Elliot Anderson and Rayan Cherki are the two City players most likely to get a earful at Old Trafford on Sunday. One turned United down. The other said he wanted to 'kill' them.

Manchester City travel to Old Trafford for the Manchester derby on the back of four consecutive wins, with their most recent outing — a commanding victory over FC Porto — standing as their finest performance of the season so far. Enzo Maresca's side head across town in formidable form.

Anderson arrives at the home of the club he rejected. The England international chose City over United in the summer, with City winning the race for his signature from Nottingham Forest. United legend Ryan Giggs even went public with his attempt to steer Anderson towards Old Trafford. It didn't work. Anderson had his heart set on the Etihad.

He made no secret of his enthusiasm for the fixture. "It's one of the biggest derbies in the world and for as long as I've known Manchester, City have been the kings of Manchester," he said. "It'll be a great fixture, and I can't wait to be involved in something like that."

That is the sort of line that tends to circulate in the away end. It will circulate rather less warmly in the home sections. Anderson has never played in a Manchester derby, so Sunday will be a first. The reception waiting for him is unlikely to be a gentle introduction.

Cherki has been here before. His first derby at Old Trafford ended in a 2-0 defeat for City last season. The Frenchman has since become a key figure under Maresca and could be the match-defining player this time around. He also arrives with a certain reputation among the United support, having stated his intention to 'kill' City's arch-rivals after signing from Lyon last summer. That quote has not been forgotten.

Both players will be expected to handle whatever comes their way. City's form suggests they can. Four wins on the spin, a statement performance in Europe, and a squad with enough quality to silence a hostile crowd. Old Trafford has not been a happy hunting ground of late, but this City side looks built for exactly this kind of occasion.

Kick-off is on Sunday. The reception will be loud. Whether it rattles City's summer arrivals remains to be seen.