The rivalry is heating up ahead of the first Premier League Manchester derby of the year on Saturday, when Man City make their short trip to Old Trafford for the early game.

The renewal of the rivalry between United’s new boss Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola, also in his first season at City, has ensured plenty of attention on the fixture.

But, never one to hide his light under a bushel, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has taken steps to remind people that he also intends to play a major part in the outcome of the derby match.

The Swedish striker posted a cryptic message on Instagram this morning.

A video showed him packing up some training gear and was captioned: “Welcome to Manchester! Here’s some training gear, you’re gonna need it. See you Saturday.”

The recipient was revealed at the end, as Ibra addressed the box to the new Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.

We await City’s response with interest.