Pep Guardiola views Sunday’s derby as the perfect opportunity for Manchester City to kickstart their season.
Successive defeats to Tottenham and Brighton prior to the international break left City with just three points from their opening three Premier League games.
Guardiola is confident a visit from Manchester United, with all the intensity and passion that evokes, can provide the spark they have been lacking.
The City manager said: “The players came back good and, for our fans, I know how important it is.
“It’s a really, really important game for us to change the dynamic and be in our mood.
“I trust a lot in the players and we’re going to do a good game.”
With nine of the players in Guardiola’s current squad having arrived since January – two other recent signings have been loaned out – City are a team in transition.
Three of the recent recruits in Omar Marmoush, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki will miss the Manchester derby through injury but their latest addition, Gianluigi Donnarumma, could come straight into the side.
The Italy goalkeeper, widely regarded as the best in his position in the world, joined City in a £26million move from Paris St Germain on deadline day.
Guardiola accepts it could take time for his new-look team to gel.
The Spaniard said: “I would love to have the players of eight years ago, seven years ago, six years ago, but it’s impossible.
“In any club there are always changes and, of course, when you change 10 players in a period of four or five months everything needs to be settled, fixed and coordinated.
“We are doing very, very good things but, still, we have to be more consistent than we have been.
“But step by step, we’ll do it.”
John Stones is doubtful with the muscular problem that forced him to miss England’s latest World Cup qualifiers but Phil Foden is in contention after an ankle injury.
