Saturday’s Manchester derby is set to present a variety of talking points, from Michael Carrick’s baptism of fire at United to City’s recent dominance and the possibility of replicating an unwanted record from 1914.
Old Trafford will welcome its third head coach of a Jekyll and Hyde season, hoping to rectify the failings during a 3-0 defeat at the Etihad in September’s reverse Premier League fixture.
For Carrick, the allure of lifting a dejected fanbase whilst chasing a return to Champions League football was an opportunity too difficult to ignore.
But the prospect of back-to-back outings against the league’s top two sides has presented a challenging task for this one-time great at the Theatre of Dreams.
Nonetheless, the 44-year-old is relishing the task ahead and is embracing a 17-game schedule with the full support of a scrutinised Ineos backroom team.
“I’ve spoken to Jason [Wilcox] an awful lot,” he stated during Friday’s press duties.
“I’m working closely with Jason and Omar [Berrada] as well, and over the last few days, we’ve spoken a lot, as you’d imagine.
“And, yeah, the owners, the ownership group, were in and around it. It was nice to see them, meet them yesterday, and have a small chat with them. They’ve taken care of business in some ways.
“We were able to share a few things, so wished us all the very best, and it was good to see them.”
Carrick targeting a unified push towards European football at Manchester United
United will enter Saturday’s derby with a solitary home win from the previous six meetings in all competitions.
Furthermore, if the Reds were to fail to score, it would equal an unwanted record of three consecutive home league games without a goal in the fixture, last suffered in 1914 during a seven-game spell.
Although some in Carrington are frustrated with another managerial change, our sources have confirmed that the expectations ahead of a derby day are not being taken for granted by any member of the first team squad.
This ethos is shared across the board, with a unified sporting department focused on a strong end to a frustrating campaign.
“I think it’s, like I said, we want to be near the top league – we want to be top of the league,” Carrick stated when asked about internal targets.
“I mean, that’s pretty obvious to say, but we’ve got to take some small steps towards that, and European football obviously would be a step forward, and we’ve got to keep pushing.”
The interim coach’s task will be made somewhat easier with the return of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad following their exit from the Africa Cup of Nations. Noussair Mazraoui’s Morocco will meet Senegal in Sunday night’s final.
Both have been sorely missed during a frustrating spell of four games without a win since a 1-0 victory over Newcastle in December. But their availability presents a welcome selection headache for the new-look management team.
Shea Lacey (suspension) and Matthijs de Ligt (injury) are both unavailable for selection, but the latter is making positive strides towards a return to grass.
“We’ve had a good week, really,” said Carrick. “Matthijs de Ligt has been carrying a bit of an issue, but hopefully, we’ll get him back in some time soon.
“It’s been a little bit slower than what they thought previously. All in all, the boys are in good shape. I just feel the energy, whether it’s fresh or not!
“Obviously, I’m delighted to be here. I want to work a certain way, I want to enjoy what we do, and work hard to get success. The boys have put the work in this week, and we feel we’re ready.”
Form often goes out the window when these sides meet, with United’s well-documented struggles during the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era coinciding with City’s rise under Pep Guardiola.
That said, neither team has yet registered a Premier League win in 2026, with both Manchester outfits drawing all of their fixtures since the turn of the year.
But despite all of the doom and gloom after Ruben Amorim’s sacking, a victory could propel United into the top four should results go in their favour elsewhere.
While much of the pre-match focus will turn towards tactics and formations, the prospect of reverting to a familiar 4231 presents a selection conundrum regarding several attacking players.
Inevitably, the omission of high-profile names will be the first of many challenges to come for the former Middlesbrough chief.
Predicted Manchester United starting XI: (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Heaven, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Bruno, Cunha; Sesko.
Do you think Manchester United will get the job done against the free-spending side from across the city? Feel free to let us know in the comments or across any of our social channels.
Photo by operations@newsimages.co.uk via depositphotos.com.
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