Final Manc derby day for City’s Sergio?

SERGIO AGUERO loves scoring in Manchester derbies – with nine goals in 16 games against City’s local rivals United.

Only the Reds’ Wayne Rooney, with 11, and City duo Franny Lee and Joe Hayes, have more derby goals than Aguero, who is on a par with United legend Sir Bobby Charlton.

If Aguero is to add to his derby tally tomorrow he will have to do so from the bench, with City’s all- time record goalscorer not fit enough to start having just returned from injury.

But the Argentina star has a bigger long- term goal ahead of him – proving to boss Pep Guardiola and the club’s hierarchy that he deserves a new Etihad deal.

Aguero’s current contract expires at the end of this season. But on Wednesday night he e proved his scoring instinct is as strong as ever, coming off the bench to plunder City’s second goal in a 3- 0 Champions League win over Marseille.

While Aguero’s goalscoring pedigree is undisputed, his injury record in recent months is a concern, which is why he must prove to City he can stay fit long enough to play on for another season at the level they demand.

Since undergoing knee surgery in June for an injury that ruled him out of last season’s run- in and the conclusion of the Champions League campaign, Aguero has made three starts and not lasted beyond 68 minutes.

So could tomorrow be Aguero’s last derby at Old Trafford? Or can he battle back to full fitness, reclaim his status as first- choice striker and prove himself worthy of a contract extension?

There is no rush on either side to make a decision, with both parties relaxed.

But the next five months will determine whether Aguero ( above) stays on for an 11th season or the curtain comes down on his glittering career with the Blues.

City are already planning for life after the 32- year- old, with a new frontman f set to be signed in the summer irrespective of whether he stays or goes.

But where do you start when you are looking to replace a player of Aguero’s calibre? As City team- mate Bernardo said: “He is one of the best players the club has ever had and a great goalscorer.”

Borussia Dortmund’s D Erling Haaland and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez are among City’s targets, while Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane is also seen as a viable option. City know they need a world- class striker to fill the void that will be left when Aguero eventually departs.

After all they need to replace the scorer of the most iconic goal in the club’s history, a goal which landed their first Premier League title at the expense of arch- rivals United with the last kick of the 2011- 12 season.

Until then, Aguero will be looking to build on his record

256 goal tally for City.

FOUR POSSIBLE AGUERO REPLACEMENTS

ERLING HAALAND: Europe’s most exciti ng young striker has been a revelati on since joining Borussia Dortmund for £ 40million at the start of t he year, scoring 33 goals in 32 games. Ci ty would comfortably be able to pay the £ 60m release cl ause for the 20- year- old.

KYLIAN MBAPPE: The Paris

Saint- Germain superstar and France World Cup winner is one of t he best pl ayers i n the world and still only 21. HARRY KANE: The England skipper, 27, who Spurs supposedly value at £ 200m, is seen as a realistic target at City, despite flourishing under Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho. LAUTARO MARTINEZ: Barcelona al s o have t heir sights set on the A rgentina forward, 23, who has 36 goals in 95 games for Inter Milan. A quick dribbler whose industry and work- rate would make him ideally suited to Ci ty ’s high- tempo game.