New Delhi, September 13: Old Trafford will be a cauldron of hostility and fierce rivalry as two of the most heated sides, Manchester United and Manchester City, will lock horns against each other in the 199th derby in the Premier League.
It will also be the first time that Enzo Maresca will head out as head coach in a Manchester derby. However, the managerial debut will not be only on the side of City; Michael Carrick will also step out for the first time as the permanent head coach of United.
Carrick was in interim charge for this exact fixture last season and helped the Red Devils to a surprise 2-0 victory over their neighbors, but that means little ahead of the upcoming meeting. Recent duels have been fiercely competitive, too, with five City
victories, four United triumphs and one draw from the last 10 battles.
It is difficult to separate the two sides heading into the clash, though City have enjoyed the more impressive start to their campaign. Maresca's side may not have been entirely convincing in every outing, but they have maintained a perfect record, winning all four of their competitive matches so far.
United's campaign, by contrast, has been far more uneven. While they have produced emphatic victories against Ipswich Town and Sabah FK, defeats to Hull City and a draw against Everton have exposed their inconsistencies. With City awaiting them, United now face their sternest challenge of the season.
Manchester Derby: United Team News & Predicted Lineup
Marcus Rashford watched from the sidelines during the midweek European victory over Sabah, though his impressive showing against Everton makes him a strong candidate to start the Manchester derby.
Luke Shaw is another potential inclusion, with Michael Carrick set to assess his condition shortly before kickoff. Patrick Dorgu remains the likely alternative at left-back should Shaw fail to recover.
Up front, Benjamin Šeško and Matheus Cunha are competing for the central attacking role. Carrick could also deploy Cunha from the flank, allowing Šeško to operate through the middle.
United continue to contend with a lengthy absentee list. Carlos Baleba remains unavailable because of an ankle problem, while Matthijs de Ligt, Amad Diallo, Manuel Ugarte and Tom Heaton are also sidelined.
Manchester United Predicted Lineup
Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, MartÍnez, Shaw; Tielemans, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes (C), Rashford; Cunha
Manchester Derby: City Team News & Predicted Lineup
Manchester City head into the derby with a relatively clean bill of health, with Jeremy Doku the sole player unavailable. The Belgian wide man has not featured in the league this campaign, paving the way for Antoine Semenyo to operate on the left flank.
Elliot Anderson is expected to return to the starting XI after beginning Wednesday's Porto fixture among the substitutes. He should partner Enzo Fernández centrally, with Ayyoub Bouaddi making way.
Phil Foden is likely to keep his spot on the right despite competition from Iliman Ndiaye. Nico O'Reilly has returned to contention, although the youngster is expected to begin among the replacements rather than feature from the outset.
Manchester City Predicted Lineup
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias (C), Guehi, Gvardiol; Anderson, Fernández; Foden, Cherki, Semenyo; Haaland.
