Manchester United’s uneven start to the season is about to receive its first serious examination.
Thursday’s 4-0 win over Sabah brought four goals, a clean sheet and a comfortable return to the Champions League. It also came against opponents United were expected to beat. Manchester City will ask far more difficult questions at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Enzo Maresca has won his first three Premier League games since replacing Pep Guardiola and followed them with a 2-0 victory away to Porto. His new-look side is still settling, yet City already sit top of the league and Erling Haaland has started scoring with familiar regularity.
United have taken four points from nine and conceded six league goals. A win would move Carrick’s side to within two points of City. Defeat would leave an eight-point gap after only four games. The table rarely matters this early, although the difference between those two outcomes certainly would.
Kick-off is at 4.30pm on Sunday at Old Trafford, with the match live on Sky Sports.
Manchester United Team News
Marcus Rashford is expected to return to the starting side after Carrick kept him on the bench against Sabah as a precaution. He came off with a slight problem during the 2-2 draw at Everton, but trained before Thursday’s game and was deliberately saved for the derby.
Luke Shaw should also be available. He suffered cramp at Everton and was left out of the squad in midweek after receiving an extra recovery day. Patrick Dorgu deputised at left-back against Sabah, while Shaw is likely to reclaim the position on Sunday.
Carrick managed a few other workloads despite naming a strong Champions League side. Youri Tielemans was replaced at half-time, Kobbie Mainoo came off after 64 minutes and Bryan Mbeumo followed shortly afterwards. Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot remained on the bench and should return to the defence.
Benjamin Šeško has given Carrick a genuine decision in attack. The striker scored from the bench at Everton, started and scored again against Sabah, and has looked sharper with every appearance since returning from a shin injury. He has yet to complete a full match, so Carrick may still prefer Matheus Cunha through the middle and use Šeško against tiring defenders.
Amad remains out with an ankle injury, while summer signing Carlos Baleba is still waiting to make his debut because of his own ankle problem. Manuel Ugarte is facing a lengthy absence with a knee injury and Tom Heaton is recovering from a hamstring issue.
Matthijs de Ligt has returned to team training following surgery on a long-standing back problem. Carrick says the defender is progressing well, although Sunday is expected to come too soon for him.
Manchester City Team News
Nico O’Reilly is fit again after suffering a back problem during the warm-up before City’s 1-0 win over Coventry. Maresca has confirmed that the midfielder is fully available after also missing Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Porto.
Jérémy Doku will not feature. The Belgian winger has been out since suffering a calf injury in the Community Shield and needs a few more days before returning.
City have no other major availability concerns. Iliman Ndiaye and Matheus Nunes are both fit, giving Maresca plenty of scope to change the side that won in Portugal.
The visitors’ biggest selection call may come in midfield. Ayyoub Bouaddi impressed on his first start at Porto, while Elliot Anderson came off the bench and Enzo Fernández continued his rapid introduction to the side. Fernández has already played a part in two Haaland goals since joining from Chelsea and looks well placed to start his first Manchester derby.
Phil Foden and Ndiaye are competing for a place on the left of the attack. Antoine Semenyo has become an important outlet on the right, with Rayan Cherki likely to operate behind Haaland.
The Derby Context
Sunday will be the 199th competitive Manchester derby and Carrick’s second as United manager. His first game after returning in January was a 2-0 win over City at Old Trafford, with Mbeumo and Dorgu scoring. City have not won a league game here since October 2023.
United’s current form is harder to judge. A defeat at Hull was followed by five goals against Ipswich, two leads surrendered at Everton and a comfortable 4-0 win over Sabah. The attack is beginning to click, but conceding six goals in three league games remains a concern.
City arrive with four straight wins under Maresca. They have beaten Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Coventry in the league before winning 2-0 at Porto on Tuesday. Haaland scored both goals in Portugal and has three in his last two games.
Guardiola has gone and City spent around £450 million rebuilding the squad, although the early results have remained familiar. United also face a difficult turnaround after playing on Thursday, giving City two extra days to prepare.
Tactical Focus
City usually move from a 4-2-3-1 into a 3-2-5 with the ball. Cherki operates between the lines and Haaland occupies the centre-backs, so Mainoo and Tielemans must protect the middle without allowing United to become trapped around their own box.
United’s best route forward will be through Rashford and Mbeumo. Both can attack the space City leave beside their back three, with Fernandes looking to release them quickly and Cunha pulling defenders into the channels.
Šeško offers a more direct option after scoring in consecutive games, although Carrick may prefer to use him from the bench. His pace and physical presence could become more effective once City’s defence begins to tire.
United cannot rely entirely on counterattacks. January’s win combined selective pressing with enough possession to relieve pressure, and Carrick will need the same balance again. Th
Predicted XI
Lammens;
Dalot, Maguire, Martínez, Shaw;
Mainoo, Tielemans;
Mbeumo, Fernandes, Rashford;
Sesko.
Predicted Score
City arrive with the stronger results, more recovery time and the most dangerous striker on the pitch. United have pace to hurt their new defence, an improving attack and recent evidence that Carrick knows how to approach this fixture at Old Trafford.
A home win is realistic if United defend the central areas properly and take their chances on the break. City’s control and United’s league defensive record make a draw the safer call.
Manchester United 1-1 Manchester City.
