Stumbling champ faces daunting task against old enemy United

Scarred by a run of three games without victory, misfiring Premier League champion Manchester City will attempt to reassert its authority when it hosts derby rival Manchester United this weekend.

Having blown a two-goal lead to draw at CSKA Moscow in the Champions League, City fell six points behind league leader Chelsea after losing at West Ham United and was then knocked out of the League Cup by Newcastle United.

Wednesday's 2-0 loss at home to Newcastle came despite City manager Manuel Pellegrini fielding a strong team and goalkeeper Joe Hart has called on his teammates to raise their game against United on Sunday.

"Not everyone's exactly at their peak at the moment but we just need a few players, myself included, to step up," the England goalkeeper, who was rested against Newcastle, told Sky Sports News.

"It will come back. It's just one of those difficult patches that we've gone through many a time. Last season, we had less points and were in a worse position (at this stage of the season) and we won the league.

"We've got to look to things like that but the main thing is to get it right on Sunday."

David Silva is doubtful for City after going off against Newcastle with a knee injury but Yaya Toure is expected to feature despite being substituted in the second half as a precaution over a groin complaint.

Wayne Rooney, the leading scorer in Manchester derbies with 11 goals, has completed a three-match suspension and is set to return to the United attack despite reports he has sustained a foot injury.

A 94th-minute equalizer by Robin van Persie earned Louis van Gaal's United a morale-boosting 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea last weekend.

United lost 4-1 and 3-0 to City last season but victory at Etihad Stadium would take it to within a point of the champion.

Meanwhile, after edging fourth-tier Shrewsbury Town 2-1 in the League Cup in midweek, Chelsea will look to return to its winning ways in the league when it hosts west London rival Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

Chelsea has taken 23 points from a possible 27 to date this season but with QPR having recorded a timely 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa on Monday, centerback Gary Cahill said his side cannot afford to be complacent.

"We have a chance to get the right result and hopefully sit back and enjoy Sunday (the Manchester derby) but it's never easy. You have to prepare right, rest up and make sure we're ready," said the England defender.

"Last season we struggled at times against teams people thought we were going to beat. It's never as easy as that."

Second-place Southampton, four points below Chelsea, visits Hull City on Saturday, having won 3-2 at Stoke City in the League Cup on Wednesday.

Southampton has belied expectations after losing a glut of key players during the offseason and manager Ronald Koeman said he is not concerned about fatigue ahead of the trip to the KC Stadium.

"If you're a real football player, you'd like to play every three days," Koeman told a media conference on Thursday. "We need this schedule to develop ourselves."