Manchester City vs Manchester United: 5 players to watch | Premier League 2021-22
Manchester City face Manchester United in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Liverpool are hot on the heels of the home side at the top of the table. They defeated West Ham United on Saturday to reduce the gap to just three points.
Manchester United, on the other hand, find themselves in a heated battle for fourth place in the standings. They are currently in fourth position but can be easily overtaken by Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
United face City this Sunday in the Manchester derby.
United have won in their last three trips to the Etihad 🧹 https://t.co/eJEIKWyFke
So, the stakes are high in this derby and both sides will only benefit from a win here. A draw would be good news for neutral fans and certainly an outcome both Pep Guardiola and Ralf Rangnick will be hoping to avoid.
Only one game in the last 12 encounters between the two sides has ended in a stalemate. So one side will likely earn the bragging rights with a win here.
Manchester City secured a 2-0 win at Old Trafford in November and Manchester United will be hoping to return the favor here. The stage is set for the two North West England rivals to clash in the Premier League on Sunday.
So let's take a look at the five players to watch out for in this game.
#5 John Stones | Manchester City
A surprise inclusion on our list, but John Stones will be a key player in the game. He will be targeted by Manchester United, having featured just nine times in the league this season.
He will have to fill in for the in-form Ruben Dias here, who is sidelined with a muscle injury for up to six weeks. Stones has been impressive in his limited starts this season. Manchester City have managed to keep a clean sheet in all of his seven starts this season.
He played the full 90 minutes against United in November. He put in a routine display, winning more aerial duels than any other player on the pitch (5).
#4 Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored just one goal across all competitions in 2022. However, he brings a lot to the table with his vast experience and sheer quality. He has three goals in the Premier League against the hosts and has scored once in the FA Cup and the Champions League apiece.
He boasts a solid record against Manchester City and has nine wins in 15 encounters across all competitions. He has two losses to his name and four games have ended in a draw.
🏽
Keep working 💪🏽 https://t.co/a9juDBFehE
He will be one of the many outstanding Portuguese players starting in the game. The 37-year-old nearly joined City in the summer and could haunt them in this game.
#3 Riyad Mahrez | Manchester City
Riyad Mahrez has been a great utility player for Manchester City over the years. Half of his 20 appearances in the Premier League this season have come from the bench. However, he has a decent attacking output with eight goals and four assists in these appearances.
Raheem Sterling is the top scorer in the league for City with 10 goals in the league. However, he is yet to break his goalscoring drought against Manchester United and might come up short here.
Mahrez has scored six goals and has two assists in his last seven games across all competitions. However, only two goals in that period have come in the Premier League.
#2 Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United
Manchester United have been heavily reliant on Bruno Fernandes for the last two years. The former Sporting midfielder has been highly consistent since joining the club.
He is the joint-top scorer for the club in the Premier League with Ronaldo with nine goals. He only behind Paul Pogba (8) in terms of assists, with six to his name so far.
BRUNO FERNANDES 
@EmiratesFACup)🎯 BRUNO FERNANDES 🎯
(🎥 @EmiratesFACup)
https://t.co/yt07mpDPHM
He has four goal involvements in his last four games for Manchester United across all competitions. He has scored twice and set up two goals for his teammates. He boasts a respectable record against Manchester City, with two wins and two losses in the five times he has started against the Cityzens.
He has just one goal to his name with that strike coming at Sunday's venue last season.
#1 Joao Cancelo | Manchester City
With both Manchester clubs brimming with attacking talent, it is difficult for players to stand out. But that's not a problem for City's high-flying full-back Joao Cancelo.
The Portuguese defender has been impressive throughout the season. He is the outfield player with the most minutes under his belt in the league for the hosts.
Joao Cancelo says Pep Guardiola is "the best manager in the world" 🌎 https://t.co/LGDf3RxeqN
He was the standout player when the two sides met earlier this season. He recorded more shots on target than any other player on the pitch (2) while also making more tackles than any other City player (4).
He picked up the assist for Bernardo Silva's goal in that 2-0 win and could provide a similar kind of attacking threat in this game.