Expected lineup Man City vs MU: Red Devils have the strongest lineup

The clash between Manchester City and Manchester United has always been one of the most dramatic in Premier League history. This weekend's Manchester derby will be no exception, with both teams having their fair share of injury and fitness issues. While United's squad is fairly stable, City have some big issues, particularly in defence.

Expected lineup Man City vs MU

Man City (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Simpson-Pusey, Gvardiol; De Bruyne, Kovacic; Silva, Foden, Nunes; Haaland

MU (3-4-2-1): Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez; Diallo, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund

Man City: Patchwork defense and the absence of important pillars

Pep Guardiola will face a huge challenge in preparing his squad for the Manchester derby, especially in defence. Serious injuries to Rodri, Oscar Bobb and Nathan Ake mean they won’t be back before 2025, leaving a huge hole in the City squad. Furthermore, Manuel Akanji and John Stones will not be fit in time for the game, leaving Guardiola with some tough decisions to make.

It is expected that Guardiola will have to use a young player with no Premier League experience in the center back position to replace the absent names. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, a promising young center back, or Josh Wilson-Esbrand, a left back, could also be given a chance to start in this important match. This is a special situation for Guardiola as he has to get used to bringing young talent to the big stage.

However, while the defense is struggling, Man City also received good news about the force. Mateo Kovacic, an important player in the midfield, has returned from injury and may be given the opportunity to start. This will be an important addition to help Man City have more strength in the midfield area, something they need in an important match like the derby.

Manchester United: Stability and tactical changes from Amorim

In contrast to Man City, Manchester United's squad for this derby will not have many absences. Manager Ruben Amorim will be without Luke Shaw and Jonny Evans due to injury, but other than that, his team has almost no major problems in terms of force. This gives Amorim more options when building the starting lineup.

However, with the likes of Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford showing poor form in recent games, Amorim could make some big changes. It is expected that one of the attacking trio of Rasmus Højlund, Mason Mount or Alejandro Garnacho will be brought into the starting line-up, with Garnacho likely to trouble City right-back Kyle Walker. It is also possible that Hojlund will be given a chance to start ahead of Rashford, who has been inconsistent.

Amorim will continue to experiment with different tactics, and could bring in players like Leny Yoro, while centre-back duo Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez will remain key options in defence.

Manchester derby: Expectations and challenges

This match is not only a confrontation between two giants of English football but also a big test for both coaches. For Man City, the lack of strength in defense will create big challenges, while MU will have to prove the ability to overcome the shortcomings in the squad and improve the performance of the players in attack.

Although Man City has home advantage and stability in playing style, but with the expected changes from Amorim and the unstable form of the players, MU can still create surprises in this match. Anyway, the Manchester derby is always full of surprises, and both teams will not miss the opportunity to win an important victory to raise their spirits before the next challenges.