While Ruben Amorim has already settled one debate by confirming that Altay Bayindir will start for Manchester United in the derby, there is still a decision to be made at the top end of the pitch.
With Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount sidelined, the Portuguese coach will have to configure a new-look forward line at the Etihad, with it yet to be seen whether this will mark the occasion for Benjamin Sesko's first Premier League start.
In truth, it's been an auspicious beginning in a United shirt for the £74m Slovenian, with four games having come and gone without a goal, having notably produced an agonising miss in the last knockings of the Carabao Cup exit at Grimsby.
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While hampered by cramp in the subsequent penalty shootout, the sight of the 22-year-old taking the tenth penalty on the night did have alarm bells ringing. Amorim needed a new centre-forward to hit the ground running, but Sesko is yet to catch fire.
The Red Devils can ill-afford a Rasmus Hojlund repeat, with the young Dane - now shipped off to Napoli - having endured an injury-hit start in Manchester, while his first top-flight goal wasn't secured until the Boxing Day thriller with Aston Villa.
Unfortunately, the ex-Atalanta man was unable to prove United's answer to Erling Haaland, with the early signs suggesting that perhaps Sesko may not either?
How Sesko compares to Hojlund pre-United
It is far too early to be writing off United's newest centre-forward addition, not least amid his bid to get up to speed fitness-wise, although it remains tricky to shake that nagging feeling that the Old Trafford hierarchy have repeated their prior mistake.
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Indeed, £64m was splashed out on a 20-year-old Hojlund back in the summer of 2023, with the young marksman arriving after netting just ten times during his solitary campaign in Bergamo.
Formerly on the books at FC Copenhagen, the youngster's most fruitful spell had come in Austria with Sturm Graz, with 12 goals scored in just 21 games for the Bundesliga outfit.
RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko reacts-1
The parallels with Sesko are certainly evident, with the 6 foot 4 speedster making his own mark in Austrian football at both FC Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg, scoring 51 goals in 123 games combined for those two sides.
In a similar vein to Haaland, he then traded Salzburg for the Bundesliga in 2023, with 39 goals in 87 games for Leipzig proving enough to warrant United's recent summer investment.
The comparison to Haaland - and Hojlund - as a towering young striker who has navigated Austrian and German football is clear, although the City star is undoubtedly on a different level.
Indeed, the Norwegian's time at Salzburg yielded 29 goals in just 27 games. In Germany, meanwhile, he scored 86 times in just 89 appearances for Borussia Dortmund.
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates scoring their third goal with Oscar Bobb and Tijjani Reijnders
Simply a freak of a footballer, the 25-year-old now boasts 127 goals in 149 games at the Etihad, with Sesko barely even close to such a level. In truth, few players are.
That being said, Amorim may well have his own clinical killer to call upon in attack, with new man Bryan Mbeumo showcasing shades of a Haaland quality in recent times.
How Bryan Mbeumo is emulating Haaland
Haaland, across the last three years, has been a menace in the derby, scoring six times in just eight meetings with United to date.
Hopefully, Mbeumo - signed from Brentford on an initial £65m deal - can reach similar heights, having already begun to fire with two goals in his last two games for the Old Trafford outfit.
The latest strike, in the dramatic 3-2 win over Burnley, was every bit a Haaland goal, with the left-footer making space for himself inside the area, before coolly converting from Diogo Dalot's pullback. Such composure has rarely been seen by a United forward of late.
Such a strong start to life in Manchester, represented in him claiming the club's Player of the Month award, should be no surprise considering his exploits back in west London, with the Cameroonian speedster notching a remarkable 20 league goals for the Bees in 2024/25.
Only Haaland (22), Alexander Isak (23) and Mo Salah (29) scored more.
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As noted by Sky Sports, the former Troyes speedster is actually even more of a game-changing presence than the likes of Haaland, having relished his own talismanic role under Thomas Frank.
Indeed, his 2024/25 total of 27 goals and assists contributed directly to 22 points for his side. For comparison, Haaland's 25 goal contributions helped to seal 17 points for the Citizens.
Mbeumo's PL record
Season
21/22
22/23
23/24
24/25
25/26
Total
Stats via Transfermarkt
Described as an "output machine" by content creator Ronaldo Brown, Mbeumo also outperformed his xG by 7.7 last term, indicating just what an elite, unique finisher he truly is.
While Pep Guardiola and co have had Haaland to rely on to deliver the goods in recent times, it has been a long while since United could hang their hat on a clinical attacker.
The last player to score 20 league goals for the club? Robin van Persie in 2012/13.
In Mbeumo, however, things might be about to change. If Sesko doesn't deliver in the near future, at least Amorim can turn to his Haaland-esque, Premier League-proven option instead.