenal in GW1, only with a reversed scoreline this time around.

Both teams have avoided any major injury set backs during the international break, and come in to this game needing a win, with no excuses for a loss. City look to revive any kind of title challenge and Amorim is fighting to keep his job and to regain control of the locker room. City, despite their struggles are the better team, with the better coach and players, and are at home. They are the betting favourites but they are just a much less sure bet now than they used to be earlier in the Pep era, despite any perceived advantages they may have over United. United will probably look to sit in a mid block, defend well and hit City on the counter, while City will look to get ahead as early as they can and then  dominate possession and control the game and avoid any Brighton-esque second half collapses.

 

Lineups will be updated throughout the week in live time as and when injury and lineup news is announced.

Green Light: Confident the player will start.

Amber Light: A toss up on whether the player will start.

Red Light: Confident the player will not start.

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Manchester City Predicted Lineup:

Manchester City Team News:

Speaking on Friday, Pep Guardiola revealed that Omar Marmoush, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and John Stones will be out for the Manchester derby if not longer. Guardiola revealed “Omar is injured from Egypt. A few weeks I think (he will be out). Before the international break he will be ready… Ait-Nouri and Cherki. Stones as well is a doubt. Not a big issue but he’s a doubt for Sunday. The rest are fine”. Ait-Nouri’s injury is new, so we will see what the injury is and what the timeline is. Given Guardiola said “the rest are fine”, it is safe to assume Josko Gvardiol is now fit and ready to start, and he will likely start in Ait-Nouri’s place until he returns from his injury. 

Speaking on new signing Donnarumma, Guardiola stated “I met him on Wednesday. We make a good chat. Thursday was training – I was in my office so I didn’t see him. We’ll see (if he starts on Sunday)”. It is difficult to know for sure who will start out of Trafford or Donnarumma given the Italian has just joined the team and had a limited number of training sessions with his new coaches and teammates. There are far less tactical details to drill down for a goalkeeper, it is easier to just start the most talented player. Pep and City signed Donnarumma for a reason; I think he starts. Ederson has left the club and joined Fenerbahce.

Khusanov picked up a knock against Brighton and had to be substituted off against Brighton, but Guardiola said he was fine and he proved to be just that, starting and playing 90 minutes for Uzbekistan in their World cup Qualifier against Qatar. With Dias and Khusanov being fit while Stones is out, they will be the starting centre-back pairing in GW4 against Manchester United.

Rayan Cherki has a quadriceps tear and has been ruled out for around 2 months. A big blow to City especially after a slow start to the season and back-to-back losses. Rodri now back and fully fit is a near every week starter, with rotation probably more of a factor for him than it used to be after his recent injuries. He featured off the bench for Spain in both of their World Cup Qualifiers and should be fit and ready to go for this Sunday. Foden has an ankle injury and is not in the England squad. We will likely find out more about his fitness throughout the week. Oscar Bobb had a scan while away with Norway, but put any concerns to rest by playing 90 minutes against Finland in a friendly. Bobb seems to be first choice for that right-wing spot this season and should start against United.

Marmoush has picked up a knee ligament injury that forced him off in Egypt’ second World Cup Qualifier. City then released a statement on Wednesday confirming Marmoush’s injury and that it will likely keep him sidelined for at least the Manchester Derby – it read as follows: “Initial results on a scan performed in Egypt indicate he (Marmoush) will not be available for the Manchester derby on Sunday, and he will now return to Manchester for more assessment and to begin his rehabilitation”.

Doku will start at left-wing in his place, and had a very good Club World Cup so let’s see if he is able to show growth and find good form if given a few starts on the bounce. Savinho should return to the matchday squad against Manchester United after an injury kept him out during reports of a move to Tottenham loomed large during the transfer window, but it failed to materialise and Spurs bought Xavi Simons instead. He could replace Bobb at right-wing but I think that is more likely to happen in GW5.

Manchester City Players to Watch:

Donnarumma:

Gvardiol:

Khusanov:

Doku:

Stones:

Marmoush:

Cherki:

Foden:

Savinho:

Manchester United Predicted Lineup:

Manchester United Team News:

Amorim, speaking on Friday, confirmed Bayindir will start this weekend. He said on the matter “Altay is going to continue because we need to. This game is clear. Altay will start. It’s a show of faith in Altay.” We will see how Bayindir performs and how this situation progresses over the coming weeks with new goalkeeper Lammens in the fray.

Amorim revealed that “Matheus Cunha, Diogo Dalot, Mason Mount are out for this game. I don’t know how long it’s going to take…If you talk with Cunha, he will say that he can play this game… We’ll manage day by day, but they are pushing really hard, and that is a good thing”. Cunha suffered what was a hamstring injury against Burnley. He went straight down the tunnel. He did not go away with the Brazilian National Team as he recovered, and it seems like he will be out a couple more weeks at least.

With Cunha and Mount both unavailable, Fernandes will most likely move further forward into the left 10 role, and Ugarte comes into the starting lineup to play alongside Casemiro in midfield. Sesko started and played all 90 minutes in both of Slovenia’s World Cup Qualifiers which is a good sign for his match fitness levels. United need him desperately right now with the injuries, and he will start.

De Ligt, Maguire and Yoro will start against an athletic City forward line. Amorim will want Yoro’s press resistance and athleticism over what Shaw offers against City. De Ligt and Maguire will likely be locked in starters when fit.

Manchester United Players to Watch:

Bayindir:

Ugarte:

Sesko:

Cunha:

Mount:

Dalot:

Lammens:

Final Thoughts:

City will likely stick with their 4-1-2-3 system they have been utilising, although Pep could shift the initial formation a little based off how teams seem to be very keenly aware of the ways to attack Amorim’s system. Amorim of course will stick with his 5-2-2-1 system and in all likelihood, City control the proceedings. Whether that leads to a victory, we will see.

With Cunha having been such a big part of anything good United have done in the first 3 GWs, as well as likely having to start Ugarte who is bad, and having to keep Amad at right wing-back with Dalot’s injury up against Marmoush, and United’s worrying GK situation, playing at the Etihad; City should be able to claim victory in a game that should be hotly contested and a fun one.