Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Rasmus Hojlund failed in his task, but will Benjamin Sesko emerge as Manchester United's own Erling Haaland in the coming years?
The man at the Etihad is the benchmark when it comes to striker signings in the modern Premier League era, the Norwegian replicating his prolific Bundesliga form right from the word go in a Manchester City shirt.
He could have been wearing United red if things had worked out differently, but alas, Michael Carrick and co will have to settle for Sesko for the foreseeable, the Slovenian back amongst the goals with two in his last two games.
REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff
The 23-year-old, fresh from scoring against Sabah, will be itching to start again in the derby, but don't be surprised if Carrick takes a different course of action on Sunday.
How Benjamin Sesko performed against Sabah
A frustrating, injury-hit pre-season has ensured that Sesko is yet to start a Premier League game this season, slipping back into his role as impact man off the bench.
Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
That supersub status is no doubt warranted, however, having looked to have sealed the win away at the Hill Dickinson last weekend, only for Ainsley Maitland-Niles to have the final word on Merseyside.
Subsequently handed a first start of the campaign on Thursday night in the Champions League, it was a mixed bag of a performance, it's fair to say, even if he did score again just before the break.
Set free by Bryan Mbeumo in behind, Sesko calmly took the ball round the onrushing 'keeper before slotting home into an empty net to make it 3-0 on the night. His trademark, leaping celebration ensued.
A fine moment, although at times it felt as if United were almost playing around him, rarely looking to find the £66.4m striker in behind.
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Sesko vs Sabah
Stat
Minutes
Touches
Pass accuracy
Key passes
Ball lost
Succ. dribbles
Shots
Ground duels won
Aerial duels won
Prog. carries
There was visible frustration from Sesko's point of view, although when he did get involved in play, there was the odd errant touch or pass, particularly after the break, having lost the ball seven times from just 18 total touches before his withdrawal on the hour mark.
He's a man with goalscoring momentum behind him, yet the make-up of United's forward line is set to look altogether different against Enzo Maresca's men.
Why Sesko should be dropped against Man City
The derby has been a cornerstone fixture for so long now, none more so than in Carrick's first game back in charge in January, a game that, like now, felt like United had to win to spark a change in fortune.
Man United manager Michael Carrick
Sesko was fresh from scoring three in two starts under Darren Fletcher, yet Carrick went with a more fluid forward line, with Mbeumo at the point of the attack.
That shift well and truly paid off as the hosts were rampant on the day, with Gary Neville unable to contain himself on commentary as the Cameroonian raced in behind to make it 1-0.
The use of Patrick Dorgu and Amad on the flanks, with Bruno Fernandes in support of Mbeumo, caused havoc all afternoon at Old Trafford, with substitute Matheus Cunha also making a telling impact with his assist for Dorgu's clincher.
Sesko didn't even get a look-in at all, despite United's dominance, having also only made late cameo appearances against both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur over the next few weeks.
Carrick-Sesko-Manchester-United
In the biggest games, Carrick appears to favour a mobile, dynamic frontline instead, ensuring Sesko will, you'd expect, be back on the bench this time around.
Man Utd's answer to Foden could now replace Sesko
It certainly won't be the same attack that started against City earlier this year, with Amad sidelined and Dorgu perhaps in line to remain at left-back, should Luke Shaw fail to recover in time.
The expectation would be to see Cunha start again instead, the Brazilian netting the opener against Sabah after latching onto Dorgu's whipped cross at the near post.
Bruno Fernandes for Man United
Bruno Fernandes for Man United
Mbeumo and Fernandes will keep their place too, with the final starting role likely to fall to Marcus Rashford, the Englishman having remained an unused substitute in midweek.
What a story it would be if Rashford could mark his return to the fold with a goal on Sunday, almost 20 months on from having been omitted from the matchday squad for the trip to the Etihad in December 2024.
His Old Trafford career looked dead and buried at that stage, as it did heading into this summer amid the prospect of a permanent stay at Barcelona, yet here we are, with United's new number nine now a key figure again.
A bright spark against both Hull City and Ipswich Town, 'Rashy' truly came alive against Everton, giving makeshift right-back Merlin Rohl a torrid afternoon down that flank.
REUTERS/Phil Noble
He looks to be in confident mood again, another, like Kobbie Mainoo, to have put his woes under Ruben Amorim behind him.
For so long, he had been the golden boy of Manchester United, the poster boy for academy success stories. In many ways, he was the answer to Phil Foden at the Etihad.
Phil-Foden-Man-City
Like his international teammate, it's been a turbulent few years for Rashford, at one stage having almost carried this time on his back, before swiftly tumbling from view after his Amorim-led exile.
It was only as recently as 2022/23 that he was hitting 30 goals in all competitions, looking to have really hit his groove as the leader of this modern United side. That was to be a false dawn, however.
In Foden's case, he was comfortably the best player in the division back in 2023/24, scoring 19 times in the league, yet just 14 Premier League goals have followed since then, having largely lost his place to the mercurial Rayan Cherki.
Foden, City's own homegrown hero, was subsequently left out of Thomas Tuchel's squad for the World Cup, a blow that Rashford knows all too well after his omission from the Euro 2024 group.
Rashford
Under two new managers in the form of Carrick and Maresca, perhaps these two Manchester lads can look forward to brighter days ahead in blue and red, with Sunday the perfect opportunity for the pair to steal the limelight again.
They've certainly done it before in the derby, haven't they?