David Moyes confident ahead of Manchester derby

David Moyes believes that, if Manchester United show the same level of creativity and desire at home to Manchester City on Tuesday as they have done in their past two matches, they can triumph against their local rivals and secure what would arguably be the club's most important win of a difficult season.

United head into the derby four places and 12 points behind Manuel Pellegrini's side but with good confidence following their Champions League victory over Olympiakos last Wednesday – which secured their place in the last eight of the competition – and Saturday's 2-0 win at West Ham United, when United put in probably their best domestic display under Moyes. The manager has got the reaction he was looking for after the humbling defeat by Liverpool at Old Trafford eight days ago, after which it appeared his future at the club was under threat for the first time since his arrival in the summer, and he has now called on his players to build on their encouraging form.

"We go in [to the derby] after a better showing and, if we play as well as we did at West Ham, then we'll make opportunities and, if we play with the same heartbeat we showed against Olympiakos, then we'll be very hard to play against and have a big spirit in the game," said Moyes. "Hopefully we're starting to pick up and play better. We're certainly going into our next game confident and ready to get a result."

United entertain City without their captain, Nemanja Vidic, who serves the final game of a two-match suspension, and top-scorer Robin van Persie, who may miss the rest of the campaign with a sprained knee sustained in the win against Olympiakos. But they face a side also missing one of their key men in Sergio Agüero, who has a hamstring injury, and buoyed by the weekend display at Upton Park, when the visitors played with a level of control, invention and purpose rarely if ever seen this season.

United have lost their last two games against City, the most recent a 4-1 drubbing at the Etihad Stadium last September. The champions' season has faltered on a consistent basis ever since and domestically at least there is little left for them to play for bar salvaging a Europa League place and stopping their nearest rivals winning a second Premier League title in three seasons. City head to Old Trafford in third, six points behind leaders Chelsea but with three games in hand.