The 176th Manchester Derby-FA Premier League-Kick-off-17:30-SkySp Pl/MainEv

Bret Hart

TEAM NEWS

Victory would see Manchester City clinch the title but boss Pep Guardiola may be tempted to rest players ahead of Tuesday's game against Liverpool.

City will monitor Sergio Aguero's knee injury, and even if he is fit they may prefer to save him for the Champions League quarter-final second leg.

Manchester United's only absentee is injured goalkeeper Sergio Romero.

Fit-again defenders Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo have trained all week and are in contention.

Daley Blind returned to full training on Friday following an ankle injury but is unlikely to be involved.

Nemanja Matic was the sole defensive midfielder to start last weekend's win against Swansea, and manager Jose Mourinho must decide whether to field a similarly attacking line-up at the Etihad Stadium.

Ander Herrera or Scott McTominay could be recalled if Mourinho opts for a more pragmatic approach against the runaway league leaders.

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola: "We have three massive games, United, Liverpool and Tottenham. We have just a few days between each game.

"We have to see the condition of the players. We'll pick a team to win the game against United... we have one eye on Tuesday though.

"I'd rather be facing United with a better result than we had [in midweek]. We must adapt, though. The result against United will help emotionally to prepare for the game on Tuesday."

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho on potentially delaying Manchester City's title celebrations: "My motivation is to finish second. Mathematically [the] top four [is] not done. That is first objective. After that I don't hide.

"In practical terms second, third, fourth is the same because we don't win the title but we qualify for the Champions League group phase. But I prefer to finish second."

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

United have lost eight of the last 13 league Manchester derbies, as many as in the previous 49 encounters.

However, the Red Devils are unbeaten in their last two league visits to the Etihad (W1, D1), keeping a clean sheet in both games.

Jose Mourinho has beaten Pep Guardiola just once in seven league meetings (D2, L4). His Real Madrid side were 2-1 winners at Guardiola's Barcelona in April 2012.

Guardiola has won nine of 20 games against Mourinho-managed sides (D7, L4) in all competitions.

Manchester City

Victory would see Pep Guardiola's side clinch the title with more games to spare than any other side in English top-flight history.

It would be the earliest in the calendar year a team has become top-flight champions since the same day in 1956, when Sir Matt Busby's Manchester United beat nearest challengers Blackpool 2-1 to clinch the title.

City are chasing a fifth top-flight title, and their third in seven seasons.

They could win 28 top-flight games in a single season for only the second time in their history - the previous occasion was the famous 3-2 victory against QPR on the final day of the 2011-12 campaign.

City are unbeaten in their last 27 home league games (W22, D5), winning the last 14 in a row.

Only twice before have teams recorded longer winning home runs in the Premier League - City themselves registered 20 victories in a row between March 2011 and March 2012 while Manchester United claimed 19 straight wins from October 2010 to October 2011.

Pep Guardiola's side could keep consecutive Premier League clean sheets at home for the first time since September (in 5-0 wins against both Liverpool and Crystal Palace).

Sergio Aguero, who has 199 goals for City, has scored six goals in his last six Premier League appearances against Manchester United.

Manchester United

United have won their last four league games, their best run since a six-game streak from December 2016 to January 2017.

The Red Devils have only won one of their last 10 away league games against fellow 'big six' sides (D3, L6), with that win coming at Arsenal in December. They have failed to score on eight occasions duing this run.

Romelu Lukaku has scored in each of his last three games for Manchester United in all competitions.

Lukaku has netted five goals in 33 Premier League away games against the 'big six', with two of those goals scored at Etihad Stadium (both for Everton).

Prediction : 3-0

PhlegmyMoses

5-1 United. If you consider that United beat Liverpool 2-1 recently, and Liverpool beat City 3-0, the end product is an easy win for United.

eagle eye

This is a real unimportant match for anybody outside of the two clubs. Well maybe Liverpool and Spurs fans have an interest as they would like to finish higher up the table.

Thing is that the Champion's league spots are all but secured by the current top four teams and the only places up for grabs are 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

City could spank them as a response to their awful midweek performance. Hard to know exactly how interested these teams are in going hard at it in this one. World Cup coming up and nothing really to play for.

Ronin247

If Pep rests some players with a view to Tuesday night or Mourhinio actually decides to go for it it should be a good game.
City know they have the league won and a massive game on Tuesday, so cannot see any players wanting to go for it too much. If De Bruyne or Sane got hurt, Tuesday would be f***ed up.
Jose should see this as a chance to get a win against Pep but his record of not going for it when the chances are there speaks for itself.

0-2 for United

bucketybuck

Forget sticking it into your rivals and all that, I get the sense that neither manager wants this game at all. Lose and its a blemish that annoys all the fans, win and its a meaningless game that nobody cared about.

Pep will name a weak side and pretend that the CL is the only thing on his mind, so if they lose he can shrug his shoulders and say so what. He'd like to beat United for the title, but he doesn't really care if they win it today or not.

For Mourinho, delaying City winning the title by one game is very much a hollow victory, but losing and having City parade in front of him will have the fans on his back even more, and who needs that hassle.

It will be a crap game, United will try to keep it tight and take a draw, which they will probably get depending on whether the cowards in their team decide to turn up or not.

suffering golfer

Aparantly Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, David Silva, Leroy Sane, Kyle Walker are all not in the Man City squad today. Understandable really given the bigger game on tuesday.

Be shocking if man utd don't win this. Love it if we somehow beat them with our B team,

suffering golfer

suffering golfer wrote: »

Aparantly Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, David Silva, Leroy Sane, Kyle Walker are all not in the Man City squad today. Understandable really given the bigger game on tuesday.

Be shocking if man utd don't win this. Love it if we somehow beat them with our B team,

Aparantly that was false


Team to play Man Utd: Ederson, Danilo, Kompany, Otamendi, Delph, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, David Silva, Sane, Sterling

Subs: Bravo, Walker, Aguero, Laporte, De Bruyne, Jesus, Toure

No striker starting though...

suffering golfer

MAN UTD TEAM NEWS

Team to play Man City: De Gea, Young, Bailly, Smalling, Valencia, Lingard, Matic, Pogba, Herrera, Sanchez, Lukaku

Subs: Pereira, Lindelof, Rojo, Mata, Martial, Rashford, McTominay

blueser

That's a big gamble Pep is taking, no out and out striker on the pitch at kick off. And Gundogan in instead of Kev. He obviously thinks we're still in with a chance on tuesday night. Hmm.

blueser

blueser wrote: »

That's a big gamble Pep is taking, no out and out striker on the pitch at kick off. And Gundogan in instead of Kev. He obviously thinks we're still in with a chance on tuesday night. Hmm.

Sorry but what's the gamble he is taking?

suffering golfer

blueser wrote: »

That's a big gamble Pep is taking, no out and out striker on the pitch at kick off. And Gundogan in instead of Kev. He obviously thinks we're still in with a chance on tuesday night. Hmm.

True, he seem to be tinkering with the team at the worst possible time, wouldnt mind if it was weakened but playing players in not their normal positions. Ah well... be interesting to watch *ducks behind couch*


No harm in resting Kev for tuesday, that is still important, only 1/2 time in that game.

suffering golfer

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Sorry but what's the gamble he is taking?

Resting kev, aguero and jesus.

Turtwig

Pep seemingly wants to give another go with an iteration of the system he used against Liverpool on Wednesday. The one that went badly wrong.
Difficult to see how it'll go against United.

suffering golfer

suffering golfer wrote: »

Resting kev, aguero and jesus.

Surely the gamble is starting so many first teamers I mean the league is wrapped up or is he throwing in the towel for the champions league already?

SEPT 23 1989

That's not the team for a title winning Manchester derby

Hope I'm wrong

Hopefully we can piss off everyone by winning
If not feel free to stick the knife in

Come on Utd

IncognitoMan

Just hoping for a decent performance

super_furry

Jaysus, that’s some statement hairdo from Pogba after all that chat about him being offered to City during the week.

Cantona's Collars

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Hopefully we can piss off everyone by winning
If not feel free to stick the knife in

Come on Utd

But,but,but the neutrals. Think of the neutrals man.

super_furry

Cantona's Collars wrote: »

But,but,but the neutrals. Think of the neutrals man.

Gimme a couple of week long City injuries and we'll be all good.

Berserker

Think this will be a draw.

eigrod

Is Pogba genuinely thick or deliberately trying to rile his own fans with that hair? Ffs

Cantona's Collars

eigrod wrote: »

Is Pogba genuinely thick or deliberately trying to rile his own fans with that hair? Ffs

Reverse psychology.

IncognitoMan

Pogba has had blue hair for weeks now. He should have known to cut it or something to avoid the circus though.

There will be way too many reading way too much into it now.

blueser

Deleted User wrote: »

Sorry but what's the gamble he is taking?

Did you not read my post?

blueser

eigrod wrote: »

Is Pogba genuinely thick or deliberately trying to rile his own fans with that hair? Ffs

Both?

Trigger

eigrod wrote: »

Is Pogba genuinely thick or deliberately trying to rile his own fans with that hair? Ffs

He has that since the international break.. it was for France..

bennyineire

City to win 2-0 from an "objective" Pool fan

City resting players. Utd should get something here. Not that it matters

blueser

blueser wrote: »

Did you not read my post?

Yip its unclear... pep is gambling playing a strong team to win a league that's wrapped up? Or is he gambling only resting a few first teamers with a small shot still at champions league

eigrod

astradave wrote: »

He has that since the international break.. it was for France..

France are red, white and (dark) blue - his hair is very much sky blue & white. Even if what you say, one would think he’d get rid of it today given the stakes. Smacks of brainlessness.

eigrod

eigrod wrote: »

Is Pogba genuinely thick or deliberately trying to rile his own fans with that hair? Ffs

Doesn't come across as the sharpest tool in box tbf.

blueser

Deleted User wrote: »

Yip its unclear... pep is gambling playing a strong team to win a league that's wrapped up? Or is he gambling only resting a few first teamers with a small shot still at champions league

It's a gamble going into today with no recognised striker, as I mentioned in my earlier post. Not to mention Kev on the bench as well. He's obviously resting them in preparation for next tuesday. But that ship has sailed, in my opinion.

M!Ck^

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Hopefully we can piss off everyone by winning
If not feel free to stick the knife in

Come on Utd

Not sure who would be piss off. Can't expect Citys motivation is more than not get injuryed for the big game next week.

blueser

bennyineire wrote: »

City to win 2-0 from an "objective" Pool fan

Not the ideal day to be objective!
:eek:

niallo27

Well that's a pen for me anyway. Only a matter of time you would think anyway.

eigrod

Penalty that. And stopped a goalscoring opportunity too so could’ve been red.

SlickRic

Young getting away with everything so far.

Mushy

eigrod wrote: »

Penalty that. And stopped a goalscoring opportunity too so could’ve been red.

If he had given the penalty, I think a red would be harsh. And I think there has to be no intent to play the ball for it to be a red, which certainly wasn't the case

Osmosis Jones

Ashley Young has dirt no the ref, no other explanation

blueser

Shocking decision.

Osmosis Jones

eigrod wrote: »

Penalty that. And stopped a goalscoring opportunity too so could’ve been red.

Not a red for denying a scoring opportunity inside the box anymore as long as there's a legitimate attempt to play the ball, just a penalty.

Utopia Parkway

Young got away with an inverted suplex there I think. No foul according to the ref.

SlickRic

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Hopefully we can piss off everyone by winning
If not feel free to stick the knife in

Come on Utd

How would it píss anyone off apart from City fans for a moment, until they realise again that they're winning the league in a couple of weeks?

sligeach

Young is getting away with murder and the ref is already having a mare.

eigrod

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Not a red for denying a scoring opportunity inside the box anymore as long as there's a legitimate attempt to play the ball, just a penalty.

Playing the ball with your hand isn’t a legitimate attempt

niallo27

Why has Pogba the city colours in his hair.

Mars Bar

How is young getting away with what he's getting away with?!

SlickRic

Seriously.

What the fúck has Young got on these officials? The assistant had no interest in giving that, Young appeals, it gets brought back.

Skylinehead

Banana being thrown at either Young or Sterling, real classy.

monkey9

I think Man U should always wear black shorts and socks. Wasn't there a time, maybe in the 80s, when they did wear black shorts as a norm?