Manchester United host Manchester City in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
United have endured a slow start in the league, collecting four points in three games.
They put behind the disappointment from their 2-2 draw at Everton, producing an emphatic performance in Thursday’s UEFA Champions League victory against Sabah.
Manager Michael Carrick will be hoping they can build on that momentum ahead of the derby.
Man United won the corresponding fixture 2-0 last season. They could take a lesson from that performance when preparing for this clash.
The Red Devils defended in a compact shape, allowing City to dominate possession and hit them in transition after beating their press.
That approach could prove useful again, particularly against a City side that has shown vulnerability when defending transitions.
City struggled at times to deal with counter-attacks in their hard-fought victory over Coventry City last weekend, suggesting United can hurt them in similar circumstances.
However, United must improve defensively if they are to repeat last season’s result. They have conceded four goals from open play, the third-highest in the division, highlighting their defensive frailties.
Man City, meanwhile, have enjoyed a perfect start to the season, winning their opening three games.
The visitors should be the fresher side, having played their Champions League game on Tuesday, when they secured a 2-0 away win over Porto.
Man City are expected to dominate possession, using their wingers to stretch United’s defensive structure and accelerate their ball movement to create openings.
For United, the key could therefore be remaining compact without becoming passive. They will need to slow down City’s attacks and target the spaces left behind their full-backs when they attack.
A Man United victory would ease concerns over their slow league start and inject greater optimism around their season.
Stats from Transfermarkt