Manchester United are gearing up for a fiery clash with neighbours Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium this weekend.
Pep Guardiola has confirmed a triple injury blow that could drastically alter his game plan for the derby.
Omar Marmoush, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki will miss their first Manchester Derby of the 2025-26 season.
John Stones is also a major doubt after withdrawing from the World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.
Marmoush, Ait-Nouri, and Stones would have been guaranteed starters for Sunday’s encounter if they were fit and available.
Cherki started the 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur but missed the following game before the international break due to injury.
Manager Ruben Amorim faces similar issues, with injuries forcing him to tweak his starting XI.
Matheus Cunha, Mason Mount and Diogo Dalot have been ruled out of the clash.
However, Amorim should still back his side to deliver against a City outfit struggling for form and missing several key men.
Guardiola’s squad looks particularly vulnerable at right-back, and without Ait-Nouri, United could exploit both flanks to expose defensive gaps.
Patrick Dorgu, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo will be handed the responsibility to create havoc on the flanks.
A frontline of Marmoush and Erling Haaland would have been a nightmare for United’s defenders.
Amorim can afford to focus on shackling Haaland, as Jeremy Doku and Oscar Bobb do not carry the same threat as the Egyptian.
The United manager has enough quality at his disposal to grab a positive result, but another poor display could drag his future into the spotlight.
Stats from Fotmob.com