Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca is expected to make alterations to his starting line-up when his side travel to Old Trafford on Sunday for the latest instalment of the Manchester derby. The Italian is likely to freshen up the areas around Erling Haaland while leaving his settled back four untouched.
It will be Maresca’s first taste of the Manchester derby since succeeding Pep Guardiola in the summer. City arrive at Old Trafford full of momentum after a fourth successive victory in midweek, a 2-0 Champions League win over Porto. Haaland struck twice during the match to take his tally for the season to five goals in all competitions.
Haaland’s supporting cast set for reshuffle
There is no question over who leads the line. Haaland‘s position remains untouchable as he looks to add to an extraordinary record of eight goals in seven previous Premier League appearances against City’s fiercest rivals. The uncertainty lies in who plays behind him.
Iliman Ndiaye, who was withdrawn to the bench in midweek after suffering cramp during the win over Coventry City, is in contention to return and could push Phil Foden back to a place among the substitutes.
Ndiaye is expected to line up alongside Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki just behind Enzo Fernandez and Elliot Anderson in midfield.
Anderson entering the weekend having completed more passes under high pressure than any other player in the Premier League this season, with 122.
That is a notable statistic for a player still adapting to life at City, and it underlines how quickly Maresca’s midfield picture has taken shape since the turn of the season.
Fernandez appears first-choice alongside Anderson in the deeper midfield roles, a pairing that has helped City build the platform for Haaland to do his work further forward.
O’Reilly fit again but likely to make way
There was better news on the fitness front for Nico O’Reilly, who has recovered from the back injury he picked up in the warm-up before last weekend’s fixture.
However, his timing may prove unfortunate. With Fernandez now firmly established in the side and Josko Gvardiol continuing to operate at left-back, there may simply be no route back into the starting eleven for the young Englishman this weekend, despite being fully fit.
Instead, Maresca looks set to keep faith with the same back line that has underpinned City’s recent run of form.
Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi and Matheus Nunes are all expected to retain their places in defence, protecting a goalkeeper in Gianluigi Donnarumma who has established himself as City’s undisputed number one since arriving at the club.
Based on the reported team news, City’s possible starting line-up are:
Donnarumma; Nunes, Guehi, Dias, Gvardiol; Anderson, Fernandez; Semenyo, Cherki, Ndiaye; Haaland.
A first Manchester derby victory for Maresca as City boss, away at Old Trafford, would be an emphatic early statement of intent as he looks to build his own legacy at the Etihad following a decade of success under his predecessor.
