Manchester City star absent from matchday squad against Manchester United | OneFootball

Matheus Nunes is missing from Manchester City’s 20-player squad to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon, it has been confirmed.

Nunes has established himself as Pep Guardiola’s preferred option at right-back this season, usurping the likes of Rico Lewis and Abdukodir Khusanov to establish himself as City’s first-choice option in the position.

The 27-year-old joined City from Wolves in 2023 in the backdrop of breakthrough campaigns as an attacking midfielder at the Molineux Stadium but has been restricted to full-back in the last 12 months under Guardiola.

City are in an embyronic period of their transition under director of football Hugo Viana, with the Blues vying for a fifth Premier League title in six seasons as they go head-to-head with Arsenal, who begin this matchday six points ahead of Guardiola’s side in first place.

Guardiola and co are yet to win in the Premier League in 2026, having drawn three consecutive times against Sunderland, Chelsea and Brighton, but recent cup wins over Exeter City and Newcastle United have helped regain momentum.

However, Manchester City can ill-afford many more slip-ups in the title race between now and the end of the season, starting on Saturday afternoon against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Following the official confirmation of lineups from Old Trafford, Matheus Nunes is missing from Manchester City’s 20-man matchday squad for the derby.

Ahead of Saturday’s 12:30 UK kick-off in Manchester, Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News has relayed Guardiola’s confirmation that Nunes has missed the trip across town as he is down with flu.

Guardiola told reporters, “He has flu. Yesterday he felt so bad. We had to readjust a little bit.”

Guardiola has made three changes to City’s starting XI from a 2-0 Carabao Cup semi-final opening leg triumph against Newcastle, with Rodri, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Rico Lewis coming in for Nico O’Reilly, James Trafford and Matheus Nunes respectively.

Arsenal face a tricky test away at Nottingham Forest later on Saturday but Mikel Arteta and co will likely be keeping a close eye on developments in Manchester, where City cannot afford more dropped points in the backdrop of recent draws.

The Blues have picked up form in the last week courtesy of back-to-back cup wins over Exeter City and Newcastle, with new signing Antoine Semenyo making a blistering start to life at the Etihad Stadium after joining for £64 million from Bournemouth last week.

Lewis has also been rewarded with a start in the derby after starring in the FA Cup against Exeter, with Guardiola’s men searching for their first Premier League win of the calendar year at the home of their bitter rivals.