Man Utd vs Man City: Predicted lineups today and confirmed team news

Amad is back from AFCON – will he start today? (Picture: Getty)

Michael Carrick is seeking to get off to the perfect start when Manchester United take on Manchester City this afternoon.

A thrilling derby marks the start of another new era at Old Trafford with Carrick tasked with leading the side to European qualification with 17 games of the season remaining.

With nothing left to play for elsewhere, United’s focus is now solely on the league and their plans to climb the table will be boosted by the returns of Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo from Africa Cup of Nations duty.

The pair returned to training on Wednesday after Ivory Coast and Cameroon were eliminated at the quarter-final stage. Noussair Mazraoui is expected to play in the final of the competition on Sunday when Morocco take on Senegal .

United have welcomed Bruno Fernandes , Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire back from injury in recent weeks with Matthijs de Ligt their only remaining absentee.

The Netherlands international has not featured since the win over Crystal Palace at the end of November due to a back problem, with United offering no real update on his condition since the first week of December.

It remains to be seen when the former Juventus and Bayern Munich star will be available again.

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De Ligt still absent (Picture: Getty)

As Darren Fletcher did in his two games in charge, Carrick is expected to abandon the 3-4-3 and use a 4-2-3-1 he regularly deployed at Middlesbrough.

It could allow Bruno Fernandes to keep his place in a more advanced role having spent most of the season operating at central midfield under Ruben Amorim. Kobbie Mainoo could get his first Premier League start of the season alongside Casemiro in midfield, although Manuel Ugarte will also be an option for Carrick.

Amad and Mbeumo both thrived on the right of Amorim’s 3-4-3 but there is unlikely to be room for both of them on that side of the pitch without that system. Carrick does have the option to shift Amad over to the left with Matheus Cunha’s disappointing spell of form meaning his place in the starting XI cannot be guaranteed.

Three draws on the bounce in the league have seen City lose pace on Arsenal and injury problems at the back are a growing concern.

Semenyo has hit the ground running at City (Picture: Getty)

Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol have joined John Stones on the sidelines, leaving Guardiola with the options of Nathan Ake, Abdukodir Khusanov and Max Alleyne, recalled from his loan spell at Waford.

City hope to remedy the situation by signing Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace month but for this weekend, the cupboard is quite bare.

Antoine Semenyo’s bright start as a City player should see him keep his place in the team against a side who tried to sign hm last summer.

The continued absence of de Ligt is a concern but Carrick may call upon Harry Maguire to return to the heart of defence alongside Lisandro Martinez today to do battle with Erling Haaland.

United will have been assessing Mbeumo and Amad this week after their returns from AFCON but will hope to have both available to start.

Benjamin Sesko has three goals in his last two appearances – another in a pivotal game would go some way in alleviating some of the criticism he has faced this season.

Nathan Ake started at left-back midweek against Newcastle but could move back inside to partner Khusanov this afternoon.

Rayan Ait-Nouri is available again after his return from AFCON duty.