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All eyes will be at Old Trafford, as Manchester United will host Manchester City in an enticing game in the Premier League. The Red Devils are four games unbeaten against their city rivals, and will move level with the holders with a victory on Saturday.
Following a patchy run of form, United restored some confidence after a convincing 3-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. The Sky Blues, in third place with 20 points, bounced back from a poor game against Crystal Palace with a resounding 4-1 win in the Champions League.
In the build-up to the 186th Manchester derby, here's look at five key battles that could determine the outcome of this clash:
#5 Jack Grealish (Manchester City) vs Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)
Jack Grealish became the most expensive British player of all time following his hefty £100 million transfer from Aston Villa in the summer. But his form hasn't quite been that impressive.
His performances have been inconsistent, and he needs to add a ruthless streak to his game to become a hit. Nevertheless, the Englishman is still a key figure in City's attack, and is likely to start against United.
He'll come up against Wan-Bissaka on Saturday. The United full-back is quietly having a good season in both attack and defence.
However, Wan-Bissaka sometimes risks leaving too many gaps behind, something that could cost him dearly against Grealish, who has a penchant for running in behind defences.
#4 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) vs Fred (Manchester United)
It hasn't been his best season thus far, as Kevin De Bruyne has been blighted by injuries and inconsistencies on the field. However, the Belgian wizard remains invaluable to City, and his ability to conjure up magic in pivotal moments makes him an undroppable player.
He is averaging almost two key passes per game this season despite not yet playing to his best. De Bruyne is key to controlling the tempo of City's plays.
Considering the same, Manchester United's Fred will have quite a job to contain De Bruyne. He, too, hasn't had the best of seasons thus far, but will have to muster his A-game to try and stop the Belgian playmaker from making his customary killer passes.
#3 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) vs Rodri (Manchester City)
United have gone through the motions in their last few games. But the man who has consistently delivered is Bruno Fernandes, the creative inspiration and a prolific chance-creating machine.
In fact, Fernandes has created the most chances in the Premier League this season. That includes five big chances, and he has also contributed seven top-flight goals in ten games (scored 4, assisted 3) this season.
His ability to lay killer passes and directness of play will be a huge test to City's defensive mettle. So Rodri, City's anchorman, will have a Herculean job of keeping Fernandes quiet.
The Spaniard is an excellent tackler, averaging 2.1 per game this season. His vision and reading of the game is second to none. But he'll have to muster every ounce of those qualities against Fernandes on Saturday.
#2 Phil Foden (Manchester City) vs Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
Manchester City have a striker issue after they failed to land Harry Kane to fill the Sergio Aguero-shaped void. But lately, Phil Foden has started as the false nine, and has shown his ability to excel in it.
He has scored three goals and made one assist in that position in the last four games. Foden has also provided excellent width down the flanks by drifting onto the left flank.
United's defence has shown that false nine is the perfect system to undo them. That's owing to their lack of defensive intelligence, particularly from Maguire, who's been a disaster lately.
The Red Devils captain has lost his sense of positioning, and the less we talk about his marking the better. Another inept performance will be ruthlessly punished by Foden.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) vs Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
If there were any doubts about Cristiano Ronaldo's ability to carry United on his shoulders, the 36-year-old has emphatically squished them. He has scored nine goals in 12 games across competitions so far.
Most of his strikes have been late equalisers or stoppage-time winners, demonstrating his ability to come up clutch in key moments even in the twilight of his career.
Naturally, he'll be looked upon to produce the goods against City too. The task of stopping him in his tracks will be on the broad shoulders of Ruben Dias, who has been the best centre-back in the Premier League since joining City last year.
He uses his physical strength on the ball to bully strikers, and is well-known for last-ditch challenges. So his Portugal teammate can expect to see a few of his shots blocked or diverted out for corners. Either way, it could be a feisty duel.
