Manchester United and Manchester City go head to head in a Manchester derby this weekend that takes on a very different flavour to the last meeting between the pair in October.
United had gone into that game off the back of a good string of results that included wins over Liverpool and Arsenal. But it was still the very early stages of the Erik ten Hag project and City were themselves unbeaten in the Premier League.
As it was, City ran riot at the Etihad Stadium. Erling Haaland and Phil Foden had each scored twice by half-time and United only came back into it once both had completed hat-tricks and it was 6-1.
But fast forward to now, United are perhaps in the best shape they have been in at any point since Sir Alex Ferguson retired 10 years ago. City, for all that they have beaten Chelsea twice in quick succession have had a few wobbles and were dreadfully poor against Southampton on Wednesday.
Man Utd vs Man City H2H Results (Last Five Games)
Current Form (Last Five Games)
United Kingdom
United States
Canada
Man Utd team news
Bruno Fernandes will return after being suspended in the Carabao Cup and will likely also captain the side. Anthony Martial should also be back after being rested in midweek.
Raphael Varane is expected to be available, but Diogo Dalot comes into this one a minor doubt.
Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho remain sidelined.
Man Utd starting 11 (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Martial.
Man City team news
Ruben Dias is the only City player missing through injury, but Pep Guardiola could wield the axe after the disappointing team performance in the Carabao Cup.
Man City Starting 11 (4-3-3): Ederson; Lewis, Stones, Akanji, Ake; Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish.
Manchester United have lost four out of the last five derbies and have conceded 10 times in the last two alone. But something feels different about them now and it could be the perfect opportunity to come up against a Manchester City side going through something of a mini-crisis.
Prediction: Man Utd 2-1 Man City
