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It's a fresh instalment of the age-old rivalry that is the Manchester derby, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his Manchester United team brave the harrowing journey across town to take on a Manchester City side currently in a bloody scramble at the top of the Premier League table.
The Old Trafford outfit will turn up as the underdogs in the encounter this weekend, however, it wasn't always the case. Man Utd has seen a drop in on-field fortunes this decade, while the foreign-owned Man City team has seen an upsurge in performance and the contents of their trophy room.
It certainly will be an interesting clash, as Pep Guardiola's side have fallen short a couple of times this season already, and find themselves playing catchup to Liverpool. The Red Devils, on the other hand, seems to find an extra spring in their step whenever they take on members of the Premier League top 6, as Jose Mourinho and his team found out midweek.
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Solskjaer's side go into this encounter brimming with confidence, while the Cityzens will be looking to bag all three points if they are to stay on the trail of Liverpool. In this article, we list a few players from each team in a combined starting XI. (4-3-2-1)
Goalkeeper: Ederson Moraes
Ederson hasn't had a very blissful season so far, as he has had to contend with a very generous Manchester City defence. A grievous injury to Aymeric Laporte at the start of the campaign has seen the Brazillian partnered up with a plethora of defensive pairings, and the City rearguard has conceded goals time and again, leading to a slip behind Liverpool in the title race.
The Brazillian has been having a torrid time, but Manchester United's David de Gea hasn't been fairing better, as the City shot-stopper has conceded fewer goals (14) and has had more clean sheets (5).
Fullbacks: Aaron Wan-Bissaka & Benjamin Mendy
Our flank guardians will be Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Benjamin Mendy, a combination of defensive solidity and attacking verve. The Manchester United man has been accused severally of not having attacking impetus, however, the young Englishman sure packs a punch defensively and his well-timed tackles are a thing of beauty.
Mendy hasn't had much luck with staying out of the City treatment room, but he's fighting fit now and should lineup for Guardiola's team on Saturday. The Frenchman is decent during defensive phases and is one of the very best fullbacks in the world when going forward.
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Centre backs: Harry Maguire & Victor Lindelof
The Manchester City central defence has been a hodgepodge of pairings, with their most trusted figure being a makeshift centre back in Fernandinho. Therefore, our defence will be marshalled by Manchester United's first-choice pairing of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.
Both defenders are good ball players, and while Lindelof has his shortcomings in the air, he has the aerially efficient Maguire alongside him for the ride. They have had their bad moments this season, but with a solid midfield in front of them, they could be a very reliable pairing.
Midfield: Rodri, Kevin de Bruyne, & David Silva
Manchester United's midfield has been in a crisis of sorts this season, as the departure of Ander Herrera and injury to Paul Pogba has seen the midfield perform below par. On the other hand, the predominant Manchester City pairing of Rodri, Kevin de Bruyne, and David Silva have received plenty of plaudits this season, both collectively and individually.
Rodri has seen himself playing quite regularly this term because Fernandinho was drafted to defence to fill the void left by Aymeric Laporte and the departure of Vincent Kompany. He's been wonderful so far, with his crisp ball distribution and well-timed tackles being likened to the play of Barcelona legend, Sergio Busquets.
Manchester City captain David Silva has been having a great swansong season, as he's once again posting incredible numbers and fine displays. The Spaniard will be sorely missed when the curtain finally falls on his time at the Etihad. He's had 3 goals and 6 assists so far this term.
Pep Guardiola's midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne is probably the best player in the world, if not for the forces of nature that are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He's always a beauty to behold, as he never seems to miss a beat with his ball distribution and general play.
Last season he was sidelined for a huge spell, but this term he has been leading the City charge from midfield with aplomb. The Belgian has had 9 assists and 4 goals so far this season.
Wingers: Raheem Sterling & Bernardo Silva
Leading our charge on the flanks will be the Manchester City duo of Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva.
Pep Guardiola once said that the Portuguese international is the first name on his team sheet, and the player has never ceased to make his manager proud. He has continued from where he left off last season, posting a series of impressive performances on the City right flank. In 13 appearances so far, he's scored 5 goals and provided 4 assists.
On the other hand, Raheem Sterling is arguably the most improved player since Guardiola took over the reins at the club. The English international is a nightmare for fullbacks, as he has added a huge thirst for goals to his lethal arsenal of tricks & flicks. In 14 games this season, the Englishman has bagged 8 goals and an assist.
Centre forward: Marcus Rashford
The irrepressible Sergio Aguero is scheduled to miss this one, so we'll have to make do with Manchester United's Marcus Rashford.
The young Manchester native has perhaps been one of the only brights spots for the Old Trafford outfit in a decade that's been filled with misery on the pitch. The club's academy has seen somewhat of a renaissance recently, and the 22-year-old is at the forefront. Rashford has played predominantly on the flank this season, but the team tactics and his style of play have seen him interchange with inhouse centre forward Anthony Martial up top.
The Englishman has had dull moments this season, but his performance last time out against Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur was a testament to the quality he possesses. The 22-year-old bagged a brace in the last fixture, and so far this season, he has scored 9 goals and provided 4 assists.
