Manchester United head into this weekend's derby clash with rivals City knowing that defeat simply is not an option.

Jose Mourinho's side sit eight points behind Pep Guardiola's men, who are currently riding a 13-match win streak in the Premier League.

United themselves are in fine form, having won their last four league outings including the 3-1 win at Arsenal last weekend.

Now they aim to inflict upon City their first league defeat of the campaign, while simultaneously closing the gap at the top of the table to five points.

The Special One renews his long-standing rivalry with Pep Guardiola....what sort of master plan will the United boss come up with.

He'll explain all about his build up to the fixture, offer the latest injury news and plenty more in his Friday afternoon press conference.

Keep up with everything as it happened right here...

We leave you here

Ok then folks.

For the full story from today’s press conference, head this way.

There will be plenty more on site throughout the day, more thoughts from Mourinho tonight at 10:30pm, and we’ll have all the action for you on Sunday, as United and City face off at Old Trafford.

Stick around and you won’t miss a trick.

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Mourinho speaks on young stars

Interesting comments from Jose to MUTV about Axel Tuanzebe and Scott McTominay’s progress.

“Sometimes I don’t play them all because I have respect for the older players, that are professionals.

“But in terms of their qualities they are ready to play so I played them on Tuesday.

“I played Scott against Benfica before we had qualified, I have faith in them.”

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File this under 'hmmm'

Not sure this is correct.

Not sure it’s even remotely true.

Maybe once upon a time.

Almost certainly not now.

Anyway....looking forward to when it gets heated at the weekend.

Key takeaways

OK then, here’s the key pointers from Jose’s press conference today:

  • Eric Bailly, Michael Carrick out
  • Nemanja Matic is injured, but will play
  • Zlatan, Phil Jones and Fellaini all fit
  • United have a game plan designed for victory
  • The title battle isn’t a two horse race
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That's all folks...

That’s all from Jose folks.

Key points coming.

To confirm...no Bailly nor Carrick

To confirm...

No Eric Bailly.

No Michael Carrick.

Nemanja Matic will continue to play through pain.

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Special for the people, three points for Jose

“I hope before the game you have a city full of colour, red and blue, and after the game, the same.

“I live a little bit isolated from society, I don’t feel it so much, for me it’s about training ground, hotel, my day off after the CSKA game I went home, so I really don’t have that communication.

“But I don’t need that to know a derby is something special for the people.

“For us is three points but for the people born in the city and feeling the colours in that good positive rivalry is a special match.”

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Mourinho on a first derby since the Manchester terror attack in May

Sunday’s derby is the first meeting between the two clubs since the Manchester Arena terror attack in May that killed 23 people, with United and City coming together in the wake of the tragedy to pay tribute to the victims.

Mourinho said: “These are the beautiful things that football can do, we could fill in that period that the clubs were ready to work together for the city, that’s no doubt, it would be really sad if that was not the case.

“Now this is a football match, an important football match where I wish everything goes well in relation to the fans.

“If taken in the right way the derby’s a beautiful thing, same city, different colours, friends support different colours, even under the same roof some families disagree on the passion of the colours, if taken in the right thing is a beautiful thing.”

The title race

It’ll be an 11 point, 8 point or 5 point lead for City come Sunday night.

So are United and City the only contenders?

Not according to Jose.

No. I think we can but I think other teams can be champions.

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Height advantage?

Much is being made of a supposed United height advantage this weekend.

Asked about it, Mourinho bit back:

“I think it will be easy for [Vincent] Kompany to compete against [Juan] Mata in the air.”

So...a start for Mata then?

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Mourinho on the derby

What does the derby mean to Mourinho?

To me it means one more big match against one of the best teams in the country, the first against the second, a big match.

We are a better team than last year, no doubts about it, but I think City are also a better team than last season.”

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Jose's game plan

United host City on Sunday, hoping to cut their eight-point lead at the top of the table to reignite the Premier League title race.

Mourinho, who will be without suspended £89million midfielder Paul Pogba, admitted he has a game-plan to try to inflict a first Premier League defeat on City this season.

But he’s giving nothing away...

“Football is unpredictable, you can try you can try, me as a manager I can try to define a game-plan, to work in a direction, but football is unpredictable.

“We don’t know what can happen, there are so many things that are out of control that can totally transform the direction of the game, so I wouldn’t risk saying what game we are going to have.”

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Injury news

JOSE MOURINHO has confirmed Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Phil Jones are for Sunday’s Manchester derby - with Marouane Fellaini also set to be ready.
As reported by Mirrorfootball yesterday, Mourinho was handed a pre-derby boost, with all three training this season without any problems.

“The players? Zlatan is available, Jones is available, Fellaini I have to wait until tomorrow.

“Michael Carrick is not available, Eric Bailly is not available.

“Nemanja Matic is injured but he plays.”

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Here's Jose...

Now then, here we go.

Jose Mourinho in the house.

Let’s roll....

Kanchelskis prefers Pep to Mou

Andrei Kanchelskis has savaged Jose Mourinho’s style, claiming Manchester City have replaced Manchester United as the great entertainers.

Kanchelskis is fondly remembered by United fans as the flying right winger in Sir Alex Ferguson’s fabled 1994 Double winners.

That side of Ryan Giggs, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane and Eric Cantona attacked with width and flair — qualities he sees now in slick City, rather than his beloved United under Mourinho.

“At the moment, yes, City are the entertainers,” said Kanchelskis. “They are a little bit better, a little bit higher.”

More here

Pep on Jose

Much of the build up to Sunday’s clash is, undoubtedly, going to be about the managers in the next 48 hours.

Their battles in Spain are the stuff of legend.

For Pep, it’s all because they have similar desires.

For everything on their rivalry...every game!...head this way

David Silva fit

News from the other camp.

David Silva has been a worry for Manchester City.

But Pep Guardiola says he’s fit to play at Old Trafford.

Rojo's ready

Marcos Rojo could be starting Sunday - the back three again?

Here’s what he’s told MUTV:

“I’m really looking forward to Sunday.

“It seemed like it was a long way in the distance when I was injured, but now it’s here and I’m ready and fit and raring to go.”

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De Gea's derby warning

David De Gea has fired a warning to rivals Manchester City ahead of Sunday’s derby.

Pep Guardiola’s side are eight points clear at the top of the table following a storming start to the season at the Etihad, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Manchester United can close the gap with victory at Old Trafford when the two sides face off at the weekend.

But, fresh from an incredible individual performance against Arsenal, de Gea has no fear ahead of facing the Premier League’s top scorers.

“Well, can City stop United as well, no?” he told Sky Sports’ Thierry Henry when asked if United could stop City.

“We play at home, with the fans, a special game of course, it’s a derby. We are confident, we feel really strong and we want to win.”

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Could Fosu-Mensah return in January?

Crystal Palace are reportedly considering sending Timothy Fosu-Mensah back to Manchester United in January.

The defender has been on loan at Selhurst Park since the summer and is due to stay until the end of the season.

But after making a brilliant start to the campaign under Frank De Boer when he was widely regarded as one of Palace’s best players, Fosu-Mensah has struggled for minutes since Roy Hodgson took over.

And the Guardian reports Palace want another Premier League player on loan in the shape of Liverpool striker Danny Ings.

Sides in England’s top division are only allowed to name two domestic loanees in each matchday squad, and they already have Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek on the books as well as Fosu-Mensah.

Hodgson is said to be ready to sacrifice the United man to secure Ings as he plots a way to avoid relegation.

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Ferdinand on Mourinho's Luke Shaw frustration

Rio Ferdinand has a rather interesting theory on why Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is so frustrated with Luke Shaw.

The left-back promised the world when he was signed from Southampton for £30million all the way back in 2014.

But the 22-year-old’s career has apparently stalled, and he’s struggled for first team football under Mourinho.

Last season the Portuguese questioned Shaw’s fitness - a move that was criticised, but one that Ferdinand believes was to try and spur the player into action.

And the former Red Devils legend believes it is precisely Shaw’s lack of action in response to the comments that has created “frustration”.

“I think Mourinho was just prodding him at the beginning to see what reaction he would get,” Ferdinand told BT Sport.

“He wanted a positive reaction and he didn’t get that and I think then comes frustration from a manager’s perspective.

“Therein lies the problem, he’s looking for Shaw to give him that problem with Ashley Young playing so well.

“Who wants to take on the mantle as the best left-back at the club? Because Shaw shouldn’t be under any competition at the football club.”

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Afternoon all

Jose Mourinho has received a hat-trick of good news on injuries ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby showdown.

Man United trio Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marouane Fellaini and Phil Jones are all set to be fit for the second-vs-first visit of Premier League leaders City to Old Trafford.

Mourinho feared the weekend’s huge encounter would come too soon for all three men, but they have come through training unscathed this week and are pushing for a place in his matchday squad.

He’ll be here soon to address the press, when he will have plenty to say not just on injuries, but a whole heap of other issues.

Manchester City were beaten in midweek...is this a good time to be going toe-to-toe?

And without Paul Pogba, what plan of action will Mourinho take?

Keep up with everything, from 1:30pm onwards, right here...

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