Stones starts as Man City make three changes

Men’s Team

City v United: FREE digital matchday programme

In come John Stones, Oleks Zinchenko and Ilkay Gundogan, with Bernardo, Aymeric Laporte and Kyle Walker on the bench.

Groups

Manchester Metropolis: Ederson, Cancelo, Zinchenko, Dias, Stones, Rodrigo, De Bruyne (c), Gundogan, Jesus, Sterling, Mahrez

Subs: Steffen, Walker, Aguero, Laporte, Bernardo, Torres, Mendy, Fernandinho, Foden

United: Henderson, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, James, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Martial.

Subs: Bailly, Greenwood, Grant, Diallo, Alex Telles, Matic, Williams, Tuanzebe, Shoretire.

CITY V UNITED: MATCHDAY CENTRE LIVE NOW!

Formation and techniques

Pep Guardiola goes with a central defensive pairing of Ruben Dias and John Stones, with Oleks Zinchenko at left-back and the versatile Joao Cancelo on the appropriate.

Rodrigo will anchor the midfield trio with Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in additional superior roles.

Gabriel Jesus is prone to lead the road with Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez on both aspect – although that is an interchangeable ahead line.

Metropolis cautious of United risk

In the present day’s Manchester derby is considered one of many high-profile clashed Man City have hosted lately.

In 5 Manchester derbies since Pep Guardiola took over, Metropolis have received simply as soon as and misplaced thrice.

MATCH OF THE SEASON: CITY 5-1 UNITED 1989

More and more, the away aspect has excelled on this fixture with Metropolis profitable 5 occasions at Previous Trafford throughout that very same interval – so simply 4 wins for the house aspect in 14 conferences.

That’s a file Metropolis will look to enhance towards the Reds this afternoon as we chase a 22^nd successive victory in all competitions.

There’s the added stat that United haven’t misplaced for 21 away video games – a file that stretches again 14 months.

After three successive 0-0 attracts for the Reds and the truth that sides are creeping up behind them within the battle to safe Champions League soccer, it appears probably that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will take the handbrake off this afternoon.

CITY+ | Sign up to watch exclusive content. 

The primary league assembly at Previous Trafford noticed either side undertake a extra conservative method, with a transparent respect that maybe prompt neither aspect thought-about a draw a foul end result.

Metropolis know victory will means going 15 factors clear on the high with a vastly superior objective distinction to these chasing – with simply 10 video games to go.

It’s exhausting to think about a larger incentive for Pep Guardiola’s males.

Considered one of our best abilities of the trendy period, Kevin De Bruyne, makes his 250^th look for Metropolis this afternoon.

The 29 year-old Belgian joined Metropolis in 2015 has scored 60 objectives throughout his six seasons on the Etihad.

In January, he additionally clocked up his 100^th Metropolis help – an unimaginable file for an impressive participant.

A derby victory could be the proper technique to rejoice his newest milestone.

Stats, details, and milestones

• That is the 164 league assembly between the Manchester rivals. Metropolis have received 47, United 64 and there have been 52 attracts.
• Not because the 1991/92 high flight have each league Manchester derbies in a single marketing campaign resulted in a draw (0-0 at Maine Street, 1-1 at Previous Trafford).
• Of the eight crimson playing cards proven in Premier League Manchester derbies, just one has gone to a Metropolis participant: Bernardo Corradi in a 3-1 defeat at Previous Trafford on 9 December 2006.
• Metropolis are on a membership file run of 21 consecutive victories in all competitions, since a 1-1 Premier League dwelling draw towards West Bromwich Albion on 15 December.
• Of groups from the highest 5 European leagues, solely two different golf equipment have had a aggressive profitable streak of greater than 20 matches: FC Bayern München (23, February to September 2020) and Actual Madrid (22, September to December 2014).
• Metropolis (W25-D3-L0) have equalled the membership file run of 28 successive fixtures unbeaten in all competitions, set from April to December 2017 profitable 24 and drawing 4.
• Metropolis have received 15 consecutive Premier League fixtures. No different crew has had a PL profitable streak of greater than 4 matches this season.
• Within the high 4 tiers of English soccer, that is solely the fifth time a crew has had a league profitable streak of no less than 15 matches. The opposite 4 had been additionally within the Premier League inside the final 4 years: Manchester Metropolis (18, August to December 2017 and 15, February to August 2019) and Liverpool (18, October 2019 to February 2020 and 17, March to October 2019).
• Metropolis scored in 40 of their final 41 dwelling fixtures in all competitions. The one exception in that run was a 1-0 defeat towards Manchester United within the League Cup semi-finals second leg on 29 January 2020.
• Ederson has saved 15 Premier League clear sheets this marketing campaign, just one fewer than the variety of PL objectives he has conceded this season (16). In 2019/20, the Brazilian received the PL Golden Glove after retaining 16 clear sheets (yet another than Nick Pope).
• Solely Wayne Rooney (11), Joe Hayes (10) and Francis Lee (10) have scored extra objectives in aggressive Manchester derbies than Sergio Agüero (9).
• Manchester United are on a membership league file run of 21 consecutive away fixtures unbeaten (W13-D8-L0), since a 2-0 loss at Liverpool on 19 January 2020.