Overview

The eagerly anticipated Manchester derby is set to take place at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday, with Manchester City looking to break out of their recent rut against a struggling Manchester United side.

Current Form

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City has experienced a shocking dip in form, securing just one victory in their last ten matches across all competitions. The pressure is mounting on Guardiola as he aims to rejuvenate his team amid this challenging phase. Fans are wondering if this match could mark a turning point for the defending champions.

On the other side of the city, Manchester United is not faring much better. The Red Devils have suffered consecutive defeats against Nottingham Forest and Arsenal, raising concerns about their current trajectory under coach Ruben Amorim. United will be desperate to turn things around in this crucial match.

Match Details

Kick-off is scheduled for 16:30 GMT, and both teams have made some notable changes to their line-ups. Guardiola has opted for two changes from Wednesday’s European clash, welcoming Phil Foden and Matheus Nunes into the starting eleven. They replace the suspended Rico Lewis and Jack Grealish, who now starts on the bench. The attacking trio of Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, and Erling Haaland will spearhead City’s offensive efforts.

Injury Concerns

In a more concerning update for United fans, star players Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford will be missing from the matchday squad. This leaves a significant gap in United’s attack as Amorim introduces four changes from the squad that recently earned a hard-fought 2-1 win against Viktoria Plzen. Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Rashford, and Joshua Zirkzee make way for Harry Maguire, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount, and Rasmus Hojlund.

Confirmed Line-ups

Here are the confirmed line-ups for both teams: **Manchester City XI:** - Ederson - Walker - Dias - Gvardiol - Nunes - Bernardo - Gundogan - Foden - De Bruyne - Doku - Haaland **Substitutes:** Ortega, Stones, Kovacic, Grealish, Savinho, Simpson-Pusey, Mubama, O’Reilly, McAtee **Manchester United XI:** - Onana - De Ligt - Maguire - Martinez - Mazraoui - Ugarte - Fernandes - Dalot - Amad - Mount - Hojlund **Substitutes:** Bayindir, Lindelof, Malacia, Yoro, Casemiro, Eriksen, Mainoo, Antony, Zirkzee

Conclusion

As both clubs battle for pride and critical points in this intense rivalry, fans can expect a thrilling encounter filled with passion and determination. Will City find their form and seize the day, or will United rise to the occasion and claim a vital victory?