All eyes on powerpacked Manchester derby today
Guardiola renews rivalry with Mourinho
AFP
AFP, MANCHESTER: Featuring the rekindling of Pep Guardiolas rivalry with Jose Mourinho, an all-star supporting cast and a host of tantalising sub-plots, Saturdays Manchester derby could be the most feverishly anticipated ever. The two clubs have competed on an even footing since around 2010, two years after Manchester Citys acquisition by the Abu Dhabi United Group, but they have never hogged the limelight quite so selfishly. Both have boosted their ranks with big-money signings, both have won their first three games and both see Saturdays match as an opportunity to stake an early claim for the Premier League title.
We can sense the expectation all around the city from our supporters, says Citys German winger Leroy Sane.
Ive played in derby games in Germany, but this should be a great match and one Im really looking forward to, especially because Pep Guardiola is taking on Jose Mourinho.
Its going to be exciting and I hope I can play some part and help us bring back three points.
The Premier League trophy spent four consecutive years in Manchester between 2011 and 2014, Manchester United winning it in 2011 and 2013 and City in 2012 and 2014.
But the Manchester clubs could not match Chelseas pace in 2015 and fell off the title map altogether last season, prompting seismic managerial changes on both sides of town.
Guardiola and Mourinho are two of the three best-paid managers in world football -- along with Carlo Ancelotti, Guardiolas successor at Bayern Munich -- and they were quick to get to work.
Both have renovated their squads in pointed fashion. Both have hit the ground running. Up to five City players could get their first experience of the derby at the same time as Guardiola.
Among them, close-season signings Sane and Ilkay Gundogan are now fit, while goalkeeper Claudio Bravo could make his first appearance since arriving from Barcelona to supplant Joe Hart.
Captain Vincent Kompany and right-back Bacary Sagna are also at Guardiolas disposal after groin and hamstring injuries respectively.
But the City manager will go into his first meeting with former Real Madrid nemesis Mourinho since 2013 without Sergio Aguero.
The Argentina star, scorer of eight derby goals, is suspended after elbowing West Ham Uniteds Winston Reid, which could yield a starting berth for teenage Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho.
United, the hosts, are set to offer a first taste of derby action to Eric Bailly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and world-record signing Paul Pogba.
It will be Pogbas first major test since his 89 million pounds ($118.4 million, 105 million euros) return from Juventus, while Ibrahimovic will relish coming up against Guardiola again.
The pair clashed during the Swedish strikers time at Barcelona, Ibrahimovic describing Guardiola as a spineless coward in his autobiography.
Left-back Luke Shaw and midfielder Marouane Fellaini are both due to play despite injury scares on international duty.
However, Henrikh Mkhitaryan -- another high-profile recruit -- is a doubt with a thigh problem.
The combined value of the two starting XIs is expected to be in the region of 600 million pounds, but a player occupying the thoughts of Uniteds supporters ahead of the game did not cost a penny.
Marcus Rashford settled the most recent derby, earning United a 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium in March, and rose from the bench to net a stoppage-time winner at Hull City on their last outing.
