Manchester United vs. Manchester City: 3 key battles to watch
Here, we examine the key matchups that will play a significant role in determining who emerges victorious from Sunday's derby clash between Manchester United and Manchester City.
Kevin De Bruyne vs. Morgan Schneiderlin
City's blockbuster summer signing Kevin De Bruyne is a man of versatility.
In the club's last three matches in all competitions, the Belgian started on the right against Newcastle, in the middle against Bournemouth, and on the left flank against Sevilla. Manuel Pellegrini's lot won all three matches, outscoring its opponents 13-3.
De Bruyne's influence on the Citizens has proven to be worth every bit of his £54-million deal, and he'll keep it up Sunday at Old Trafford, regardless of where he's slotted in.
Whether he starts on one of the wings or in a central midfield position, De Bruyne often gravitates to the middle of the park where another summer signing, United's Morgan Schneiderlin, will be tasked with monitoring the 24-year-old former Wolfsburg star.
Few doubt Louis van Gaal will make the same error he did at the Emirates three weeks ago, when he opted to keep Schneiderlin on the bench for Bastian Schweinsteiger in a one-sided 3-0 loss to Arsenal.
The ex-Southampton man will likely start alongside Schweinsteiger like he did in the past two matches, but it'll be for Schneiderlin to check De Bruyne's central runs, as the World Cup winning German isn't the most fleet of foot.
Schweinsteiger and countryman Per Mertersacker ran head-to-head in a 100-yard dash Thursday, with the Bavarian outleaning his mate Friday afternoon.
Look for Schneiderlin to keep the young Belgian in his sights Sunday.
Anthony Martial vs. Pablo Zabaleta
United's last two matches saw van Gaal opt for the resolute Wayne Rooney up top and Frenchman Anthony Martial on the left. The Dutchman would be daft to leave either out of the side Sunday.
Pace versus leisure, and youth versus experience, will be on display at Old Trafford as Martial and an occasional overlapping run from full-back Marcos Rojo will be of worry for Pablo Zabaleta.
If the Man City ace can again find the form that made him the Premier League's best full-back two season ago, he may prove a potent match for the versatile Martial.
Vincent Kompany vs. Manuel Pellegrini
With both Sergio Aguero and David Silva sidelined for Sunday's match at Old Trafford, City are without their two most influential offensive threats, but at least they have their most important cog this season in captain Vincent Kompany.
In the five league matches the Belgian international started this year, City are 5-0-0, with 11 goals scored and zero against. In the four matches he missed, Pellegrini's club is 2-0-2, with 13 goals scored and eight against.
Despite rumblings of a rift between team captain and manager - especially in light of Yaya Toure's attempt to hand the captain's armband to Kompany during a 5-1 thrashing of Bournemouth only to be waved away by the gaffer - the Belgian is vital to the success of the table-topping side.
Related: Vincent Kompany risks the ire of gaffer Manuel Pellegrini by playing for Belgium
Much of the 70-time capped Belgian's fractured standing with Pellegrini can be attributed to Marc Wilmots' insistence to use the oft-injured centre-back during the tail end of the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
"If you cannot play for your club, you cannot play for your national squad. We will see what Vincent will do," the Chilean boss said before Belgium's practically inconsequential match against Israel that Kompany played in despite his recurring calf issue.
If Kompany's fit to play Sunday after appearing in a midweek victory over Sevilla - albeit for four minutes as a sub - it'll be up to the manager to decide between a less-experienced pairing of Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi or if the skipper will feature alongside one of the two.