Manchester City and Manchester United will lock horns this Sunday in another huge Premier League game at such an early stage of the season.
Manchester City have already faced Tottenham Hotspur this season, while Arsenal have already taken on Manchester United and Liverpool.
The Citizens haven’t had the greatest of starts to the campaign, and they’re also suffering from an injury list which is increasing in size.
However, several City players have found form at just the right time, impressing on international duty and being in high spirits ahead of the derby.
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Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on November 12, 2023
Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images
Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Bernardo Silva impressed for their respective nations
In terms of City players standing out on international duty, the obvious candidate is Erling Haaland.
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The City striker scored Norway’s winner in the 1-0 victory over Finland before helping himself to five goals and two assists in the 11-1 thrashing of Moldova.
Jeremy Doku, who is likely to start in Omar Marmoush’s absence, also had a great game last time out.
Doku scored a brace in Belgium’s 6-0 win over Kazakhstan on Sunday, which will do his confidence the world of good.
Doku has been criticised for his lack of end product in the past, but a brace on his last outing suggests he may have just turned a corner.
Finally, Bernardo Silva also helped himself to two goal contributions in his last Portugal game, registering a goal and an assist against Hungary.
The City captain wasn’t in great form for most of last season, but he has looked brighter over the summer and at the start of the current campaign.
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Manchester City’s recent record against Manchester United
City have been the dominant team in Manchester over the past 15 years, winning eight Premier League titles to United’s two.
However, the form book will always go out of the window in derbies, and that has proven a double-edged sword for City over the years.
City’s last ten games against United have yielded six wins and a draw, though there have also been three defeats for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Last season, United won 2-1 at the Etihad before playing out a goalless draw at Old Trafford.
City will be eager to put things right and show they’re still the dominant team in Manchester.