The competition of the strikers
Erling Haaland entered the Derby in a destructive form after scoring 5 goals in Norway's 11-1 victory over Moldova in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Haaland's skill set is very diverse from speed, coordination with teammates, choosing positions to finish. The only concern is how the satellites around Haaland will connect to him? In the context that Man City will not have the services of Marmoush, Cherki, Foden and Savinho, the lack of a breakthrough creative player could prevent Haaland from fully exploiting his abilities.
On Man United's side, Benjamin Sesko is likely to start in the upcoming match because the possibility of Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount playing is still uncertain due to injury.
Sesko will have invisible pressure in the upcoming match when he faces Haaland. In addition, a slow start has caused Sesko to receive a lot of skepticism, especially before a big match like the Manchester Derby.
Man City's personnel crisis
The Citizens enter the match with a very long injury list with 13 players who may be absent. The latest was the case of Omar Marmoush due to a knee ligament injury in the national team training session.
Previously, Pep Guardiola warned about many cases that need to be monitored. Therefore, the team has had to rotate personnel continuously in the last 3 matches in the Premier League. This could be an advantage for Man United.
However, history has proven that Pep Guardiola's flexibility has been shown well over the years, so Ruben Amorim needs to be very careful.
The match between Donnarumma and Lammens - Bayindir
Man United's starting goalkeeper in the upcoming match is still left unused. The "Red Devils" have just lent Andre Onana and the one who was considered to stand in goal is Senne Lammens or Altay Bayindir. Both have their own strengths and weaknesses, so Ruben Amorim will rely on the final training session to choose a name in the starting lineup.
There is a view that Amorim will put his trust in Lammens. However, experience is what the young Belgian goalkeeper is lacking. If he made a mistake in the match at the Etihad, the pressure would be huge.
On Man City's side, Gianluigi Donnarumma will make his debut. The Italian goalkeeper's class is undeniable. His appearance became even more necessary when the main goalkeeper in the previous 3 rounds - James Trafford has not shown solidity.
Man United's midfield problem
Midfield has been a big problem for Man United since the start of the season. They have not bought any more midfielders this summer and can only rely on available options. Currently, M.U has 3 true central midfielders: Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte. Casemiro is getting old, Mainoo and Ugarte are still not in the best form, which forced Amorim to pull captain Bruno Fernandes back to play as a "number 6".
This adjustment has prevented Bruno Fernandes from fully exploiting his creativity. On the contrary, M.U's midfield became vulnerable due to lack of speed and the ability to compete with one hand, so they were often overwhelmed, especially in the second half.
On the other side of the front line, Rodri's return this season is the happiest news for Pep Guardiola. The Man City captain has struggled during Rodri's injury treatment. As a result, The Citizens have had their first empty-handed season in many years.
Now, with Rodri returning and the rapid integration of rookie Reijnders, Man City has 2 highly rated central midfielders.
Courage, psychology and personal mistakes
The Manchester Derby is not only a tactical test, it is also a psychological arena. Personal mistakes such as a missed pass or an early exit at the wrong time can be immediately punished by the opponent.
In the situation that both teams have a fluctuating transfer chain and some pillars have not reached 100% physical strength, the possibility of individual decisive moments appearing is very high. Whichever coach manages the mentality well, prepares better and reads the game more acutely will have the advantage.
