Manchester United will be without four players as they take the short journey across town to face neighbours City later today.
Matheus Cunha, Diogo Dalot and Mason Mount join long-term absentee Lisandro Martinez on the treatment table, leaving head coach Ruben Amorim with a selection headache on his hands.
Defence
With Andre Onana completing a loan move to Trabzonspor this week, the goalkeeping options are Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton and new signing Senne Lammens. Amorim confirmed at the pre-match press conference that Bayindir would get the nod for today’s game, with Lammens likely to be a bench option.
Amorim’s first choice back three this season has been Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Luke Shaw. However, an away match against a big club may encourage the boss to play slightly more defensive-minded wing backs. Noussair Mazraoui is available but Amorim has thus far preferred to play him at centre back.
One option might be to replace Patrick Dorgu with Luke Shaw, with Yoro switching to LCB and Mazraoui coming in at RCB.
Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven are other centre back options so it is even possible that Mazraoui could play RWB and Shaw LWB, with a De Ligt-Maguire-Yoro or Yoro-De Ligt-Heaven back line.
Midfield and Attack
Mount and Cunha’s injuries leave an obvious gap on the left side of the attack. Bruno Fernandes is likely to move up from central midfield to fulfil the role, although Amad (in the scenario described above) and Josh Zirkzee are other options.
Kobbie Mainoo may also be asked to stand in for Cunha but we think he will play in central midfield alongside Casemiro.
Manuel Ugarte is another midfield option.
Bryan Mbeumo is expected to play on the right side of the attack, with Benjamin Sesko or Zirkzee in the centre forward position.
Given the thin squad, the bench is likely to include some youngsters, and could look something like this: Lammens, Heaton, Maguire, Heaven, Fredricson, Dorgu, Ugarte, Zirkzee and Chido Obi.
Here, then, is our predicted XI for today’s 4.30pm kick off:
Featured image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images
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Red Billy
Red Billy is the managing editor of The Peoples Person, author of three books and totally obsessed with football’s transfer market. Billy still insists Matteo Darmian and Alex Telles could have made it at United given half a chance.
