Both of these teams have started the 2016/17 campaign strongly, with United recording three wins from three against Bournemouth, Southampton and Hull City. The Red Devils have performed well in patches but still look like they have another gear or two to step into if needed, and it will be interesting to see the extent to which Mourinho alters his approach against a side who are also likely to be challenging for the Premier League title this term. New boys Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly have all made an impression down the spine of the team and could be important on Saturday, while Wayne Rooney will be looking for his 12th United goal against City.
Guardiola's charges have also obtained maximum points from their opening three matches, with Sunderland, Stoke City and West Ham United all defeated so far. Like their rivals, City have shown signs of their quality without yet performing at the maximum level they look capable of reaching, with Saturday's encounter a key test for the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss and his new side. David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne will be tasked with creating chances for their team-mates, while wide men Raheem Sterling and Nolito are capable of exploiting any space the hosts leave behind their full-backs.
United may be unable to call upon the services of Henrikh Mkhitaryan for this derby clash, although Luke Shaw and Marouane Fellaini should be passed fit in time to feature. Morgan Schneiderlin could come into the midfield if Mourinho opts for a slightly more defensive line-up - Juan Mata would probably be the man to drop out if that is the case - but Marcus Rashford is set to begin the match on the bench once more despite his late winner against Hull last time out.
City, meanwhile, will be without the suspended Sergio Aguero, who was handed a three-game ban for elbowing Winston Reid in the win over West Ham. Club captain Vincent Kompany and summer signings Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gundogan will also miss out, although Bacary Sagna could be involved after shaking off a hamstring injury.
Taking everything into account, it is probably worth backing a narrow Manchester United victory in the first Premier League clash of the weekend. The absence of Sergio Aguero will be keenly felt by Manchester City, who are likely to dominate possession but may lack the cutting edge that the Argentina international usually supplies. United will focus on keeping things tight at the back, denying City space in the final third and springing forward with speed on the counter-attack, a game plan which could pay dividends on this occasion. A 2-1 United win may indeed be the best choice this weekend, with Pogba - who will be tasked with breaking into the penalty area with driving runs forward from midfield - a good option for anytime goalscorer.
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