Pep Guardiola is planning changes as Manchester City clash with Manchester United in the EFL Cup - but expects his players to treat it as a final.
The City manager intends to rotate his squad for the fourth round tie at Old Trafford tonight, citing tiredness among some players and the need to give others a deserved opportunity.
But with City having failed to win any of their last five games - a sequence which equals the worst run of Guardiola's managerial career - the Catalan is aware of the importance of victory.
He said: "I think everyone can believe this competition is not the big one but I am going to prepare to win the game.
"For the players who play, we'll be depending on them to make the best performance possible. It is a final.
"I don't understand my job if I play a game thinking another game is more important - this is the most important.
"But at the same time I have to consider how the condition of the players is. Three days after it is West Brom, then Barcelona, and they are so important as well."
Because of the need for victory, Guardiola is set to field a side mainly of senior players. Promising youngsters Tosin Adarabioyo, Angelino, Pablo Maffeo and Aleix Garcia are all in contention but Guardiola seems unlikely to field too many of them.
He said: "Normally young players have to be involved when the team is in a good moment and we cannot forget the last five games we didn't win.
"To put three, four or five young players in at the same time is not good in that moment because you have to protect them."
One change will be enforced with Kevin De Bruyne out with an ankle injury and another that already seems decided is Willy Caballero for Claudio Bravo in goal.
United will also be looking for a morale-boosting victory after Sunday's 4-0 hammering by Chelsea in the Premier League.
It would therefore seem the perfect occasion for striker Marcus Rashford to score his dream goal. Rashford grabbed the winner in March's derby at the Etihad Stadium and would love to repeat the trick at Old Trafford.
Asked what his 'dream goal' would be, the 18-year-old told Inside United: "It would be a home goal against City, definitely.
"Scoring away was a massive moment as well for me, so I can only imagine what a home goal would be like."
United manager Jose Mourinho could also make changes in an attempt to freshen up his side after their Stamford Bridge woe.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has not featured since the derby loss in September, could come back into the reckoning while Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Morgan Schneiderlin, Michael Carrick and Memphis Depay might hope for a run-out. Captain Wayne Rooney remains a doubt with a muscle injury.
Source: PA
