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Manchester City approach the derby heavily depleted, particularly in defence, where Pep Guardiola is missing a host of players. Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov, John Stones, Rayan Aït-Nouri and Rico Lewis are all sidelined, leaving the manager with very limited options at the back. The problems extend into attack, with Omar Marmoush sustaining an injury while on duty with Egypt, ruling him out of contention. He could be joined on the sidelines by Savinho and Rayan Cherki, which narrows the wing options to Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb and Jeremy Doku. In midfield, Mateo Kovacic is still recovering from an Achilles issue, though Rodri’s return provides a major boost.
Manchester United also face fitness concerns ahead of the clash. Matheus Cunha, Diogo Dalot and Mason Mount will all be absent, creating space for Benjamin Sesko to potentially make his first Premier League start after completing two full matches for Slovenia during the international break. Ruben Amorim confirmed that Altay Bayindir will remain in goal despite Senne Lammens’ recent arrival and Andre Onana’s loan to Trabzonspor.
City have endured a difficult opening to the campaign, finding themselves 13th in the table after successive defeats against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion. With only three points from their first three games, Guardiola is experiencing the worst league start of his managerial career. The last time the club lost three of their opening four fixtures, in 1995-96, they were relegated, so a reaction will be expected here.
Supporters will hope for a return to the form that carried City to Champions League qualification last season, when they finished strongly with five consecutive home victories. Yet United have proved awkward opponents of late. City have claimed five wins from the last eight meetings, but managed just a single point against them last season, including a goalless stalemate at Old Trafford in April.
Although derbies are often said to defy form, home advantage has been surprisingly irrelevant in this fixture, with the hosts winning only six of the last 20 encounters. Amorim’s own record remains patchy, with just eight victories from 30 league games in charge. Four of those came against newly promoted sides, and even the recent 3-2 triumph over Burnley required a stoppage-time penalty from Bruno Fernandes, the fourth-latest winner United have ever scored.
United are without a win in six successive league away matches, but history shows they rarely approach trips to City with apprehension. Their resilience in this fixture often ensures a close contest regardless of form. City, meanwhile, have looked far from their usual standards in recent weeks, struggling badly against both Spurs and Brighton. Given their long injury list and recent troubles against United, this derby promises to be another tightly fought affair. We predict a 2-1 win for Manchester City.
The post Manchester City vs Manchester United – Match Preview & Prediction appeared first on Stretty Rant.
