Sunday sees the first Manchester derby of the 2025-26 Premier League season, with both Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim under pressure to earn a result for their respective clubs
Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim
Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim will face-off on Sunday
(Image: Getty Images)
It's the first Manchester derby of the season, and there are headaches in both camps. Both Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim's sides have had poor starts to the new Premier League campaign, only winning one game each.
After a chance to reset during the international break, City and United are ready to clash at the Etihad. Last season's version of this fixture saw United snatch a 2-1 win in the dying embers, compounding a miserable run of form for City.
The hero of that night, Amad, has been short of minutes in the Premier League this term, but due to Diogo Dalot, Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount all being ruled out through injury, he's set to be involved from the start. Their spate of injuries could also see Benjamin Sesko make his first league start since joining from RB Leipzig for a cool £73.7million.
One new signing who won't be starting is Senne Lammens, as Amorim confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Altay Bayindir would keep his place. "Altay is going to continue because it's a different league (for Lammens), it's a different country, trainings, ball, so we try to maintain that and they will fight for the position," the Red Devils boss explained.
"So, for me, it's clear, Altay will start. We believe in our goalkeepers, I believe in Altay, he's ready to play and he's going to play."
While Amorim has already made a decision on his goalkeeper, Guardiola must decide whether he hands a debut to Gianluigi Donnarumma, who like Lammens arrived on transfer deadline day. James Trafford, a fellow summer signing, received mixed reviews after his three games between the posts and faces a battle to keep the gloves.
When asked about about Donnarumma, Guardiola replied: "He is so tall, he is so huge. [From] all the keepers we want is safe balls, give confidence to the team, have personality and a big presence.
Manchester City predicted line-up
"In the biggest stages in the Champions League last season, at Villa Park, Anfield and in many games, he proved how good he is. He is going to concede goals, that is for sure, but all of us, we are going to try to handle it."
On Trafford, the City manager said: "He is a keeper for Man City. I can only play one keeper, I can play two full-backs, two centre-backs. The season is so long everyone will be involved. They may not believe it but they will."
Following the closure of the summer transfer window, United are down to just four academy graduates in their Premier League squad. The Red Devils have had someone from their academy in every first-team matchday squad since 1937, a record that Amorim doesn't want to be responsible for ending.
Manchester United predicted line-up
This is how Manchester United could line up
"We want to maintain it - I don't want to be the guy that broke that record or that idea," Amorim admitted. "If you see the past of Manchester United, it's built on kids that grew up here and stayed here for a long time. I think that should be our goal in the future so I will try to maintain that, that is for sure."
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