Man United vs. Man City: Andy Cole discusses Michael Carrick's midfield dilemma for Manchester derby

By Matt Law | 09 Sep 2026 16:10, Last updated: 09 Sep 2026 16:14

Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole is expecting "clever buy" Youri Tielemans to beryllium a captious subordinate for the Red Devils successful Sunday's Manchester derby.

Man United volition beryllium aiming to instrumentality to winning ways successful the Premier League erstwhile they invited bitter rivals Manchester City to Old Trafford this weekend.

Speaking exclusively to Sports Mole, Cole has said that Tielemans volition beryllium captious to Man United's chances of occurrence successful their 4th Premier League lucifer of the season.

Carlos Baleba volition erstwhile again miss retired done injury, meaning that Red Devils caput manager Michael Carrick volition take 2 of Tielemans, Kobbie Mainoo and Andrey Santos to diagnostic successful the mediate of the midfield, with Bruno Fernandes successful the fig 10 spot.

Cole is assured that Carrick volition marque the close telephone this weekend, with the lucifer coming aft Thursday's Champions League league signifier opener against Sabah.

Carrick facing large midfield telephone for Manchester derby

"The champion 2 for the crippled are the 2 that the manager picks. It's arsenic elemental arsenic that. The manager's got a occupation to do," said Cole.

"He picks a respective squad for a respective game. Whatever Michael Carrick decides to do, that's going to beryllium the champion 2 players connected the afternoon, nevertheless helium sees it.

"Like I said, some teams person games successful Europe. You ne'er cognize what tin hap successful those games successful Europe. You ne'er cognize if anyone picks up immoderate injuries oregon whatever. So immoderate squad is picked connected Sunday, that's the champion squad I judge it's going to be.

"Well, helium likes Tielemans due to the fact that he's brought him in, and erstwhile you bargain players to marque the squad stronger, you're going to play them.

"I deliberation Tielemans is simply a truly bully player. Obviously, his clip astatine Leicester earlier Aston Villa, and present astatine Manchester United. He's a proven Premier League player.

"He captains his nationalist squad arsenic well. I deliberation with him, you cognize what you're going to get from him. He tin people goals, helium tin make goals. He's very, precise comfy connected the shot and helium ever looks to effort and walk forward. I similar him. I thought he's a existent clever buy, that one."

Tielemans-Mainoo concern could beryllium fixed the motion successful Manchester derby

A midfield concern of Santos and Tielemans recovered it hard successful Man United's archetypal lucifer of the 2026-27 Premier League run against Hull City, with the Tigers winning 2-0.

Against Ipswich Town and Everton, it was Tielemans and Mainoo successful the middle, and that is again expected to beryllium the lawsuit successful Sunday's Manchester derby.

Baleba was Man United's 3rd midfield signing of the summer, but the Cameroon planetary is presently sidelined owed to an ankle injury.

The erstwhile Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder volition decidedly miss Man United's adjacent 2 matches against Sabah and Man City, and helium is besides expected to beryllium absent against Brighton successful the EFL Cup connected September 16.

Baleba could perchance beryllium progressive against Fulham successful the Premier League connected September 10, oregon helium could helium held backmost until aft the planetary break, with Man United's archetypal crippled successful October coming against Tottenham Hotspur connected October 10.