Michael Carrick makes his (second) debut as Manchester United head coach in the small matter of the Manchester derby, as Arsenal-chasing Manchester City roll into town. Carrick and United need a win to dispel the negativity hanging around Old Trafford. Pep Guardiola and City need a win to close the gap on the league leaders and put pressure on them ahead of their later kickoff.
With so much on the line, here's everything you need to know about the derby:
How to watch
The match will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League in the UK, NBC in the U.S., Jio Hotstar in India and Stan Sport in Australia. You can also follow ESPN's live blog on the day.
Key Details
Kick-off time: Saturday, Jan. 14 at 12.30 p.m. GMT (7.30 a.m. ET; 6 p.m. IST and 11.30 p.m. AEDT)
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
Referee: Anthony Taylor
VAR: Craig Pawson
Injury and Team News
Manchester United
Shea Lacey, M: OUT, suspended
Matthijs de Ligt, D: DOUBT, back
Manchester City
Savinho, D: OUT, knock
John Stones, D: OUT, muscle
Josko Gvardiol, D: OUT, ankle
Rúben Dias, D: OUT, hamstring
Mateo Kovacic, M: OUT, ankle
Oscar Bobb, F: OUT, hamstring
Talking Points
How will Carrick set United up?
Michael Carrick's Middlesborough were easy to predict: a team that starts in a 4-2-3-1 that morphs into a 3-2-5 in buildup and attack, with one of the wingers inverting into an inside forward position and a fullback pushing up as the other holds his position and tucks in to provide defensive stability. At the time, he also insisted -- in a manner eerily reminiscent of Ruben Amorim -- that he wouldn't change his play irrespective of results on the field.
But the new 'head coach' (that phrase is no accident) knows exactly why he's been brought in, and a major task would be to help remove fans' memories of the stoic, slow football that marked much of Amorim's reign. Before that Boro stint, Carrick managed three games as caretaker for United and he set the team up in three distinct ways against three of the pre-eminent managers of this era -- and remained undefeated through it. He'd been assistant to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that season as the campaign derailed, but when he stepped up to become caretaker, he immediately appeared to steady the ship and introduce a missing defensive solidity to the team.
That will remain a priority now, especially against swashbuckling Man City, but with the fans yearning for attacking wing play in that famous "United way" ... it'll be interesting to see how Carrick sets up on Saturday.
Antoine Semenyo is the real deal
And that means, he's going to get another go at United (he's already scored at Old Trafford this season) from the get-go. Having scored on EFL Cup and FA Cup debut for City, Semenyo will be raring to make it a hat trick on his Premier League debut for his new team.
In a tight match at St James' Park, Semenyo's eye for goal is what unlocked a stubborn Newcastle United and with City struggling at the back with serious injury issues, and Erling Haaland going through a lean scoring stretch (for him, anyway), Semenyo's transfer couldn't have come at a better time. With Guardiola needing his attack to become more clinical, he's got one of the Premier League's most potent forwards to pair with the best in the league.
As Rob Dawson writes, Semenyo seems to be 'the right man in the right place, in more ways than one'.
The AFCON boys are back, almost
Bryan Mbeumo and Amad (who have eight goals and three assists in the league between them) are both back after Cameroon and Ivory Coast were knocked out of AFCON at the quarterfinal stage and they should be in contention to start on Saturday. Either of them immediately provides more attacking thrust than was available for Darren Fletcher in his two games in charge -- Mbeumo is United's top scorer this season despite missing the past month of action, while Amad's directness and dribbling ability is exactly what City's second (or third)-change defence will struggle to handle. Whether Carrick can squeeze them both into his starting XI with his 4-2-3-1 system remains to be seen.
For City, meanwhile, the return of Rayan Aït-Nouri is hugely promising. Nico O'Reilly was an able deputy at times, but under pressure it was also evident that this was a young attacking midfielder forced into doing a job for the team. He got a few minutes late on against Newcastle in the mid-week (and got an assist) and his presence could allow Guardiola to push Nathan Aké back into his more natural centre-back position to partner Abdukodir Khusanov and not throw young Max Alleyne into the deep end of a derby at Old Trafford. Even if he doesn't start Aït-Nouri, Guardiola will relish the option of bringing him on later.
(Note: Omar Marmoush is still at AFCON with Egypt).
Will Rodri show United just what they are missing?
The Ballon d'Or winner has been on managed minutes since his return from injury -- meaning O'Reilly started as the lone defensive midfielder in City's attacking 4-1-4-1 formation -- but given the magnitude of the occasion, and the desperate need to not drop any more points as they chase Arsenal, Guardiola may turn to his main man from the start at Old Trafford.
When he's played, it's been immediately evident how much better City are. Offensively he sets the tempo with his metronomic passing (plus allowing others to fly forward knowing he's got their backs) while defensively he remains a master of breaking up counters and disrupting the opposition's passing rhythm. He is, in fact, exactly the kind of player Manchester United so desperately miss.
That Casemiro's legs aren't keeping up with his mind has been evident for a while (brief renaissance in form notwithstanding), while Manuel Ugarte doesn't have the passing range or positioning sense of Rodri. Kobbie Mainoo, sidelined for so long by Amorim, ought to get a start under huge admirer Michael Carrick, but he'll have to bring his A-game and then some to outplay the Spaniard at the base of City's midfield.
What do the numbers say?
United, of course, lost the first derby of the season 3-0. The last time they failed to score in both league matches of the season was in 1973-74... a campaign that saw them get relegated from the top-flight.
They haven't scored in four of the last five Prem home games against City, including the last two. The last time they went more than three home league games goalless against City was between 1911 and 1914 (four matches)
No visiting team has won as many league games at Old Trafford in the Premier League era as Man City (9)
As a player, Man City were Carrick's second-favourite opponent, statistically. He only got more wins in the Prem against Sunderland (16) than he did Man City (P24 W13 D3 L8).
Meanwhile, Erling Haaland has been involved in more league goals against United in the PL era than any other City player (11: 8 goals, 3 assists)