Manchester City have dominated a combined XI of the best Manchester United and Manchester City players from the 2025-26 season so far, compiled by data provider SofaScore ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby, taking nine of the eleven places.
City have made a flying start to the new season with dominant victories over Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Coventry, while United have managed just four points from three games under Michael Carrick. The last meeting between the two sides ended 2-0 to United at Old Trafford, goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu sealing what proved to be Pep Guardiola's final Manchester derby in charge and Carrick's first as interim manager. Enzo Maresca now leads City, with Carrick installed as United's permanent head coach.
SofaScore set its combined XI out in a 4-3-2-1 formation.
City's all-blue defence
Gianluigi Donnarumma starts in goal after signing for City on transfer deadline day in 2025 for £26million from Paris Saint-Germain, where he helped the French club win their first Champions League in 2024-25. He kept the second most clean sheets in the Premier League last season with 15, behind only Arsenal's David Raya, and his average rating puts him ahead of United's Senne Lammens, who has already conceded six goals this season. Donnarumma, who kept a clean sheet in last year's derby at the Etihad Stadium, rates 7.70.
Abdukodir Khusanov, who joined from Lens in January 2025 as the first Uzbekistan international to sign for a Premier League club, takes right back with a rating of 7.73. The 22-year-old recorded a top speed of 36.5km/h at the World Cup and ranks fifth in the league this season for successful short passes with 239.
City captain Ruben Dias (7.63) and £20million signing Marc Guehi (7.80) complete the central defence. Dias has started every game this season and made two PFA Premier League team of the season squads since arriving in 2020-21. Guehi, who joined from Crystal Palace, won 194 duels last season and has even been deployed in midfield by Maresca this term.
Josko Gvardiol takes the left back berth with a rating of 7.17 after scoring and assisting in his three appearances so far. The Croatia international recorded 104 touches inside the opposition box last season and has 16 goal involvements in 86 Premier League appearances for City.
Midfield split between the rivals
Kobbie Mainoo is the first United player named, earning a 7.37 rating after struggling under previous manager Ruben Amorim before flourishing since Carrick's arrival. He has already registered an assist this season.
He is joined by Elliot Anderson, rated 7.70, who moved to City for a club-record £116million fee after a breakout season at Nottingham Forest in which he racked up eight goal involvements without missing a game. Anderson and Mainoo are Newcastle United academy graduates and England international team-mates, and will face each other on opposite sides on Sunday.
Enzo Fernandez completes the midfield with a 7.30 rating despite playing just one game for City this season. The Argentine joined from Chelsea for £125million, becoming the first footballer to be involved in two separate £100million-plus transfers, as part of Maresca's rebuild following the departures of Rodri and Bernardo Silva.
Attack led by Cherki and Fernandes
Rayan Cherki takes one of the two attacking midfield slots with a 7.73 rating after an explosive start to the season. He came off the bench to set up two goals in City's 2-1 comeback win over Bournemouth, then scored twice at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace.
Bruno Fernandes, United's captain and reigning PFA Player of the Year, earns the other spot with a 7.80 rating after scoring a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over Ipswich Town. Fernandes has four goal involvements in three games this season, having assisted 21 times in the Premier League last term and scored five free-kicks.
Erling Haaland leads the line with the highest rating in the combined XI, 7.90, after scoring three goals in three appearances this season. The Norway striker has won three of the last four Premier League Golden Boots and has scored eight goals in Manchester derbies.
Manchester United host Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday.
