Manchester City and Liverpool continue to battle it out for the Premier League title with Pep Guardiola's side facing a crucial trip to city rivals Manchester United on Wednesday night with a need of all three points.
City were just about good enough to see off Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, with Phil Foden's first-ever Premier League goal proving sufficient to see off the Spurs challenge and go some way towards exacting revenge for last week's Champions League quarter-final elimination.
Guardiola oversaw two consecutive 2-1 victories at Old Trafford in his first two English managerial campaigns and will be greeted by a Manchester United side in dire need of three points themselves, as well as an improved performance.
United lost heavily to Everton on Sunday and know that only a win will boost their fading chances of a top-four finish and a return to the Champions League.
Man City Injuries
The loss of Kevin De Bruyne to a muscle injury on Saturday afternoon was crushing. The Belgian had returned to form but might not play again this season.
City have no other fresh injury concerns with Claudio Bravo the only long-term absentee.
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Man City Suspensions
Neither side has any player suspended for the match.
Man City Potential Starting Line-Up
No margin for error at this stage of the season and - De Bruyne aside - Guardiola has more or less a full deck to pick from.
Oleksandr Zinchenko replaced Benjamin Mendy in the side on Saturday but the Frenchman should be able to return having been rested at the weekend.
There was no sign of Vincent Kompany on Saturday either with John Stones returning to the line-up but there were one or two errors in the England defender's game which could give concern to Guardiola.
Fernandinho came into the side as a substitute with Ilkay Gundogan once again selected in the central midfield area but the Brazilian should come back in to help shield the back four.
And Leroy Sane was among the substitutes as well, with Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva in excellent form. It looks as though the German will again have to settle for a place on the bench.
Man Utd Team News
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could well ring the changes after seeing his side demolished at Goodison Park on Sunday.
It's no secret that Solskjaer believes some United players are under-performing and so the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Jesse Lingard might earn a recall.
Luke Shaw is available after suspension while veteran Ashley Young could also be in line for a return.
Contract rebel Ander Herrera has been missing in recent weeks with a hamstring injury but Solskjaer confirmed before the Everton game that he had returned to training.
Eric Bailly remains out while fellow centre-back Phil Jones has also been struggling with a knock. Antonio Valencia won't play.Opta Match Facts
- This will be the 160th league meeting between Manchester United and Manchester City; the Red Devils have won 62, drawn 51 and lost 46 of the previous such games.
- Manchester City have only lost one of their last seven league visits to Old Trafford (W5 D1), with current boss Pep Guardiola winning both of his Premier League games there by a 2-1 scoreline.
- There have been just six previous Premier League meetings between Man Utd and Man City outside of Saturday or Sunday. Man Utd won the first in November 1994 (5-0) but are winless in the subsequent five (D2 L3).
- No side has won more Premier League away games at Old Trafford than Manchester City (6, level with Chelsea).
- Manchester United have won fewer points than any other side in meetings between the ‘big six’ this season (6), failing to win any of their three home games so far (D2 L1).
- Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 14 home league games (W9 D5). However, the Red Devils have kept just two clean sheets at Old Trafford in the league this season – no side has kept fewer (also Fulham).
- Manchester City have scored 155 goals in all competitions this season – the record for an English Football League side in a single campaign is currently 156, held by City themselves in 2013-14.
- No visiting manager in Premier League history has won three consecutive trips to Old Trafford, with Man City manager Pep Guardiola one of just three to win both of his first two (also Sam Allardyce and Ronald Koeman).
- Each of Manchester United’s last three permanent managers has lost their first league meeting with Manchester City in charge of the club (David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho), with Alex Ferguson the last to win his first such contest, 2-0 in March 1987.
- No player has scored more goals in Premier League meetings between Manchester United and Manchester City than Man City striker Sergio Aguero (8, level with Wayne Rooney). In fact, only Alan Shearer (10) has scored more Premier League goals against Man Utd than the Argentinian (8).
- Phil Foden scored his first Premier League goal for Man City last time out against Tottenham, aged 18 years and 327 days. Kelechi Iheanacho and Gabriel Jesus are the only teenagers to score in consecutive Premier League games for the Citizens.
- Man Utd’s Paul Pogba has been involved in nine goals in his last eight Premier League games at Old Trafford, scoring eight and assisting one. The Frenchman scored twice in his last league match against Man City, in a 3-2 win at the Etihad last term.
TV Coverage & Kick-Off Time
Kick-off is at 8pm BST (3pm ET) on Wednesday and will be shown in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event, as well as streaming on Sky Go and NOW TV.
It will be shown on NBCSN in the United States, and on various channels around the world.
