Manchester United line-up vs Man City as Sofyan Amrabat and Kobbie Mainoo set to start

Manchester United will be hoping to reignite their top-four push when they face neighbours Manchester City in Sunday's derby at the Etihad Stadium.

United, who were brushed aside by City back in October, losing 3-0 at Old Trafford, suffered their first Premier League defeat of 2024 last weekend, losing 2-1 at home to Fulham. That setback, at the time of writing, has left them eight points shy of fourth-placed Aston Villa in the final Champions League berth.

However, United issued a response at the first time of asking in midweek, beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the City Ground in the FA Cup fifth round. Casemiro headed in a late winner to book a quarter-final date with Liverpool.

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United faced the possibility of being down to the bare bones for the trip to the East Midlands, amid a worsening injury crisis, but were able to rely on the likes of Raphael Varane and Bruno Fernandes after they were injury doubts 24 hours earlier. Both played, though Fernandes left the City Ground limping.

Issuing an update on the condition of his squad in Thursday's pre-match press conference, manager Erik ten Hag did not report any fresh injury concerns, nor did he anticipate any currently injured players returning. He is expected to pick his starting XI from the same pool of players who were available against Forest.

With that in mind, Andre Onana is highly likely to start in goal and maintain his record of starting every Premier League fixture this season. He has improved in recent weeks and played his part in the win at Forest.

As for the back-four in front of him, Ten Hag could decide to deploy the same quartet that started on the banks of the Trent, once again tasking Sofyan Amrabat with operating as an emergency left-back. United do not currently have a senior left-back available, meaning Amrabat may once again have to deputise.

Diogo Dalot is a guaranteed starter at right-back while Victor Lindelof is likely to partner Varane at centre-back. Harry Maguire is once again expected to miss out.

It would be no surprise to see Ten Hag deploy Kobbie Mainoo, Fernandes and Casemiro as a midfield trio. Up against a team of City's quality it may have been wise, had Shaw or an alternative left-back option been available, to shift Amrabat into a defensive-midfield berth, as opposed to tasking him with operating at left-back.

However, Mainoo has been one of United's best players in recent months and deserves to feature in a Manchester derby for the first time. He could trade places with McTominay.

Despite limping out of the City Ground, Fernandes is still likely to start. He has never missed a United fixture through injury and it would take a lot for him to miss a game of such significance.

In attack, Rasmus Hojlund's absence means Marcus Rashford is likely to start through the middle again and lead the line. He could be supported, just as he was at Forest, by Alejandro Garnacho and Antony.

United predicted line-up vs City: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Amrabat; Mainoo, Casemiro, Fernandes; Antony, Rashford, Garnacho.