December 15th 2024.
Today, two of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, Manchester City and Manchester United, are set to face each other. Both teams are in dire need of a win, especially against their local rivals. This match also marks the first encounter between Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim, who recently led Sporting Lisbon to a surprising 4-1 victory over City.
Guardiola's side had a rocky start last week, drawing with Crystal Palace and suffering a loss to Juventus in the Champions League. City's form has been inconsistent lately, as they have only won one out of their last ten matches and lost seven. United, on the other hand, will be looking to take advantage of this opportunity to continue their own winning streak.
City has been plagued with injuries, particularly in the defense. With only three fit defenders available, 19-year-old Jahmai Simpson-Pusey could potentially make his debut. While Rodri remains out, midfielder Mateo Kovacic has returned to training and may feature in this weekend's game. However, Rico Lewis will be suspended due to a red card in their last match.
Guardiola also has a big decision to make in goal, as he has chosen to drop Ederson in previous Premier League games in favor of Stefan Ortega. Meanwhile, the optimism surrounding Amorim's arrival at United has been dampened by two consecutive league defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. The sudden departure of Dan Ashworth has only added to the uncertainty surrounding the club.
In their Europa League match on Thursday, United managed to secure a win against Viktoria Plzen, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring two crucial goals off the bench. Amad Diallo also played a key role in the attack. Mason Mount, who made a positive impact as a substitute, will be hoping for a starting spot at the Etihad.
With the return of Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof from injury, United's squad is looking stronger, with only Luke Shaw still unavailable. As for the predicted lineups, City is expected to have Ortega in goal, with a defense consisting of Walker, Dias, Simpson-Pusey, and Gvardiol. Bernardo, Gundogan, Savio, de Bruyne, Doku, and Haaland are predicted to start in the attack.
On the other hand, United may have Onana in goal, with Yoro, de Ligt, Martinez, and Mazraoui in defense. Mainoo, Ugarte, Dalot, Diallo, Fernandes, and Hojlund are predicted to be in the starting lineup. The match will kick off at 4:30pm on Sunday and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event. Subscribers can also stream the game on Sky Go and NOWTV.
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