Manchester United welcome fierce rivals Manchester City to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, as Louis van Gaal's men aim to make a statement in the race for the title.
Manuel Pellegrini's City currently hold top spot in the standings, and they come into the derby with a positive record against the Red Devils in recent times.
Manchester United
© Getty Images
The first Manchester derby of the season perhaps presents an intriguing point for United fans to properly assess the sort of progress that they have made under the reign of Van Gaal.
With large amounts of money spent during his last two summers in charge, it still appears that the Red Devils are some way short of the consistent quality United followers have come to expect from a club with 20 league titles to its name.
That said, Van Gaal's men had managed to put together a fairly strong run of form after being beaten by Swansea City earlier in the campaign. After falling to Garry Monk's men at the Liberty, United went on to win three games straight before being humbled at the hands of Arsenal.
The manner in which United were undone by the Gunners in the early stages at the Emirates will be of particular concern to some fans, but they were able to bounce straight back with a commanding win away at Goodison Park next time out in the league.
Currently sitting just behind City in third in the table, claiming bragging rights on Sunday could not only present United players with renewed confidence, but it could also lift them into top spot as they aim to reassert some authority in the top flight of English football.
The emergence of Chris Smalling's development will be of great interest to United fans, and he appeared to work well with the returning Phil Jones against the Toffees last weekend. Wayne Rooney's contribution going forward is still in question, but the club do appear to have found some genuine star quality in rising frontman Anthony Martial.
Given that Liverpool appeared rather lacklustre earlier this term, that defeat to Arsenal arguably proved to showcase United stumbling at the first hurdle when facing a title rival this season and that will have irked Van Gaal. United will be eager to send out a message on Sunday that they could still prove to be true contenders come next spring.
Recent form: LWWWLW
Recent form (all competitions): WWWLWD
Manchester City
© Getty Images
After five games of the new season it appeared as if City would be the strongest favourites to wrestle the title away from Chelsea, given that Pellegrini had led his side to five straight wins domestically.
The depth of City's challenge was to be questioned not long after, though, as they lost consecutive games to West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, while also coming unstuck at home to Juventus in the Champions League.
Those defeats cast some doubt over the club's ability to compete without the midfield dominance displayed in previous years, although they were able to hit straight back at critics with 11 goals in two games when running riot over Newcastle United and Bournemouth.
The win over Newcastle came courtesy of five-star Sergio Aguero, but he will miss the derby through an injury sustained on international duty. In his absence perhaps lies the major challenge that awaits the club on Sunday, and that is whether or not they can do the required damage with a forward line potentially led by Wilfried Bony as the Argentine's replacement.
Bony showed glimpses of quality when combining with Raheem Sterling in the victory over Bournemouth, although the striker failed to offer much in the club's recent Champions League victory over Sevilla.
What that game did show, however, is that the Sky Blues have a destructive gem in the shape of Kevin De Bruyne, whose brilliance turned City's European fortunes around at the last minute on Wednesday night.
One major talking point this weekend will surround skipper Vincent Kompany, who has been left on the bench for two games in a row despite featuring for Belgium during the international break. Given the weight of Sunday's clash, Pellegrini is likely to bring back his key defender for the trip to Old Trafford, despite rumours of a rift between the captain and his manager.
Recent form: WWLLWW
Recent form (all competitions): WLWWWW
Team News
© Getty Images
Van Gaal will need to make a decision on how to start Martial and Rooney, given the positive contributions that the youngster has made both out wide and as a lone striker.
It looks likely that the out-of-form Memphis Depay will be usurped by Ander Herrera as part of a forward-lying three, while Juan Mata should return after being rested during the Champions League.
The United coach also has to decide on who starts at right-back out of Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian. It is thought that Van Gaal will opt to stick with Jones and Smalling at the heart of his defence.
As for City, the club's fans will be waiting to see if Kompany comes back into the side, while full-back Aleksandar Kolarov might earn a starting spot after his contribution off the bench against Sevilla.
Bony currently stands as the club's only leading out-and-out striker so he is expected to start in attack, with creative support coming from Jesus Navas, Sterling and De Bruyne.
It is possible that David Silva could make a surprise return, although his fitness is still in major doubt. Pellegrini is also likely to stick with his holding pair of Yaya Toure and Fernandinho in front of his defence.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Darmian; Jones, Smalling, Rojo; Carrick, Schneiderlin; Martial, Herrera, Mata; Rooney
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Hart; Kolarov, Kompany, Mangala, Sagna; Fernandinho, Toure; De Bruyne, Sterling, Navas; Bony
Head To Head
There have been an impressive 23 goals in the last six league meetings between the two Manchester clubs in a run that has seen City hold the upper hand. The clubs last met at the back-end of last season, where United came out 4-2 victors at Old Trafford, in order to avenge a 1-0 defeat at City earlier in the campaign. City hold the more dominant record over the last six meetings, as the Sky Blues have bagged four wins and lost just twice.
Video Preview
Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:
We say: Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City
This game, despite its position in the early stages of the season, presents an important contest for United, who are aiming to prove that they have developed under Van Gaal. Victory over City would mean that they could climb to the top of the table, while also potentially instilling the belief required to go on a positive run throughout the winter.
United will be facing a City side that has claimed 13 Premier League wins out of their last 15 matches and that also has a dominant grip on the clubs' recent competitive history. That said, the Sky Blues are missing a key striker in the shape of Aguero, and doubts do remain around Kompany at the back. Neither side has played particularly well through the midfield this campaign and that could lead to some relatively busy defences on Sunday afternoon.
Christopher Dodd
