Manchester United v Manchester City

TEAM NEWS

Manchester United manager David Moyes would not confirm the fitness status of defenders Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand and Chris Smalling.

However, United are definitely without captain Nemanja Vidic, who completes a two-match suspension.
City boss Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed Matija Nastasic and Sergio Aguero remain absent with knee and hamstring injuries respectively.
Skipper Vincent Kompany returns after his one-match ban.

MATCH PREVIEW

Manchester United's recent return to form, courtesy of back-to-back victories against Olympiakos and West Ham United, will be tested by the visit of neighbours and rivals Manchester City.

"City will go for it. United can be got at defensively and they don't like playing against pace. Liverpool caused them all sorts of problems and the man in the hole, Raheem Sterling, United couldn't deal with him. City can play David Silva in that position who is a much better player than Sterling.
"I don't think it will be another 6-1 like a few years ago but City can really hurt United.
"If United play like they did against Liverpool they have no chance."

United's brace of victories on the back of a 3-0 thrashing by Liverpool in their last home league fixture has lifted the mood around Old Trafford, but with just one win against the top nine teams in the Premier League plus a 4-1 defeat by City in September's corresponding game, manager David Moyes has admitted his side cannot afford to let standards slip.

"We we want to try and perform better in the bigger games than what we have done," Moyes said. "It will be important for us to show the level of what we have got.
"We will do everything we can to win. We go out to win every game, not just the derby game. Obviously it means a lot more to the supporters and the city if you win a derby game."
Ominously for United, City are unbeaten in their last eight away matches and have won six of them, while a 5-0 home victory against Fulham sent them third in the table with a third consecutive victory.
Form, both in derby matches and overall, points to a City success, but City boss Manuel Pellegrini rejects the idea his side are expected to take all three points.
"I don't think we are favourites in any game," he said.
"We are in a good moment but we are playing against a big team in their own stadium, so I don't think we are the favourites.
"Of course we always expect to go and win every game but, I repeat, just because Manchester United have had a difficult season it does not mean we are going to win. We have to go there and play a very good game."

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Manchester City have won four of the last five meetings with Manchester United, including a 4-1 win at the Etihad Stadium in September.
• City have also won on their last two visits to Old Trafford.
• United have the better overall record, winning 59 encounters to City's 41 in the league.

Manchester United

• The Red Devils are without a win in their last two home Premier League games.
• In matches against the current top six at home this season, United have won just once - against Arsenal. (D1 v Chelsea, L2 v Liverpool, L1 v Tottenham and L1 v Everton).
• Wayne Rooney has scored five goals in his last five games in all competitions against City.
• Manchester United have lost as many Premier League home games this season (five) as in the previous three put together.
• Danny Welbeck has scored in his last three home league starts.
• David Moyes has won 13 of 25 matches against Manchester City as manager (12 with Everton, 1 with Preston).

Manchester City

• Manuel Pellegrini's side have not conceded a Premier League goal in 418 minutes. The last was from Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic in a 1-0 defeat on 3 February.
• Yaya Toure has scored with nine of his 11 dead ball efforts this season (five penalties, four direct free-kicks).
• City have the joint best away record in the top flight over the last five matches, along with Liverpool (W4 D1).