Manchester City v Manchester United: match preview Team News Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is available again for Monday's crunch Barclays Premier League derby against Manchester United. The Italian has served a three-match ban for his sending off at Arsenal earlier this month but it remains to be seen whether he will be recalled given the form of Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez. Defender Micah Richards is fit again after missing last week's win at Wolves with a hamstring strain. Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson must decide whether to make changes. Full-back Rafael would appear to be at the most risk of losing his place from the team that threw away a two-goal lead in the final seven minutes of last Sunday's encounter with Everton. Phil Jones and Chris Smalling could both step in, whilst Ferguson could opt to reinforce his midfield with either Ryan Giggs, Tom Cleverley or Park Ji-sung at the expense of a wide player or Danny Welbeck. Match Notes It was always going to come down to this, the television executives' ultimate fantasy of blue versus red in a game that will as good as settle the Premier League title race. If either team suffers a defeat, only their staunchest supporter would back them to retrieve the situation over the final two games to win the league. United travel to the Etihad three points clear, but with a decisively inferior goal difference. City, who know that a win will take them top and put them in control, have not scored at home against United in the league for nearly five years. That must change on Monday if they are to win the title. Betting: Home 6-5, Away 9-4, Draw 23-10. Mark Ogden's prediction: Manchester City 2 Manchester United 1. Tale of the Manchester tape Manager: Roberto Mancini Age: 47. Born: Ancona, italy. Premier League games: 94 Won 57 Drawn 18 Lost 19 Goals for 187 Against 78 Points per game 2.01 Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson Age: 70. Born: Glasgow, Scotland. Premier League games: 994 Won 595 Drawn 233 Lost 166 For 1,857 Against 886 Points per game 2.03 Manchester City Position: 2nd. Leading scorers: 22 Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli 13. Red cards: 5. Yellow cards: 48. Remaining games: May 6 v Newcastle (a), May 13 v QPR (h). Manchester United Position: 1st. Leading scorers: 26 Rooney, 10 Hernandez, 9 Welbeck. Red cards: 1. Yellow cards: 44. Remaining games: May 6 v Swansea (h), May 13 v Sunderland (a). Head to head at City Premier League games Played: 14. City: 4 wins, 2 draws, goals for 16, against 19. United: 8 wins, 2 draws, goals for 19, against 16. Stats of the game *City owe they renewed confidence to three straight wins, while scoring 13 goals in the process. In the same spell, United have taken four Points from a possible nine. United should be confident; they are unbeaten in their last three visits while City have failed to score a home goal against united in 329 minutes at the Etihad Stadium. There could be late goals; these teams share the record for the number of goals scored in the last 10 minutes, with 16 apiece. City are bidding to remain unbeaten at home for only the fourth time in their history and the first since the 1920-21 season. United have 83 points, three more than over the whole of last season. City have scored 87 goals, their highest total in the top division since the 1957-58 campaign when they scored exactly 100. If United win their remaining three games they will have 92 points, equal with their best return in the premier league, when they won the title in 1993-94.