United are unbeaten in their last five league matches with City, but circumstances are awkward this time since injuries have severely affected their defence. That difficulty is particularly problematic since it follows their first Premier League defeat of the season, at Wolves. It remains to be seen whether City have the boldness to exploit the situation, although they have been more expansive in the last couple of games, a 2-2 draw at Birmingham and a 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion. Victory for United would leave Arsenal as their one plausible rival for the title. Kevin McCarra
Venue Old Trafford, Saturday 12.45pm
Tickets Sold out
Last season Man Utd 4 Man City 3
Referee Andre Marriner
This season's matches 18 Y63, R2, 3.61 cards per game
Odds Man Utd 4-5 Man City 4-1 Draw 11-4
Manchester United
Subs from Kuszczak, Lindegaard, Anderson, Carrick, O'Shea, Park, Brown, Fábio, Gibson, Obertan, Bébé, Hernández, Owen
Doubtful Fletcher (ankle), Hernández (jet lag)
Injured J Evans (ankle, 19 Feb), Ferdinand (calf, 26 Feb), Hargreaves (hamstring, 26 Feb), Valencia (broken leg, 19 Mar)
Suspended None
Form guide LWWWDW
Disciplinary record Y38 R1
Leading scorer Berbatov 19
Manchester City
Subs from Given, Richards, Jô, Vieira, Lescott, De Jong, Boyata, Dzeko, Wright-Phillips, M Johnson, Razak
Doubtful Boyata (hamstring), De Jong (ankle), M Johnson (match fitness)
Injured Balotelli (knee, 20 Feb), A Johnson (ankle, May)
Suspended None
Form guide WDLWDW
Disciplinary record Y52 R4
Leading scorer Tevez 18
Match pointers
• If this match finishes level it will be the 50th draw between these sides from a total of 143 league meetings
• United have not conceded a goal at home in the first half of a Premier League game since April 2010
• City have won only one of their last 26 league visits to Old Trafford
• United have picked up 37 points from a possible 39 at home, 10 more than the teams with the next best record
• Carlos Tevez has scored four goals in his last six appearances against United in all competitions
