Man City predicted lineup vs Man Utd - Premier League

Pep Guardiola defeated Manchester United in two Champions League finals while in charge of Barcelona
Pep Guardiola defeated Manchester United in two Champions League finals while in charge of Barcelona / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages
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Manchester City welcome local rivals Manchester United to the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Pep Guardiola has overseen 170 home matches since arriving in east Manchester six years ago. The Catalan's City side has lost just 17 of these meetings, with their Manchester rivals United responsible for more away victories than any other club (four).

Here's the XI Guardiola may deploy to avoid another derby defeat at home.


1. Manchester City XI (4-3-3)

Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland scored his first goal for Manchester City from outside the box with his first shot from outside the box a fortnight ago / Naomi Baker/GettyImages

GK: Ederson - Admittedly, the few chances Ederson does face are of high quality, but the Brazilian is only saving half of the shots that fly his way this season - only two keepers in the division have a worse save ratio.

RB: Kyle Walker - The former Tottenham fullback admits that he has become "addicted" to winning since joining the blue half of Manchester.

CB: Manuel Akanji - Not the only member of his family involved in football, Akanji's sister Sarah co-founded Winterthur’s women’s football club in 2016.

CB: Ruben Dias - The former Benfica vice-captain is poised to make his 100th appearance for the club in the derby.

LB: Joao Cancelo - Unbeaten against Manchester United as a left-back, Cancelo has lost both of his Premier League outings against the Red Devils on the right side of the defence.

CM: Kevin De Bruyne - Normally "super chilled", De Bruyne admits: “Once a referee has blown the whistle, you see another Kevin."

CM: Rodri - After arriving from Atletico Madrid, Rodri admitted he had to adapt to the pace - more than the physicality - of the Premier League. "You never stop and play the game," he explained, "it's always run."

CM: Bernardo Silva - United's Bruno Fernandes tried to pierce the innocent facade that Bernardo enjoys when he explained to The Athletic: “He is one of the guys who is always talking to the referees. He probably does not do it in the intense way I do but I saw it in the national team, so I know.”

RW: Phil Foden - The Stockport-born City fan comes from a Manchester United supporting family which counts his father, brother, uncle and grandfather as Red Devils.

ST: Erling Haaland - City's unrelenting goal-getter has scored a hat-trick in each of his last two Premier League appearances at the Etihad. It's not entirely out of the question to suggest he can't make it three threes (in three).

LW: Jack Grealish - By his own admission, Grealish is "nowhere near” full fitness but still earned a spot in City's last starting XI, opening his scoring account for the season within the opening minute.