Enzo Maresca will face the media today with one question dominating the agenda: are Jeremy Doku and Nico O'Reilly fit for Sunday's derby?
City head to Old Trafford on the back of four straight wins in all competitions, the most recent a 2-0 victory over FC Porto at the Estádio do Dragão on Tuesday night. Yet the squad that travelled to Portugal was missing two names, and their potential return would hand Maresca a timely selection dilemma.
The State Of Play
Doku hasn't featured since the 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the FA Community Shield in mid-August. A calf injury has kept him out of all four matches since, a three-week absence that explains the caution around his comeback. He has returned to training, but Maresca was careful not to overpromise when asked about the pair on Monday.
"Nico probably yes, Jeremy we're not sure yet, we need to wait. Jeremy got injured in the Community Shield. That's three weeks ago."
He added: "But he's back, I don't know if available for the weekend but slowly, slowly he's coming back."
O'Reilly's situation is more straightforward. A minor back injury sustained in the warm-up before City's 1-0 win over Frank Lampard's side has kept him out of the Coventry City and Porto matches, but the England international has already played twice this season and Maresca rates him the stronger bet for Old Trafford.
What It Means For Sunday
Should both be passed fit, O'Reilly is the likelier starter. Doku, after three weeks on the sidelines, would more plausibly occupy a place on the bench, with City expected to manage his return carefully rather than throw him straight back into a derby.
The pair are important players for the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders, and their availability would be a significant fillip for a squad that has started the campaign in convincing fashion. City entered the Porto match with only O'Reilly and Doku unavailable — a rare luxury in a season's opening weeks.
Confirmation should arrive later today, when Maresca sits down for his pre-game press conference. The fitness of the duo will be among the first items on the agenda, and no doubt the manager knows exactly how much their return would mean ahead of a trip to face Manchester United.