Manchester Derby: Manchester City’s strongest XI 

Defence

Kyle Walker's overlapping runs will be crucial

Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy will supposedly start as the two full-backs in the four-man defensive line. Both of them would be expected to provide width and regular service inside the attacking box. Walker has played in nine Premier League matches this season and has scored once.

He provides 2.1 crosses per match and is regularly involved on the attacking front. He has improved from a defensive perspective as compared to his Tottenham days too and is a leader who Guardiola trusts in challenging matches.

Walker would surely provide a tough competition to his countryman Luke Shaw, who will most probably play on the opposite flank and has had a promising start to the season too. Mendy is also an attacking fullback and has already registered five assists in the league so far. The Frenchman often dominates his adversary by his quick burst of pace and then using his crossing and passing skills to provide sumptuous deliveries inside the box.

Mendy hugs the byline, stretches the opposition’s backline and thus continuously drags the opposition’s fullback wider which accordingly creates space at the centre of the box. Aymeric Laporte and John Stones will probably form the core of the backline. Laporte has arguably been one of the best centre-halves in the league this season.

Both Stones and Laporte are comfortable with the ball at their feet and do not refrain from carrying it ahead and initiating passing moves. It would be interesting to see how they react when they come up against a United side that switches between fluid attacking movements and undertaking a direct approach whenever required.