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Amorim, now 40, has faced a rocky beginning to the season, though his side managed to scrape a narrow 3-2 win over Burnley just before the international break.
The Portuguese manager will be hoping that result serves as a turning point for his United team, who have looked off the pace in matches against Arsenal, Fulham, and for much of the Burnley clash.
With only one win from their opening three Premier League fixtures of the 2025/26 season, United have had two weeks to prepare for the first Manchester derby of the campaign.
Amorim’s men will be keen to join Brighton and Tottenham as the only teams to have defeated Manchester City so far.
The timing of the international break proved beneficial for the Red Devils, allowing injured players time to recover and others to regain peak fitness. One player who could be in line to start at the Etihad is Noussair Mazraoui.
Under both Erik ten Hag and Amorim, the Moroccan full-back has been a reliable presence in the squad. He made 57 appearances across all competitions last season before sustaining an injury in the final match against Aston Villa.
Mazraoui returned to action in last month’s win over Burnley and appears ready to reclaim his spot in the starting lineup. In a recent interview with The National, the 27-year-old reflected on his first season in England and the demanding nature of Premier League football.
He said: “On a personal level, my fitness and the amount of games I played, I can look back to a good season. In fitness, the Premier League is always different than the other competitions. No winter break, obviously. The games were following up really fast.
“You hope to stay fit and play as much as possible. That hadn’t always been the case for me.
“The Premier League is a bigger demand than other competitions, so you must take even more of your body. I had a switch in my mindset – be fit and ready and I think that helped me play so many games.”
United head into the derby with injury concerns over Cunha and Mount. Both limped off during the Burnley game, leaving Amorim uncertain about their availability.
After the match, the United boss said: “It was hard to lose a player like Cunha and Mason Mount – Mount played like 30 minutes with an injury. I don’t know [if they are long-term injuries], I don’t know, but I’m concerned about that. They are so important for us, so we’ll see.”
There’s a glimmer of good news for United fans—Lisandro Martínez is edging nearer to a return. The 27-year-old Argentine centre-back, sidelined since February due to an ACL injury, has resumed training on the Carrington grounds.
Still, his full comeback to the senior squad remains some way off. Amorim hasn’t had the chance to field the former Ajax star in Premier League action since the 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on February 2nd.
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