Kyle Walker, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Rodrigo, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo all return to the starting XI against Manchester United, with Ilkay Gundogan, Fernandinho, Oleks Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus all dropping to the bench.
Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake are injured.
Teams
CITY: Ederson, Walker, Cancelo, Stones, Laporte, Rodrigo, De Bruyne (c), Bernardo, Grealish, Foden, Mahrez
Subs: Carson, Sterling, Gundogan, Jesus, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Delap. Mbete, McAtee
UNITED: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelöf, Maguire, Telles, McTominay, Fred, Sancho, Bruno Fernandes, Pogba, Elanga
Subs: Bailly, Jones, Mata, Rashford, Lingard, Dalot, Henderson, Matic, Mejbri
Formation & tactics
At his Friday press conference, Pep Guardiola surprised many when he said his side would play differently against United to negate their threat on the break.
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The City boss indicated his side would play deeper and try and hit the Reds on the counter-attack.
But is that how we will really play?
Pep very rarely changes his tactics because of the opposition, so it will be fascinating to see if he actually does have his team sit in more.
The line-up selected suggests it will be business as usual, with the possession-based football, high press and high defensive line - but we’ll need to wait until kick-off to find out.
Perhaps the boss will roll the dice having lost three home games to United in succession - and we don’t have long to to wait to see if he is as good as his word.
Winning matters most
It’s fair to say that in recent weeks, City haven’t been playing the champagne football we have witnessed so often this campaign.
Every side stutters from time to time and it’s impossible to always turn in stellar displays and win by four or five goals.
The loss against Spurs was damaging in a number of ways but was no more than a blip inspired by a magnificent performance by Harry Kane and a very clever game plan.
Against Everton, City ground out a victory and the FA Cup win over Peterborough proved harder than perhaps most people would have imagined.
The bottom line is that the Blues have won 15 of the last 17 Premier League matches – but Liverpool’s relentless pursuit means we have to keep winning, no matter what.
There are 11 games to go and it is likely both the top two teams will fight right up until the final day – that makes this a hugely important Manchester derby and the perfect time to start winning this fixture again on home soil.
Match officials
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Simon Bennett, Scott Ledger
Fourth official: Andy Madley
VAR: Stuart Attwell
Assistant VAR: Darren Caan
Head-to-head
- The respective away side has won seven of the last nine Manchester derbies in all competitions, with the only home victory in this sequence being Manchester United’s 2-0 win in March 2020.
- This will be the 50th Premier League meeting between the clubs. There have been 21 away wins, more than any other fixture in the competition’s history.
- City are looking to complete the league double over United for the second time under manager Pep Guardiola, having also done so in 2018-19.
- United are vying to win four consecutive league and cup away games against City for the first time since a four-match streak between 1993 and 2000.
- City have won 15 of the last 17 Premier League games (D1, L1).
- The reigning champions have won all 20 league matches this season in which they scored first.
- Pep Guardiola has lost four home games versus Manchester United, more than against any other opponent in his managerial career.
- Raheem Sterling has failed to score in 23 league and cup appearances against Manchester United, including seven matches for Liverpool.
- Sterling is vying to become the first Englishman to score for City against United in the top flight since James Milner in April 2013.
- Kevin de Bruyne is one goal shy of 50 in the Premier League. He would become the fourth Belgian to reach the milestone.
- United are unbeaten in eight Premier League games (W4, D4), the longest current run without defeat in the division.
- The Reds have opened the scoring in seven of those eight fixtures, with last weekend’s draw with Watford finishing 0-0.
- The Reds have scored in 20 consecutive away matches in all competitions since a 0-0 draw at Leeds in April 2021.
