The Etihad Stadium will host Thursday night’s Manchester derby which is set to have massive implications for the top four race.
Manchester City head into the match one place and one point above their neighbours, with both sides having played the same number of matches.
Pep Guardiola’s side played 120 minutes on Sunday, losing 2-1 in their FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal at Wembley. Sergio Aguero opened the scoring before the Gunners turned the match around.
The Red Devils’ unbeaten run extended to 23 matches on Saturday after they beat Burnley 2-0 at Turf Moor. Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney got on the scoresheet. Jose Mourinho’s side have now kept four clean sheets in their last five Premier League games.
Man City won the reverse fixture 2-1 in September. Kevin De Bruyne and Kalechi Iheanacho scored for City before Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled one back for United.
Man United got their revenge a month later by knocking their rivals out of the EFL Cup – a trophy they would eventually go on to win. Juan Mata’s second-half goal ensured a 1-0 victory.
Team news
Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho are both expected to be OK, having been substituted with minor problems in Sunday’s defeat, although David Silva is a major doubt.
John Stones and Bacary Sagna are also doubts, while Ilkay Gundogan remains sidelined with a long-term injury.
Gabriel Jesus could feature after returning from an ankle injury.
Paul Pogba has been ruled out of Thursday’s derby with a hamstring injury.
Phil Jones and Chris Smalling remain sidelined, while Marcos Rojo, Ibrahimovic and Juan Mata will all miss the remainder of the campaign.
On a positive note, Mourinho will have Ander Herrera available following an ankle problem and Antonio Valencia is also fit to start.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- This is the first Manchester derby to be played on a Thursday in any competition since November 1994, when a Andrei Kanchelskis hat-trick gave United a 5-0 home win in the Premier League.
- City have won five of the last eight league meetings, with one of their only two defeats during that period coming in last season's corresponding fixture when Marcus Rashford scored the only goal.
- Jose Mourinho has beaten Pep Guardiola just once in five league meetings (D1, L3). His Real Madrid side were 2-1 winners at Guardiola's Barcelona in April 2012.
Manchester City
- Manchester City have only lost one of their 18 Premier League home games since the derby defeat at the Etihad Stadium in March last year. However, eight clubs have won more often at home this season.
- City's solitary league defeat in 11 matches came at Chelsea earlier this month (W6, D4).
- A win on Thursday would ensure Pep Guardiola's side surpass last season's final tally of 66 points.
- Sergio Aguero has scored in five successive Premier League appearances, one shy of his best run in the division set between April and May last year.
- Aguero has scored eight goals in 10 appearances for City against Manchester United but hasn't scored in the last two encounters.
Manchester United
- United could equal their club record unbeaten run of 24 matches in a single top-flight season, set in 2010-11.
- They have the Premier League's best points-per-game average in away matches (2.20), and could earn five straight league wins on the road for the first time since December 2011.
- Manchester United have conceded five Premier League goals in 2017, fewer than any other team.
- One more draw would equal their club record of 13 in a Premier League season, set in 1998-99.
- Jose Mourinho has failed to win any of his last four league games against Manchester City (D2, L2).
- Wayne Rooney has scored a record 11 goals in Manchester derbies but none of them have come in his last five games.
Man City possible starting lineup:
Bravo; Zabaleta, Stones, Kompany, Kolarov; Fernandinho; Sane, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling; Aguero
Man United possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Shaw; Herrera, Fellaini, Carrick; Mkhitaryan, Rashford, Lingard
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