Man City vs Man United team news, predicted line-ups
Premier League
By
Robert Abong'o
| Mar 07, 2021
The 185th Manchester Derby sees Manchester United travel to noisy neighbours Manchester City tonight in what should have been a “top of the table title-decider” challenge, had the Red Devils kept their form.
United, sit third, 14 points behind league leaders City who are on the best form of their lives, a 21-winning game streak.
Man United boss Solskjaer on Saturday, March 6 insisted his rival manager Pep Guardiola had not re-invented football, backing Matt Busby and Alex Ferguson’s philosophies to make Man United great again.
“Every manager builds a team around a club's culture – and we have a culture at Man United that we want to stick to. “Traditions, built by Sir Matt and Sir Alex, of pace, power and quick attacks. We all have philosophies and beliefs in ways to win games of football. There have been loads of different ways of being successful. No-one has invented any style by themselves,” Solskjaer told press.
Solskjaer will have to do without Paul Pogba who is still out with a thigh injury. There are doubts over Edinson Cavani’s having made a return against Crystal Palace, with Antony Martial expected to start.
David De Gea is still missing due to personal reasons, with Dean Henderson set to keep on at goal.
The rest of the squad should see Maguire partner Lindelof at centre-back alongside Arron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw on the flanks.
Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes, Daniel James and Fred should complete Man United’s midfield.
Predicted Man United XI: Henderson, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Fred, James, McTominay, Fernandes, Rashford; Martial
Man City, on the hand, have a vast number of options to choose from, after Guardiola confirmed the return of Nathan Ake.
"Good news for us, Nathan is back. He made part of the training session and felt really good. Everyone is fully fit and that is important for the next few weeks ahead of the international break, and hopefully, the people will come back well after that," said Guardiola.
Quadruple-chasing city will more likely field their most-predictable squad, with Ruben Dias partnering John Stones at centre-back while flanked with Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker.
Fernandinho, De Bruyne and Gundogan look most likely to start in midfield, with Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus completing the attack.
Predicted Man City XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Cancelo, Fernandinho, Gundogan, De Bruyne Mahrez, Foden, Sterling.
The match kicks off at 7:30 PM EAT.