Nico O’Reilly Fit for Manchester Derby as Jérémy Doku Misses Out
Nico O’Reilly is fit to return to Manchester City’s starting side for the derby at Old Trafford after recovering from a back problem, while Jérémy Doku remains unavailable with a calf injury.
What we know
- O’Reilly was sidelined after his back issue flared during the warm-up for the Coventry match. His availability gives Enzo Maresca another option on the left against Michael Carrick’s Manchester United.
- City arrive after a 5-1 Champions League win over Porto. United played Sabah in Europe on Thursday, but Maresca does not believe City’s extra recovery time will decide the game.
- Maresca said United will be prepared despite the shorter turnaround, adding that teams regularly have to adjust to different fixture schedules.
- The City boss called the Manchester derby a major occasion for both clubs and their supporters, but said Olympiakos against Panathinaikos was the fiercest rivalry he has experienced. He also referenced Juventus-Torino and Sevilla-Betis among the derbies in his career.
- Summer arrival Elliot Anderson, signed from Nottingham Forest for £116 million ($156m), will play his first Manchester derby after describing City as the “kings of Manchester”. Maresca said the midfielder’s view reflects City’s dominance during the past 15 years, while accepting the wider historical picture is different.
Next step: City focus on Old Trafford plan
Maresca wants City to concentrate on their pressing, their game plan and the route to victory rather than the derby noise. He said he enjoys matches of this scale, but stressed that City must stick to their usual approach before the result is settled.
