Manchester United host City derby with unimproved defense, rebuild deferred to next summer
September 11, 2026 at 01:57 PM · Updated 35d ago
Coverage
7 reports · 1 in Arabic, 6 in English · over 10 hours
ماريسكا يستعيد ورقة رابحة قبل ديربي مانشستر في قمة الدوري الإنجليزي
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City boss Enzo Maresca says spotlight not on him ahead of Manchester derby
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Kobbie Mainoo moves from outsider to main man after summer of hurt
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Luke Shaw to face late fitness test ahead of Manchester derby - Michael Carrick
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Man United vs. Man City combined XI: Two United players feature as Mbeumo, Dias miss out
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Have Man United made a mistake waiting until next summer to rebuild the defense?
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Maresca backs Anderson over ‘kings of Manchester’ dig before derby clash
(opens the publisher’s site)Manchester United host Manchester City on Sunday having conceded six goals in three Premier League games and deferred a defensive rebuild until next summer.
- United's starting back four in their last two league games was the same quartet that played in a 4-0 defeat at Brentford in August 2022.
- United spent £148m this summer, signing forwards and midfielders while declining defensive reinforcements, with Shaw and Maguire out of contract next summer.
- Michael Carrick said the short turnaround after Thursday's Champions League win over FK Sabah was "not ideal," with City having two extra days' preparation.
- Enzo Maresca backed Elliot Anderson's claim that City have been Manchester's dominant club, citing eight league titles in 14 years against United's one.
Latest developments
- Sep 11 — Kobbie Mainoo has reasserted himself as a key figure for United, having missed England's World Cup run, completing 201 of 211 passes in his last three games.