Both teams secured victories in the FA Cup to reach the quarter-finals, with Manchester City demolishing Luton Town 6-2, fueled by an outstanding performance from Erling Haaland who scored five goals. Meanwhile, Manchester United secured a narrow 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
Haaland's stellar performance made him the first player since George Best 54 years ago to score five goals in a single FA Cup match for a top-flight club. Despite Luton managing to score twice, City's dominance was evident, highlighting their potential for back-to-back trebles.
Currently sitting second in the league, Manchester City will be looking to close the one-point gap with leaders Liverpool, especially after bouncing back from their recent defeat to Chelsea with consecutive 1-0 wins in the league.
Manchester City's unbeaten streak across all competitions now extends to 18 matches, and they have the opportunity to equal their club record of scoring in 55 consecutive home games should they find the net in the derby.
On the other hand, Manchester United will be aiming to avoid a third consecutive defeat at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League era, having conceded 10 goals in their last two away league games against City.
Despite their recent struggles, Manchester United managed to secure a crucial win against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, setting up an intriguing quarter-final clash with Liverpool.
Currently in sixth place in the league table, Manchester United trails fourth-placed Aston Villa by eight points, a gap that could widen to 11 if Villa win their upcoming match against Luton.
While Manchester United may be considered underdogs for the derby, they have a perfect record of six wins from six away games in 2024. The Manchester derby promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams eager to secure bragging rights in this fiercely contested rivalry.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
The victory for Man City against Luton wasn't entirely celebratory for one player. Jack Grealish, aiming to regain his form after a previous injury setback, had to be substituted in the first half and looked visibly disappointed on the sidelines.Guardiola confirmed post-game that Grealish seemed to have picked up another groin injury, ruling him out of the upcoming derby. Additionally, there's concern over Josko Gvardiol's availability due to his ankle injury.
Key players like Ederson, Ruben Dias, Rodri, and Phil Foden, who were rested against Luton, are expected to return to the starting lineup for the derby. This might mean Matheus Nunes and FA Cup scorer Kovacic could find themselves on the bench.
On the other hand, Manchester United faces several injury woes with players like Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Rasmus Hojlund, Tyrell Malacia, and Anthony Martial all set to miss the game due to various injuries.
There were concerns regarding the fitness of captain Bruno Fernandes after he appeared to be limping away from the City Ground. However, manager Ten Hag assured fans that Fernandes is fit to play. Ten Hag also expressed optimism about Raphael Varane's availability after the defender completed 90 minutes in the FA Cup match.
Considering the injuries on both sides, the upcoming derby promises to be a tense and closely contested affair.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester City possible starting lineup:Ederson; Walker, Dias, Stones, Ake; Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Doku, Haaland, Foden
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Amrabat; Casemiro, Mainoo; Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho; Rashford
EXPERT PREDICTION
Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United
Despite United's perfect away record in 2024, their past successes may not hold much weight at a stadium where Manchester City is poised to equal a significant club record.
While it might be wishful thinking to expect Erling Haaland to replicate his five-goal performance, Manchester City, as the reigning champions, are likely to dominate the game and send United packing with a heavy defeat.
