It’s the 192nd Manchester derby on Sunday, as Manchester Metropolis welcome Manchester United on the Etihad Stadium in a blockbuster Premier League conflict.
Man Metropolis must maintain tempo with Liverpool and Arsenal on the summit of the Premier League. They enter the derby in wonderful type, having gained 5 of their final six league video games. Pep Guardiola’s facet ran riot 6-2 in opposition to Luton City away within the FA Cup fifth-round tie in midweek and might be overwhelming favourites on paper.
In the meantime, Man United edged Nottingham Forest 1-0 within the FA Cup fifth spherical and are available into this fixture needing to choose up a win to maintain alive their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. Their four-game successful run within the league was snapped on Saturday following a shock 2-1 defeat to Fulham at Outdated Trafford.
Manchester Metropolis vs Manchester United—Crew Information
Manchester Metropolis
Manchester Metropolis suffered a blow on Tuesday when Jack Grealish was compelled off with a repeat of a groin drawback that sidelined him for a while earlier this month. Josko Gvardiol is the one different concern and hasn’t featured in latest video games, however Pep Guardiola stated final week that the Croatian defender was closing in on a return.
Guardiola rotated his squad within the FA Cup fifth-round fixture in opposition to Luton City on Tuesday night time, so key gamers are anticipated to return to the primary XI for the derby. Ederson will return to the primary XI and change Stefan Ortega in purpose. A again 4 of Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake are anticipated to start out in entrance of Ederson.
Rodri will virtually definitely begin Sunday’s derby on the Etihad Stadium, having loved an evening off at Kenilworth Street. The Spaniard might companion John Stones in the midst of the park, with Kevin de Bruyne appearing because the inventive nucleus of the facet. The Belgian’s workload has been managed of late as a result of hamstring points however was available to produce 4 assists for Erling Haaland within the 6-2 win over Luton.
Bernardo Silva might get the nod over Jeremy Doku on the left flank, whereas Phil Foden’s glowing type because the begin of 2024 makes him undroppable. He’ll function from the appropriate flank, having registered 4 targets and an help this yr, with Haaland—off the again of a five-star purpose present at Luton—main the Metropolis assault.
Manchester United
As for Manchester United, Harry Maguire missed the FA Cup fixture at Nottingham Forest with harm and his standing for the upcoming derby stays uncertain. Rasmus Hojlund will return within the subsequent couple of weeks however Luke Shaw has joined Anthony Martial and Lisandro Martinez on the sidelines for an prolonged interval.
Andre Onana is a sure begin in purpose, protected by the again 4 of Diogo Dalot, Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane and Sofyan Amrabat. Varane was a doubt forward of the midweek recreation however he accomplished 90 minutes at Metropolis Floor, so the Frenchman ought to characteristic in central defence alongside Lindelof. Dalot has been one in all Man United’s greatest gamers this season and can maintain his place at right-back, whereas Amrabat hopes to impress from the makeshift left-back place.
Up forward in midfield, Casemiro, who scored the late winner within the FA Cup fifth spherical in opposition to Forest, will act as a security blanket for the again 4. The Brazilian will companion younger Kobbie Mainoo within the double pivot, with skipper Bruno Fernandes aiming to ship the products in such a giant recreation. Scott McTominay will drop out of the XI and be part of Christian Eriksen, Amad Diallo and Omari Forson on the bench.
In Rasmus Hojlund’s harm absence, Erik ten Hag is predicted to stay with the entrance three of Antony, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho on Sunday.
Manchester Metropolis vs Manchester United—Predicted Lineups
Predicted Manchester Metropolis Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Ake; Rodri, Stones; Silva, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland
Predicted Manchester United Lineup (4-2-3-1): Onana; Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Amrabat; Casemiro, Mainoo; Fernandes, Antony, Garnacho; Rashford
Manchester Metropolis vs Manchester United—Key Gamers
Manchester Metropolis—Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland displayed his ruthless ending in entrance of purpose in midweek as he netted 5 targets in Metropolis’s 6-2 win over Luton within the FA Cup. The Norwegian striker made it 27 targets for the season regardless of lacking two months of motion with a foot drawback. It was the right approach to heat up forward of the Manchester derby, and given Man United’s defensive considerations, Haaland might be licking his lips on the prospect of dealing with them on the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester United—Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes was labelled an harm doubt forward of the FA Cup conflict with Forest following an harm sustained throughout the 2-1 defeat to Fulham on Saturday. The Portuguese, nonetheless, was in a position to play the total recreation in opposition to Fulham and delivered the help for Casemiro’s late winner in opposition to Forest. The 29-year-old’s imaginative and prescient to search out keen runners Rashford and Garnacho on the break and work charge on and off the ball will maintain the important thing for United.
Prediction: Man Metropolis 3-1 Man United
I’m Rohan Sengupta from one of many busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a eager curiosity in sports activities, soccer is one thing I merely can not reside with out and writing, discussing and analyzing the sport is what I do 24*7.