BBC Radio 5 live

There is a show tonight on BBC Radio 5 live during the game about the Manchester derby.

Jason Mohammad and guests Charlie Adam and Danny Mills review how this season has panned out for United and City, with live updates from the game.

5 live will be discussing how many of tonight's starting XIs will be playing next year's Manchester derby.

You can listen and join in using the play button at the top of this page.

Martin Atkinson is today's referee. 

The previous three Manchester derbies he has overseen have involved 90th-minute United winners.

Tangentially, after being angry with Craig Pawson's officiating against Arsenal at the weekend, City midfielder Yaya Toure said: "Maybe on Thursday we are going to have a better referee or maybe play without a referee - I'd prefer that."

Stevie H: For all the talk of a must win game, it is really a must not lose game. Draw written all over this one. 

Rishav Dev Poudel: Rashford with his electric pace, Martial through the middle waiting for the ball, and he goes past Bravo Goal!!! Pep is RED. 

Ahmed Ashour: As a Gooner I hope sparks fly.

The last time these sides faced on a Thursday, United won 5-0.

Andrei Kanchelskis - who went on to play for City - scored a hat-trick, with Mark Hughes, a future City boss, and Eric Cantona also scoring.

Guy Mowbray
Match of the Day commentator

When City won the league in 2012, some predicted a strong shift to the blue side in Manchester's balance of power.

The following season - Sir Alex Ferguson's last - United hit back.

Then City were champions again and, given transitional times at Old Trafford, maybe ought to have gone clear of their rivals.

Now here we are near the end of another season, with only a point between them and the possibility of an essential Champions League place going to one or the other.

No wonder the hype around each meeting grows greater than the last.

In the country as a whole, London is where it's at right now, but with capital derbies being that bit more 'dilute' - this duel currently edges all others for me.

Which of these sides will challenge for the title next season and what do they need?

Shaun, Harrogate: Well both sides will spend in excess of £100m in the summer, so both will be closer to the title with City probably edging ahead. However, Chelsea will make some big signings and under Conte, they will take some stopping.

Craig Baxter: I believe next season Man Utd will be a lot better, and I believe they will fight to be champions again. As a Man U fan I will be more than happy if we win Europa League and finish either fourth or even fifth, it doesn't really matter which because we have done well. It's Jose first season at Utd so he's getting used to his players and maybe a few new signings for next season will really help. 

Moon: Fans and managers of both teams talking about big-name signings, for once could they develop a player, just one??

Image source, #bbcfootball

Reckon you can out-predict the one they call Lawro? Have a go at our Premier League Predictor.

BBC Radio Manchester

There are plenty of pre-match videos on the BBC Radio Manchester Facebook page., external

Here is former United striker Danny Webber saying: "It's huge considering it's neck and neck. There is everything to play for." 

Chris Waddle
Ex-Spurs and England winger for 5 live Sport

I don't think Claudio Bravo is good enough to help Manchester City win the league so I think Pep needs to bring in a new keeper in the summer - he concedes far too many goals. 

Vincent Kompany, if he stays fit will definitely be in the team but he has had a lot of injuries - how much more will they get out of him? 

Pablo Zabaleta - great career but I think he will move on and I think I would also let Nicolas Otamendi go so he needs three defenders. 

If he wants John Stones to perform to his best ability I think he needs Kompany in there to boss him around a bit.

I think the front four of Sergio Aguero, Leroy Sane, Kevin de Bruyne and Raheem Sterling are the only players who are guaranteed a start next season. 

Even Yaya Toure is not getting any younger. 

Then after that I think you can juggle around a bit. 

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Etihad Stadium

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's absence through serious injury and Wayne Rooney's exclusion means a complete change in attacking emphasis for Jose Mourinho's Manchester United.

Ibrahimovic and Rooney may offer experience but Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial offer the raw pace that could trouble any defence, a potential problem Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will be aware of.

Nothing to do with this game but want to see a keeper in the Bolivian league kick the ball 100 yards from his hands to score?

(Please note, if your answer to that question is no then we can never be friends)

One fan has created a slightly alternative pre-match poster...

Image source, Twitter

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

Whether or not they qualify for the Champions League is what will define Guardiola and Mourinho's first season at their new clubs.

No trophy for Guardiola is no big deal, but missing out on the top four would be abject failure with what he has got and where Manchester City want to be.

I don't see that happening, but it would be interesting to hear Guardiola's assessment after a year in England if that is the situation he finds himself in.

I would not say he has misjudged the Premier League, but I don't think he ever quite got a handle on the fact there is no such game as an easy game here - home or away.

Read Lawro's thoughts on the derby here.

BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola's first season in English football shows how his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini was under-estimated, says former City defender Martin Demichelis, now back at Malaga.

Guardiola appears set to finish a season without a trophy for the first time in his managerial career.

"As time goes on everyone will value the work that Manuel Pellegrini did.

"As a foreign coach in his first season in the Premier League to win the title, naturally made him an important reference," Demichelis, who also played under Pellegrini at River Plate and Malaga, told the World Football Show.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho, speaking to Sky Sports: "Our mentality now is to try to forget what is waiting for us in the future and concentrate on this game. 

"I don't deny that the Europa League is our main target but we have to forget about it. 

"Anthony Martial has not been playing many matches during the season for 90 minutes. Of course we want Martial and Marcus Rashford fresh to give us solutions."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola: "[Jose Mourinho and I] are neighbours. When we see each other we say 'hi'.

"I have been managing nine years and this is my first without a trophy. It had to happen and it happened.

"It will happen again if I manage a long time. But there are a lot of teams in Europe that won't win anything this season."

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho: "This is about the clubs, the teams, the positions at the end of the season. This is not about myself and Guardiola.

"I always feel that the season is very important for me, for the players, for the club.

"I would say it can be the first season of the next five or six or seven, who knows, but it can be the first season of better years."

Which of these sides will challenge for the title next season and what do they need?

Rob Alderman: Mourinho is just a Hazard, Willian, Pedro, Costa and Moses away from the title

William Darling: If Jose Mourinho gets half the signings we hear about in the rumours then the good times will be back at United

Jack Beardwell: I think Aguero will be pushed out in the summer and Gabriel will be the number one, also has Sterling done enough this season?

Chris Waddle
Ex-Spurs and England winger for 5 live Sport

Gabriel Jesus has made a quick recovery and he was in fine form before he got injured so that will be music to Manchester City fans' ears tonight. 

It's obviously going to be an interesting game - it's a derby with a lot at stake. 

In terms of the managers, we all know what Jose is like - he tries to cause a stir wherever he is - Guardiola just gets on with it in my opinion. 

This Manchester City side can beat anyone but Jose has set up a great counter attacking team.

Jesus, on the bench tonight, has not played since February because of a broken foot.

Image source, .

Three changes for Manchester City with Raheem Sterling, Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov in for Jesus Navas, Gael Clichy and the injured David Silva.

Manchester City: Bravo, Zabaleta, Kompany, Otamendi, Kolarov, Toure, Fernandinho, Sterling, De Bruyne, Sane, Aguero 

Image source, .

Four changes for Manchester United from the side that started the 2-0 league win at Burnley on Sunday.

Out go Ashley Young, Paul Pogba, who has a muscle injury, Jesse Lingard and Wayne Rooney.

In come Antonio Valencia, Michael Carrick, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and teenage striker Marcus Rashford.

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Blind, Bailly, Darmian, Carrick, Herrera, Fellaini, Mkhitaryan, Martial, Rashford. 

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Etihad Stadium

This is a crucial Manchester derby as the battle for places in the Premier League's top four intensifies in the closing weeks of the season.

Manchester United go into this meeting with Manchester City on the back of 23 unbeaten league games stretching back to October while Pep Guardiola's side must recover from the disappointment of the FA Cup semi-final defeat against Arsenal at Wembley.

Jose Mourinho may just feel his United team have the greater confidence and momentum - but City have the attacking threat to beat anyone when they get it right and the stakes are high here at Etihad Stadium,