Manchester City can break a Premier League record if it beats local rivals Manchester United on Sunday at Old Trafford.
Pep Guardiola’s side has won 13 league games in a row, currently a record it shares with Arsenal (2001-02) and Chelsea (2016-17). But victory in the Manchester derby would give City the record on its own.
Despite the Citizens’ good form, the game will be difficult, with Manchester United second in the standings and the closest rival to stop Guardiola claiming the Premier League title.
Jose Mourinho’s Red Devils go into the game on the back of a four-game league winning streak, but that’s nowhere ear as impressive as Manchester City’s current form.
Our friends at Football Whispers take a look at where the game could be won and lost, using its unique algorithm to predict the most likely starting XI.
Key Battle: Ashley Young vs. Raheem Sterling
Sterling has been on fire this season, scoring 13 goals and two assists in all competitions already.
The England international keeps on popping up with key goals for Manchester City and he’ll be one of Guardiola’s side’s biggest threats this weekend.
Under the Catalan coach, Sterling has become one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League, and his pace will cause trouble to any defense.
Playing on the right wing, he’s likely to come up against Ashley Young on the left-hand side of Manchester United’s defense.
Originally a winger, the 32-year-old has thrived playing further back, even earning himself a recall to the England squad.
He won’t have too many tougher tests this season than keeping Sterling quiet.
Potential match winners: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) and Leroy Sane (Manchester City)
After a flying start to his Manchester United career, the goals have dried up for Lukaku.
He scored 11 goals in his first ten appearances but he has now found the net just twice in his last 12.
Yet, he scored against CSKA Moscow in the midweek UEFA Champions League game to end a run of five games without a goal, so the Red Devils will be hoping his confidence is high.
The Belgian striker also has a good record against Guardiola sides, scoring in both of Everton’s games against City last season.
If he scores in the Manchester derby, he’ll join Diego Forlan in the list of players to have scored in three successive league appearances against a Guardiola team.
Manchester City has players throughout its side capable of scoring, but perhaps the player most likely to be involved is Leroy Sane.
The German winger, who cost a whopping £37 million ($49.5 million) from Schalke in the summer of 2016, has scored six and provided six more assists in the league so far this season.
He made a slow start to his City career but established himself as a key man this term, keeping £43 million ($57.5 million) addition Bernardo Silva out the lineup.
How they’ll line up
Football Whispers uses data to predict the starting line-ups for sides by accounting for a number of different factors, including injuries, suspensions, the statistical likelihood to play, the match the competition is played, the player’s previous performance and the style of the opposition.
While there is talk of Mourinho possibly opting for Zlatan Ibrahimovic over Lukaku due to the Belgian forward’s poor form, it’s unlikely the 36-year-old will start after missing the last two gameday squads as he recovers from his long-term, cruciate knee injury.
Nemanja Matic will return after sitting out the CSKA Moscow clash, while Paul Pogba will serve the first of his three-game ban after being sent off last weekend against Arsenal.
The Manchester United boss claims Phil Jones and Marouane Fellaini could be involved but ruled Eric Bailly and Michael Carrick out of contention.
Photo via Football Whispers
Manchester City will be without John Stones and Benjamin Mendy, who have long-term injuries. Guardiola rested a number of players last weekend against West Ham United to make sure they weren’t suspended for the Manchester derby, including captain Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho.
There are also question marks as to who will start up front, with the former Barcelona coach thought to be favoring Gabriel Jesus over Sergio Aguero.
Photo via Football Whispers
