Confirmed: United XI for the derby
Ralf Rangnick has confirmed who will start in his Manchester United XI to face Manchester City in Sunday's derby clash at the Etihad Stadium.
In total there are three changes for the Reds from the team which lined up against Watford last time out.
Captain Harry Maguire starts in an otherwise unchanged back four in place of Raphael Varane, with Victor Lindelof alongside him at centre-back and Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Alex Telles the full-backs.
Scott McTominay replaces Nemanja Matic to complete a midfield three with Fred and Paul Pogba.
In attack it is expected that Bruno Fernandes will lead the line centrally, supported by Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga in the wide areas.
Like Varane, Edinson Cavani, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luke Shaw are all absent from the matchday squad.
Ralf's pre-match interview
Rangnick explains key absences, his message to the players and what he expects from the derby...
Rangnick has confirmed that Varane and Shaw tested positive for COVID-19 in midweek, while Ronaldo has a hip problem which has kept him out of training.
The boss told MUTV: "We had two COVID cases in midweek with Rapha and with Luke. Cristiano had some problems with his hip flexor again, on Friday, and that’s why they’re not available. Two of them have COVID and the other two are injured."
He added: "We decided for the formation to be as compact as possble and still in transitional moments be able to create chances, that’s why I decided for that formation today."
For City, John Stones replaces Ruben Dias at the back from their last league outing, while Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish both start too.
United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire (c), Telles; Fred, McTominay, Pogba; Elanga, Fernandes, Sancho.
Subs: Henderson, Bailly, Jones, Dalot, Matic, Mata, Hannibal, Lingard, Rashford.
City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo; Rodrigo, De Bruyne (c), Bernardo, Mahrez, Grealish, Foden.
Subs: Carson, Sterling, Gundogan, Jesus, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Delap, Mbete, McAtee.