Victory against rivals United would clinch title for Guardiola's side
Manchester City vs Manchester United
Competition: F.A. Premier League
Date: 5.30pm, Saturday 7th April 2018
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Martin Atkinson Assistants: L Betts, S Child Fourth Official: C Pawson
Odds: City 10/11, Draw 5/2, United 16/5
Tickets: Sold out
TV: Sky Sports
Manchester City
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Squad (from): Bravo, Ederson, Muric, Danilo, Laporte, Kompany, Otamendi, Stones, Walker, De Bruyne, Delph, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Sane, B Silva, D Silva, Sterling, Toure, Aguero, Jesus
Injured: Mendy
Doubtful: Aguero
Suspended: None
Form guide: WWLWWL
Manchester United
Manager: Jose Mourinho
Squad (from): De Gea, Pereira, Lindelof, Bailly, Jones, Rojo, Smalling, Blind, Shaw, Valencia, Darmian, Pogba, Mata, Lingard, Young, Herrera, Fellaini, Matic, McTominay, Martial, Rashford, Lukaku, Sanchez
Injured: Romero
Doubtful: Jones, Blind
Suspended: None
Form guide: WWWLWW
Sergio Aguero faces a late fitness test on the knee injury which has seen him miss City's last four games, Pep Guardiola confirmed at Friday's press conference.
“I don’t know right now [whether he will play],” Guardiola said. “We have training this afternoon and we are going to see his physical condition.”
City otherwise have a clean bill of health, with Bejamin Mendy finally close to a return to first team action. Guardiola is expected to rotate his squad, with one eye on the second leg of the Champions League quarter final against Liverpool on Tuesday evening. A victory over United would seal the Premier League title for the Blues, but the City boss has played down the siginificance of the game.
“It’s another game," he said. "United defend differently from Liverpool. We try to play the same way as we have all season.
"So far our season has been so good.
"It’s almost done. It’s a bit like Liverpool - it's almost done. We are close to be champions.
"It’s a coincidence because it’s the derby but it doesn’t matter. We just have to be focused on what we have to do to win the game.
"I am so happy with what we have done so far. We play with huge personality. I know how difficult it is in Anfield… the second half we were so good. Even in the bad moments."
City's last league game against United at The Etihad ended in a drab 0-0 draw at the tail end of the 2016/17 season, in which Marouane Fellaini was sent off for the visitors. Overall City have won 49 of the 164 games played against United, with 49 draws and 66 defeats.
Predicted line-up: Ederson, Danilo, Otamendi, Stones, Delph, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Sterling, B Silva, Aguero
Score prediction: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 1