Predicted Manchester United line-up v Manchester City

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Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick has a couple of huge calls to make this weekend for the derby with City.

The Red Devils are looking to win for a third successive game at The Etihad, after a 2-1 win in 2019, a 1-0 win in 2020 in the Carabao Cup, and last year’s 2-0 victory.

This is Ralf Rangnick’s first derby and United head into the game unbeaten in eight league matches, albeit with a few too many draws.

City are in a title fight with Liverpool and need three points, while United must get all three to get the top four qualification bid back on track.

This was not the situation United wanted to be in heading into the season, but it is where we find ourselves this weekend.

Two bold calls upcoming

There are quite a few uncertainties in Manchester United’s team heading into the derby, starting at right-back.

Diogo Dalot has fallen out of favour and not started the last three games, and this could continue against City. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has played well in the past up against Raheem Sterling, and could be asked to start again. The right-back was impressive in United’s last game against Watford.

The first of the really big calls comes at centre-back. Only two of Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof can play. We are predicting Maguire will be omitted, with Varane and Lindelof getting the nod, after keeping a clean sheet against Watford last time out.

Luke Shaw will likely return to the starting line-up at left-back. He scored in the win at City last year and will be desperate to score a rare goal again.

In midfield the decision is tricky and leads into the decision up front, which we believe may culminate in Cristiano Ronaldo being left on the bench. Michael Carrick actually led the way with this in United’s draw away at Chelsea earlier in the season.

We are predicting Fred and Scott McTominay to line-up in midfield along with Paul Pogba who will play centrally as opposed to out wide. This is because United will shift Bruno Fernandes up to the front three.

Anthony Elanga and Jadon Sancho deserve the start, both making their first appearances at The Etihad. With Fernandes joining the attack, United should be more fluid than simply using Ronaldo as a target man which was ineffective in the derby back in November.

Rangnick should not be afraid to make these big calls, and we expect Ronaldo to return to the starting line-up against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League later this month, and even at home to Tottenham the following week. But for this game, United may just try something a little different.