The biggest match of the Premier League season so far takes place on Sunday when Manchester United host local rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford in a derby which could be make-or-break as far as the title is concerned.
United go into the game trailing City by eight points, and should Pep Guardiola's side rack up a record-equalling 14th consecutive Premier League win then the gap could be close to unassailable.
However, City's form has shown signs of slowing in recent weeks and their 20-match winning streak across all competitions came to an end in midweek, so United will fancy their chances of denting the hopes of their 'noisy neighbours'.
Here, Sports Mole has selected the strongest combined XI from both squads in a 4-2-3-1 formation, using only players available for this weekend.
GK: David de Gea
© SilverHub
If there were any doubters as to David de Gea's status as a truly world-class goalkeeper, last weekend's performance against Arsenal would have surely won them over with the Spaniard putting in a memorable individual display to keep the Gunners at bay.
De Gea made a record-equalling 14 saves during the match at the Emirates Stadium, including a remarkable double-stop to deny Alexandre Lacazette and then Alexis Sanchez from point-blank range.
Competition for a place in this side arrives from Ederson, who has made a very good start to life at Man City, but De Gea can claim to be arguably the best goalkeeper in the world at the moment and is a fairly easy selection between the sticks.
RB: Kyle Walker
© Offside
One of the most difficult positions to decide upon, with Antonio Valencia and Kyle Walker both able to put up strong claims for a place in this side.
Walker gets the nod as the more specialist full-back, though, with the England international having quickly established himself as a fixture of Guardiola's starting lineups since his summer arrival from Tottenham Hotspur.
Both Walker and Valencia need no second invitation to get forward and, while Valencia has chipped in with two goals so far this season, Walker's five assists across all competitions - four of which have come in the Premier League - give him the slightest edge in an attacking sense.
CB: Vincent Kompany
© SilverHub
Centre-back is a difficult position in this team, with both clubs missing key players in that area of the field. City are without John Stones, whereas United have been missing Eric Bailly and Phil Jones for some time now, although the latter is in contention to return this weekend.
Kompany has spent plenty of time on that injury list too, but he is back fit again and, having been rested last weekend when he was a yellow card away from suspension, the City skipper is expected to return for the short trip to Old Trafford.
Kompany scored one of the most famous and important derby goals in recent years with his towering header in the 2011-12 title-winning campaign, and he will relish the chance of coming up against his compatriot Romelu Lukaku this weekend.
CB: Nicolas Otamendi
© Offside
The question mark over Jones's fitness is enough for Otamendi to get the second centre-back spot in this team, although that might be different if both teams were at full strength.
The Argentine has been regularly questioned since joining City, but this season he has been in fine form to contribute to the second-best defensive record in the division, averaging more interceptions than any other player in Guardiola's squad.
Otamendi has also weighed in with three league goals at the other end of the field, including the equaliser in last weekend's narrow victory over West Ham United.
LB: Ashley Young
© SilverHub
For all the strength in depth both squads possess, the left-back slot in this team comes down to a battle between Ashley Young and Fabian Delph.
Both have excelled in the role this season, but neither is a recognised full-back and their continued selection in that position is only down to a lack of other fit - or, in United's case, trusted - alternatives.
Young just gets the nod over his England international teammate by virtue of having scored two goals and created three more in all competitions this season, whereas Delph has directly contributed to only two goals this term.
CM: Nemanja Matic
© Offside
The signing of Nemanja Matic during the summer looks like being all the more important as each week passes for United, with the Serbia international giving Jose Mourinho's side some much-needed balance and defensive discipline in the middle of the park.
With the likes of Paul Pogba, Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick missing various stages of the season so far - including potentially this weekend when Pogba is suspended and the latter two are both injury doubts - Matic has been an ever-present for the Red Devils in the Premier League.
Fernandinho performs a similar role for City and could lay a very strong claim to a place in this side too, but Matic narrowly beats the Brazilian to the holding midfield position.
CM: Kevin De Bruyne
© SilverHub
Pogba's suspension thankfully spares us the difficult decision of whether to leave him, Kevin De Bruyne or David Silva out of the side - or one of the other in-form attacking players selected in order to fit the France international in.
Even if both squads were at full strength, though, De Bruyne would earn a place in this team, having put in some majestic performances for City so far this season.
The Belgian has scored four goals and created a whopping eight more in the Premier League alone, while his assist tally for the entire season stands at 11 as he continues to thrive in a deeper playmaker role.
RW: Raheem Sterling
© Offside
Is there a more clutch player in the Premier League than Raheem Sterling? Certainly not this season, with the flying winger having won his side an additional seven points with goals in the 82nd minute or later during the current campaign - in addition to a further two points in the Champions League.
Indeed, Sterling went on a remarkable run of scoring a late winner in three consecutive matches recently, and his improvement under Guardiola has thrust him into the conversation of the league's top players now.
The 23-year-old has already registered a career-best 14 goals across all competitions this season, including nine in the Premier League to leave him behind only Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane in the top-scorers list.
CAM: David Silva
© SilverHub
It was David Silva, rather than Sterling, who came to City's rescue with a late winner against West Ham last weekend, scoring his second league goal of the season to earn his side a record-equalling 13th consecutive victory.
The Spaniard has been more of a creative force than a goalscorer during his time in England, though, and this season has been no different with only teammate De Bruyne able to match his tally of eight assists in the top flight.
United have no shortage of players capable of filling the number 10 role as well, including the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata, but none of them can quite match the creative talents of Silva.
LW: Leroy Sane
© SilverHub
Once again, United have plenty of candidates for this position - including the in-form Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford - but Leroy Sane has been one of City's most important players this season and works so well in tandem with his fellow attackers that it is impossible to leave him out of this team.
Still only 21, the Germany international has directly contributed to 12 goals from his 14 Premier League appearances this season, scoring six and creating six more for his teammates.
No player has contributed to more league goals for City this term, with Sane's performances so far enough to limit Bernardo Silva to only a bit-part role since his summer arrival.
CF: Sergio Aguero
© Offside
As you might expect from the league's two highest-scoring teams, the centre-forward position is fiercely contested in this combined XI, with Gabriel Jesus, Lukaku and fit-again Zlatan Ibrahimovic more than capable of leading the line to great effect.
Sergio Aguero is our choice to start up front, though, with the Argentine establishing himself as Guardiola's preferred choice ahead of Jesus in recent weeks and rewarding his manager with nine goals in the Premier League alone.
Across all competitions Aguero has found the back of the net 12 times, breaking City's all-time goalscoring record in the process, while he has also registered three Premier League assists this term.
No Data Analysis info
