Old Trafford plays host to a highly-anticipated Premier League derby on Saturday lunchtime, as Manchester United welcome Manchester City to the Theatre of Dreams.
Two places and three points separate the bitter rivals in the table at present, with one manager certainly under more pressure than his counterpart this week.
Match preview
One can only begin to imagine what failure to beat Tottenham Hotspur would have meant for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's time in the dugout, with the Norwegian desperately seeking a response from his side's utter humiliation at the hands of Liverpool.
However, in a game which would ultimately cost his opposite number Nuno Espirito Santo his job, United prevailed comfortably in North London, as strikes from Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford set the Red Devils on their way to a 3-0 win.
There were no prizes for guessing who saved Solskjaer's bacon in the Champions League against Atalanta BC in midweek either, as Ronaldo cancelled out strikes from Josip Ilicic and Duvan Zapata to rescue a point for his side ahead of Saturday's derby.
Having managed to pull themselves out of their rut - at least for now - with victory at Spurs, Man United are hanging on to their fifth-placed position in the table after 10 matches, but Arsenal are now only behind Solskjaer's men on goal difference.
Worryingly for the Old Trafford faithful, United have taken just one point from their last three home games in the Premier League - scoring a solitary goal in that miserable streak - and not since April's win over Granada have the Red Devils crowd seen their side keep a clean sheet on familiar territory.
One game involving the Manchester clubs last weekend was expected to be a walkover, while the other was tipped to be a tight affair between two managers under immense pressure to deliver a result.
However, Crystal Palace ripped up the form book to come away from the Etihad Stadium with all three points to show for it, as Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher struck either side of Aymeric Laporte's red card in a memorable 2-0 win for the Eagles.
The reigning Premier League champions were dealt another early blow in their pursuit of a sixth crown in the competition, but Pep Guardiola's side responded in ideal fashion against Club Brugge in the Champions League, easing to a 4-1 win courtesy of goals from Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus.
Having seen their eight-game unbeaten run in the top flight come to a bitter end, third-placed City are now five points adrift of leaders Chelsea after 10 matches, but they have taken 10 points from the last 12 on offer away from home in the Premier League.
Despite posting two EFL Cup wins against their rivals in recent years, City are winless in four Premier League Manchester derbies - failing to score in any of their last three - but not many United fans will be placing bets on their side's hot streak continuing on Saturday.
- W
- L
- D
- L
- L
- W
- D
- L
- W
- L
- W
- D
- D
- W
- D
- W
- W
- L
- W
- W
- W
- L
- L
- W
Team News
United continue to make do without Paul Pogba - who serves the second of a three-game domestic ban this weekend - while Raphael Varane has been ruled out for a month with the hamstring injury he sustained in midweek.
With Victor Lindelof also nursing a knock, Solskjaer may not be able to field the three-man rearguard that worked to great effect against Spurs, but the Swede is thought to have a strong chance of returning here.
Fred, Cavani and Mason Greenwood will all come into contention for recalls to the first XI this week, with Rashford potentially dropping out of the side as Solskjaer accommodates the two veterans in the final third.
Meanwhile, City are already confirmed to be without Ferran Torres for another couple of months, while Laporte will join Pogba on the naughty step following his red card against Palace and Kyle Walker is a doubt with a foot issue.
John Stones - who scored an own goal in midweek - is therefore set to partner Ruben Dias in defence this week, while Kevin De Bruyne enjoyed a 15-minute cameo against Brugge and will hope to return to the first XI here.
Foden ought to continue as the focal point of City's attack alongside Jesus and Jack Grealish, with Sterling still without a goal against Man United after 23 games against the Red Devils.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Bailly, Lindelof, Maguire; Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Fred, Shaw; Fernandes; Ronaldo, Cavani
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Stones, Cancelo; Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne; Jesus, Foden, Grealish
We say: Manchester United 1-3 Manchester City
Had Eric Bailly not performed out of his skin in midweek, United could very well have shipped more against Atalanta, and the visit of another free-flowing attacking side in Man City spells trouble for Solskjaer and his depleted defence.
United's failures to keep the back door shut at home for the past six months have been alarming, and even though City have struggled for goals in recent derbies, we can only envisage the blue side of Manchester celebrating come the full-time whistle.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
