Two behemoths of the modern game go head-to-head on Sunday in the Premier League as audiences across the world prepare themselves for the Manchester derby.
Manchester City host their bitter local rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium looking to reassert their dominance over their neighbours, but they are acutely aware of the individual quality boasted by the Red Devils.
Both sides are laced with world class players and that should—on paper, at least—make for an excellent spectacle this weekend. City possess one of football’s deepest rosters, but United have their fair share of star talent, too.
Here’s Sports Illustrated’s combined City and United starting XI of players fit and available for Sunday’s derby.
Man City vs. Man Utd Combined XI (4-3-3)
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma
City’s acquisition of one of the world’s best goalkeepers has somewhat gone under the radar. Gianluigi Donnarumma could debut in the Manchester derby following his move to the Etihad and will prove a sizeable upgrade on James Trafford, who has endured a mixed start to the season on his return to the club.
Given United’s current goalkeeping woes, this one isn’t even close.
RB: Noussair Mazraoui
Neither City nor United boast a truly special right back. For the former, it’s a weak area that arguably should have been strengthened over the summer, and for the latter it’s another area of their team that they woud like to improve.
That said, Noussair Mazraoui has proven to be incredibly reliable for United, often outperforming his more illustrious teammates. Diogo Dalot’s yo-yo form has been particularly unhelpful, and the Moroccan also sees off City’s Rico Lewis and Matheus Nunes for a place in our XI.
CB: Ruben Dias
Rúben Dias is not quite the same immovable force as he once was for the Cityzens, but he remains one of the game’s best centre backs. The Portuguese international boasts exceptional composure, impressive leadership qualities and excellent positional intelligence.
He leads his positional peers at City and United, with his blend of class and ferocity often underestimated—those justifiable reasons for the new contract he signed in the summer.
CB: Leny Yoro
Leny Yoro has made an encouraging start to the current campaign as he continues to quietly impress amid the chaos at Old Trafford. He’s United’s best available centre back and has incredible potential to blossom into one of the world’s top defenders over the next decade.
The Frenchman is mature beyond his years and would earn greater recognition in a better functioning team.
LB: Josko Gvardiol
Joško Gvardiol’s versatility has made him an integral member of Pep Guardiola’s squad over the past few seasons, with the defender capable of operating at centre back and left back. The latter is where he resides in our team, with Rayan Aït-Nouri injured and Patrick Dorgu not at the Croatian’s level.
Gvardiol’s a commanding physical presence and surprisingly quick considering his frame. He also has a handy eye for goal from set pieces and open play.
DM: Rodri
The Ballon d’Or winner’s injury derailed City’s 2024–25 campaign such is his sizeable influence. The Spaniard remains the best defensive midfielder on the planet and Guardiola will be delighted to have his enforcer back in his team.
Casemiro of six or seven years ago could have pushed for a place as the defensive-minded midfielder in our XI, but those days are long gone. Rodri is the easiest of picks.
CM: Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes’ character divides opinion but his talent doesn’t. The United skipper is an effortlessly brilliant footballer and would likely stand even taller in a more consistent and organised environment.
The midfielder’s commitment to United is admirable and his passion palpable, with all the technical qualities to compare and even surpass the other elite midfielders elsewhere in Europe.
CM: Tijjani Reijnders
Tijjani Reijnders has already offered an insight into his outstanding quality following his move to the Etihad. One of the Premier League’s finest debuts saw him demolish Wolverhampton Wanderers and he was similarly effective at the FIFA Club World Cup.
The Dutchman oozed class at Milan and will undoubtedly transfer his skills to the Premier League. United are desperate for such a balanced midfield presence in their current squad.
RW: Bryan Mbeumo
United might have slightly overpaid for Bryan Mbeumo but they have signed one of the Premier League’s most relentless output machines regardless. He’s devastated defences at Brentford and already has two goals to his name since joining the Red Devils.
Mbeumo’s mixture of speed and surprising power make him a nightmare for left backs up and down the country. 20 goals and seven Premier League assists last season says enough.
ST: Erling Haaland
Two of United’s most recent centre forward signings have been inspired by Erling Haaland. It was hoped that Rasmus Højlund could offer the Red Devils a similar outlet to the Norwegian marksman, with Benjamin Šeško also a striker of the same build and style as Haaland.
But nobody can emulate City’s sharpshooter. He’s an undeniable goalscorer and colossal presence in the final third, continuing to topple records with each passing season.
LW: Jérémy Doku
Injuries to City’s Omar Marmoush and United’s Matheus Cunha open up a spot for Jérémy Doku in our forward line. The fleet-footed Belgian is something of a one-trick pony, using his speed to jet past full backs, but it can be an incredibly effective strategy.
Sure, Doku needs to work on his final product to take the next step, but he remains an incredibly useful option for Guardiola.
READ THE LATEST PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND GOSSIP
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man City vs. Man Utd: Combined XI.