Title race, crossovers & goals - what to expect from Manchester derby

The Manchester clubs played each other four times last season - with United winning twice, City winning once and one draw

Manchester City v Manchester United

Venue: Etihad Stadium Date: Saturday, 15 November Kick-off: 13:30 GMT

Coverage: Watch live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer; commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds; live text commentary on BBC Sport website & app

Manchester is gearing up for another high-stakes derby in the Women's Super League.

Last season's four meetings across three domestic competitions tilted in Manchester United's favour, but City are revitalised under new head coach Andree Jeglertz and have a point to prove after a disappointing 2024-25.

Can United help knock City off their perch at the top of the table? Or will City land a lethal blow to United's title aspirations?

BBC Sport looks at some of the key storylines for this weekend's match.

Top spot at stake for City

It may be early in the season but - with a host of teams neck and neck at the top of the table - dropping points now could still prove crucial.

City leapfrogged Chelsea at the summit last weekend, narrowly beating Everton after the six-time defending champions drew 1-1 with Arsenal.

Asked about City's place at the top of the table, Jeglertz praised his team but said they are well aware there is still a large chunk of the season remaining.

"There is quite long [to go], but at the same time we show that when we are on the highest peak, we definitely are a very, very good football team," he said.

United, meanwhile, failed to capitalise on Chelsea's stalemate as Marc Skinner's side fell to their first defeat of the season - a 1-0 home loss to Aston Villa.

A second straight league defeat is likely to be extremely damaging to the Red Devils' title hopes, given it would mean they already trail City by seven points.

With their place at the top of the table at stake, City would do well to remember the lessons from last season.

They failed to win a single game against teams that finished above them, and rivals United took advantage to beat them to third - and claim the final Champions League spot by a point.

City-United crossover

Jess Park (left) had been at City since 2017 before moving to United in the summer

All eyes are likely to be on the two players who crossed the city's divide during the transfer window, with Grace Clinton moving from United to City, while Jess Park went the other way.

The England duo have had mixed fortunes at their new clubs. While Park has flourished, Clinton's start to life at City has been hampered by injury.

Park played in all but one of City's WSL games last season, but struggled to make a major impact.

But after eight matches for United she is already a key player for Skinner's side and has matched her goal involvements (six) from last season, with four goals and two assists.

Asked if Park's recent performances made him wish City still had a player like her, Jeglertz replied: "I'm not in a feeling or in a state where I think 'oh, we should have kept her'. No, that was not the case.

"I'm really happy for Jess Park. She needed a new environment, and she's in an environment now where she [can] show her best qualities."

Skinner responded to Jeglertz's comments by saying: "I'm actually buzzing he didn't want [to keep Park] because, for us, we have a little superstar."

Clinton, meanwhile, has made just two starts for City. She arrived carrying a slight niggle, and a minor injury that kept her out of October's England camp has slowed her progress.

But Jeglertz is positive the midfielder will get back to her best.

"The player that goes through injuries and a little bit of setbacks and so on, that makes them stronger," Jeglertz said.

"It will be the same for Grace when she, in a couple of months, has gone through this period of changing club and everything.

"She's going to be a much better football player and also be more resilient to setbacks because she has been there.

"She's a great player. She will be very important for the future."

Goals galore?

If the start of the season is anything to go by, there should be goals aplenty on Saturday as City and United are the top scoring sides in the league so far, with 20 and 19 goals respectively.

They also have the league's leading goalscorers in Khadija Shaw and Melvine Malard, who have both found the back of the net five times.

Jamaica striker Shaw has benefited from Jeglertz's direct approach to attacking and scored City's winner against Everton on Sunday.

Malard has already equalled her best WSL tally, while the France forward netted a stunning goal in United's Champions League win over Paris St-Germain at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

"Melvine is really at top of the game. So if I was a defender, I really wouldn't [want to] be playing against her right now," Skinner said on Friday.

"She's fluid, she's fluent, I've already spoken about her character and how it's very Manchester United."

From Old Trafford to Etihad Stadium

With domestic men's football breaking up for an international window, plenty of clubs are using their main stadiums for WSL matches this weekend.

City will be keen to build on the momentum of United's mid-week Champions League game, which saw 14,667 fans inside Old Trafford.

United have already sold out their travelling allocation of more than 3,000 tickets.

The last Manchester derby at the Etihad saw 22,497 fans watch on as Ella Toone starred in a thrilling 4-2 win for United.

On Thursday, WSL Football unveiled "world-first design guidelines" for updating existing stadiums - or building new ones - so they better cater for women, at a time when the women's game is growing.