Manchester United vs Manchester City... who is winning the battle of the academies as Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola turn to kids for cup clash?

Despite the risk of his worst-ever run of results as a coach, Pep Guardiola will put pragmatism ahead of personal pride when Manchester City take on rivals United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

Guardiola has already made it clear he will rotate his team and give youth an opportunity in the EFL Cup fourth-round tie at Old Trafford, even if it means a sixth match without victory.

United have similar problems with form, but manager Jose Mourinho is still expected to field a strong line-up as they seek to recover from Sunday’s humiliating 4-0 loss at Chelsea. Perhaps, however, we will see some youngsters on the bench.

Pep Guardiola is expected to play some of the younger players against Manchester United

Jose Mourinho is under pressure to bounce back after Sunday's 4-0 defeat at Chelsea

Ahead of the big derby match, Sportsmail compares the academies of the two clubs.

So who could make the squads at Old Trafford?

City could line up with the 19-year-old Spaniard Pablo Maffeo at right-back. He has been in the club’s academy since 2013, after signing from Espanyol, and made his first-team debut against Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League play-off back in August.

Spanish right back Pablo Maffeo (left) could be in line to start for Manchester City 

Midfielder Aleix Garcia is another player who could start for Guardiola's side 

And another Spain Under-19 international, Aleix Garcia, could feature in midfield. Promoted from City’s Elite Development Squad, Garcia has enjoyed an excellent season, making his Premier League bow in the 4-0 win over Bournemouth and scoring his first goal in a win over Swansea in the last round of the EFL Cup.

Among those who could also feature are 19-year-old centre-half Tosin Adarabioyo, left-back Angelino, also 19, who started in the last round at Swansea, and of course the free-scoring academy graduate Kelechi Iheanacho.

The 19-year-old centre-half Tosin Adarabioyo could also be in line to start at Old Trafford

For United, Mourinho may well name 18-year-old Timothy Fosu-Mensah among the substitutes. After signing from Ajax in 2014, he has made a number of appearances for United’s first team after Louis van Gaal promoted him last season and signed a new contract until 2020 just last week.

Someone awaiting their debut is 18-year-old centre-back Axel Tuanzebe, who was named on the bench for two Premier League matches last season and was handed the first-team squad No 38 this campaign.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah played against Northampton and could be on the bench against City

Axel Tuanzebe is yet to make his debut for Manchester United and could be a substitute 

Academy pedigree

United’s academy is world-renowned, not only for the number of honours won at youth level down the decades, but for the stellar cast of excellent players that have been nurtured and brought through.

Its roots can be traced back to the 1930s, but it was under legendary manager Sir Matt Busby that home-grown players such as Bobby Charlton, George Best and Duncan Edwards formed the backbone of successful teams both at home and abroad.

Further success followed under Alex Ferguson’s guidance in the early 1990s, with the famous Class of 92 giving us the likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers Gary and Phil, while Ryan Giggs had already broken through.

The Class of 92 of (from 2nd left) Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, David Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes and Terry Cooke all came through the Manchester United academy 

Indeed, United’s policy of promoting youth players and trusting them with the responsibility of playing first-team football is so successful that there has been a youth player in the United squad for every game since October 1937. That’s an astonishing 3,817 consecutive first-team fixtures.

United’s academy runs teams from the Under-9 age group up to the Under 23s that plays in the Premier League 2.

They have won the FA Youth Cup 10 times, including the first five editions of the tournament between 1953 and 1957, and have lifted the Manchester Senior Cup 27 times.

City have fielded a youth team since the 1920s, typically competing in leagues in Lancashire and the North West.

Following the restructure of youth football in the late 1990s, City’s academy has produced 35 first-team players, including 15 who have won senior international caps. They include Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton, Glenn Whelan, Kasper Schmeichel and Daniel Sturridge.

Kasper Schmeichel (right) is one player who came through the Manchester City academy 

The added financial muscle since Sheik Mansour’s purchase of the club in 2008 has allowed this process to accelerate and City’s excellent facilities, scouting and burgeoning reputation have allowed them to attract some of the brightest talent from all over the world.

They have twice lifted the FA Youth Cup and have been runners-up to Chelsea in the past two seasons. They have won the Manchester Senior Cup 11 times.

Facilities

United’s academy is based at the club’s Aon Training Complex near the village of Carrington, to the west of Manchester and 10 miles from Old Trafford. The club relocated there from their traditional training base, The Cliff, in 2000 after 62 years of operation.

Including further expansion in 2012 and 2013, Carrington cost around £60million to construct and boasts 12 grass pitches, two synthetic pitches and a state-of-the-art medical and sports science facility that cost £25m.

Manchester United's academy train at the Aon Complex in Carrington 

The academy building itself incorporates a full-size AstroTurf pitch, a full-size outdoor pitch and 11 dressing rooms.

United Under 23s play at the 12,000-capacity Leigh Sports Village, while the youth sides sometimes play at Altrincham’s Moss Lane ground.

City unveiled their state-of-the-art £200m Etihad Campus training facility and academy in late 2014, claiming it was the best of its kind in the entire world.

Located adjacent to the Etihad Stadium, the Campus is the result of City studying 70 different training facilities around the world before settling on the lay-out from 19 different designs.

Meanwhile City's youngsters use the Etihad Campus as their base

There are 16 outdoor pitches, with two-thirds of the site dedicated to youth development. There are three gyms, a hydrotherapy area and modern medical facilities.

For matches involving the youth and women’s teams, there is a 7,000-capacity stadium on site.

The magnificent facilities underlined Sheik Mansour’s commitment to the long-term and youth development. Upon taking over in 2008, he said: ‘We are building a structure for the future, not just a team of all-stars.’

It remains to be seen how many break through.

Who is in charge?

United’s academy structure is overseen by former Old Trafford favourite Butt. The midfielder, one of the Class of 92, made 387 appearance for United between 1992 and 2004.

Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt oversees the academy

Former Blackburn winger Jason Wilcox is the U18 coach at Manchester City

Working alongside Butt is former Sheffield United coach Nick Cox, who joined as head of academy operations earlier in the year.

Mark Allen is City’s head of academy, while the former Blackburn and Leeds United winger Jason Wilcox is the club’s U18 coach.

Who’s next off the production line?

Composed centre-back Ro-Shaun Williams, 18, has already trained under the watchful eye of Mourinho this season, while Nigeria are working hard to get midfielder Tosin Kehinde, also 18, to commit to playing for them.

Over at City, there are high hopes for Javairo Dilrosun, the 18-year-old Dutch winger they signed from Ajax’s academy, while 17-year-old striker Lukas Nmecha has scored six goals in eight this season.