First plays second at Old Trafford, with the Blues leading the way by two points having won seven and drawn one of their eight games so far.

United will back themselves to win the title race, having secured a record 19th English crown last season, but City, strengthened beyond recognition by the cash of owner Sheikh Mansour, are genuine challengers to depose them and De Jong was in bullish mood after their midweek Champions League victory over Villarreal.

"We're going there as number one and the aim is to stay number one," he said.

"We feel we can do that but United will be confident as well, and they're playing at home, so it's a massive game for both of us.

"The pressure is still the same as it was last year but what has changed is that we are number one going into this derby.

"We just have to believe we can get those three points."

De Jong insists the club's FA Cup semi-final triumph over United last season removed any semblance of an inferiority complex at City.

"Everyone was talking about that game and we proved we can beat them," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"But we don't have any points to prove now. We are top of the league so we just have to be confident and play as well as we have been doing."

United drew first blood between the sides in the Community Shield at Wembley back in August, but this game is infinitely more important.

Chelsea, who sit third in the table, are also in derby action on Sunday as they travel to west London rivals QPR.

Andre Villas-Boas' team have won six of their eight games in the league to date and are just one point behind United, while they are also going well in the Champions League.

Winger Florent Malouda for one has welcomed the Portuguese's rotation policy and told the London Evening Standard: "It is really useful that he is rotating us, especially as there is a European Championships at the end of the season.

"As you can see with the intensity we play, we need fresh legs and it works. When you have this much quality, you can't play with just 15 or 16 players. You have to accept it and compete."

Newcastle are the only club outside of Manchester to be unbeaten in the top flight with four wins and four draws from their eight games good enough to put them in fourth.

They will be confident of maintaining that record when Wigan - who have lost five league games in a row - visit St James' Park on Saturday.

Fifth-placed Liverpool host Norwich in the Saturday evening match, having taken seven points from the last nine and with talismanic captain Steven Gerrard back in the side.

There is a key game at the bottom as Bolton, whose win at Wigan last weekend ended a wretched run of six consecutive defeats, aim to climb out of the relegation zone at the expense of Sunderland, who have won only one of their eight games to heap the pressure on manager Steve Bruce.

Aston Villa put an eight-match unbeaten home run in the league on the line against midlands rivals West Brom, while Wolves host Swansea in the Saturday lunchtime match aiming to halt a five-match losing streak.

Arsenal aim to leapfrog seventh-placed Stoke with a victory over the Potters at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, which would mean them securing back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since winning the corresponding fixture between the sides in February.

Bottom side Blackburn host sixth-placed Tottenham and Everton take on Fulham at Craven Cottage.