It's Manchester derby day on Saturday which means that Manchester City fans are preparing for one of the worst days of the year.
If you're a City fan of a certain vintage then playing Manchester United is never enjoyable. If you say otherwise, you're lying.
However, that doesn't stop us from pretending we know as much about football as Pep Guardiola and deciding who should make the starting XI for the trip to Old Trafford.
Here at City Is Ours we're no different. So without further ado, here are our picks for who should try and give us a memorable afternoon.
Alex Brotherton
(4-3-3) Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko; Bernardo, Rodri, Gundogan; Jesus, De Bruyne, Foden.
Right, I admit that I've made a bit of a U-turn here. Earlier this week I was strongly of the opinion that Kevin De Bruyne should not make the starting XI against United. He is still clearly out of sorts after a summer wrecked by injury and Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva are playing much better in the number eight roles.
They should keep their places from Wednesday's win against Club Brugge, but I'd like to see De Bruyne deployed as the false nine.
This is less because I want to see De Bruyne give Harry Maguire nightmares, more that I want to see Phil Foden line up on the left wing. I love Jack Grealish to play but I think that after a slow-paced first half against Brugge, City need a more direct outlet on the left flank.
If United stick with their newly-adopted three-at-the-back system then I think that Foden would do more to exploit the space left by United's right wing-back.
Even though Joao Cancelo has been superb this season, I'd swap him out for Oleksandr Zinchenko in order to give the predominantly right-footed back four a bit of balance.
Ross Jackson
(4-3-3) Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo; Jesus, Foden, Grealish
I constantly tell myself never to try and predict a Guardiola starting XI and yet here we are again.
I'm amazed to see people debating whether Cancelo should start at left-back. The absence of Aymeric Laporte does mean that the Portuguese full-back's brief will be altered slightly, but I'm firmly of the belief that City should take the game to United and Cancelo can be the catalyst for such a ploy.
City's left side will be key on Saturday and following United's dismal last showing at Old Trafford when they were thrashed by Liverpool, the home crowd will no doubt be baying for their side to play on the front foot.
With that in mind, right wing-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka could find himself leaving acres of space behind him in his bid to play progressive football, and that's something City's left side can exploit. And that segues me nicely into my next selection point.
Grealish has been criticised of late for his tendency to slow down City's play, but he's produced some memorable performances against United in the past and I genuinely believe this could be the game where he truly announces himself as one of City's key men.
Foden as a false nine is a no-brainer in my eyes. United's defence look an absolute shambles and the little genius' movement and guile could give Maguire and co. an afternoon to forget.
Dom Farrell
(4-3-3) Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Cancelo; Gundogan, Rodri, Bernardo; Jesus, De Bruyne, Foden.
While I share Alex's concerns about the lack of balance in an all right-footed back four, Cancelo has to start after his three assists in midweek. The Portugal international can sometimes be defensively suspect but is a unique attacking weapon from deep. Given City have failed to score in the past three league derbies, they can't omit such a goal threat.
The midfield three really should pick itself. Since the start of last season, City have won 24 of the 26 games where Rodri, Gundogan and Bernardo have started in tandem. I would like to see Bernardo on the left of the midfield three, where he played so well at Leicester earlier this season, as opposed to his favoured birth on the right to help the balance of the team.
That can be further aided by Foden starting on the left-wing. He was absolutely dynamite there against Liverpool and will give Wan-Bissaka - generally United's best defender against City over recent encounters - plenty to think about. Despite his fine record against United that Ross mentions, I think this is one for Grealish to sit out.
I'm plumping for Kevin De Bruyne on the grounds of big-game pedigree. The Belgian superstar has not been at his brilliant best so far this season, but who popped up with the equaliser at Anfield? It would be understandable if Guardiola picked on form and left De Bruyne out but I think there is a stronger argument in favour of asking him to lead the victory charge.
City's Carabao Cup semi-final victories at Old Trafford in each of the past two seasons came without a fixed centre-forward. De Bruyne excelled as a false nine in the run to the Champions League final last year and, as good as the trio of Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Foden looked in the closing stages against Brugge, it feels like fielding Jesus as an orthodox number nine would give a shakey United defence something to hang onto - a problem they understand.
Jesus must start in the right-wing berth he has made his own this season, with him and Foden stretching United as Guardiola's battery of playmakers make their opponents' lives a misery. Then, if United are forced to chase the game, chuck on Sterling alongside Jesus and Foden to carve them apart. Sounds easy, doesn't it?
What would your derby day XI be? Follow City Is Ours team Dom Farrell, Alex Brotherton and Ross Jackson on Twitter and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
