Here come the two teams!
You can feel the excitement in the air, and even Roy Keane “is pumped,” according to Micah Richards.
The Manchester United players are made to wait in the tunnel alongside an array of young Manchester City mascots before Kyle Walker eventually leads his team down the steps to join their opponents in heading for the pitch.
The winter sun has completely disappeared, and for all intents and purposes this may as well be a night game – with an atmosphere to match.
Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim have made bold choices with their team selections, now it’s up to those players to prove their managers right.
Walker and Bruno Fernandes go through the pre-match rituals of the captains in the centre-circle, but that’s the niceties over.
Kick-off comes next.
New lease of life for Bruno
After registering just two goal involvements (two assists) in his nine Premier League games under Erik Ten Hag this season, Manchester United ace Bruno Fernandes is getting back to his best.
The Red Devils captain has had a hand in six goals (three goals and three assists) in his last six appearances following the Dutchman’s departure from Old Trafford.
And the Portuguese playmaker often comes up with the goods when facing United’s noisy neighbours.
Fernandes has been involved in five goals in his last six appearances against Manchester City in all competitions (two goals and three assists), setting up a goal in each of the last three derbies.
City stars start together
While Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford are nowhere to be seen, two of Manchester City’s key attacking players are set to start together in the Premier League for the first time this season.
The last time Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne were both in the same City line-up was the 3-1 home victory against West Ham in May that clinched a fourth successive title.
‘I could not sleep’
A strong message from Pep Guardiola who says he has not thought about leaving Man City while they struggle through their worst period in years.
He said: “”I would not be able to sleep – even worse than now – if I thought I was leaving when the club is in this situation. Impossible.
“They might sack me, that could happen. But leaving now, in this position? No chance.
“There are many things we have to do; go into the market at the right moment, maybe in winter or maybe the other one, to make the squad bigger, so they compete with each other to make the players better.
“Nothing is eternal. You have to be honest. If I am losing and losing and losing, more and more, in the end I say, ‘guys, you have to get someone else to fix this’.”
