Derby Day in Manchester is on the horizon as a United side in a state of flux aim to put a major dent in City’s Premier League title bid when their rivals cross town to visit Old Trafford.
Pencilled in for a lunchtime kick-off on Saturday 17th January, the outcome of the Manchester Derby could hinge on how the hosts adapt under new management following the sacking of Ruben Amorim.
City, meanwhile, must keep their foot down in their pursuit of leaders and title favourites Arsenal, with any points dropped between now and May potentially fatal.
As always, Tonybet will provide blanket coverage of the Manchester Derby, and to whet your appetite, we’ve previewed Manchester United vs Manchester City in detail below, with information on form and team news, followed by our expert predictions.
Current form
Labelled a ‘crisis club’ by some and a ‘circus’ by others, the 2025/26 campaign has been a familiar tale of frustration for United, who continued their post-Ferguson managerial churn last week with the sacking of underperforming Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim.
Amorim’s inflammatory quotes after United’s 1-1 draw with Leeds on 4th January seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, but in truth, he had been on borrowed time following a wholly dismal 14 months at the helm.
Under the instruction of stand-in caretaker Darren Fletcher, United dropped another two points against a newly promoted outfit when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Burnley at Turf Moor last time out.
With a more traditional 4-2-3-1 formation, United did post a season-high figure for shots in a single game (30) and also landed 10 attempts on target against the Clarets, however, and really should have capitalised on their dominance.
That was the club’s fourth stalemate in six Premier League assignments, and although United have now lost only twice in 15 league matches overall, they averaged just 1.66 points per game during the period, while very few of their performances along the way impressed.
At Old Trafford, United have recorded just one win in six attempts, scoring one or fewer goals on five separate occasions in the process. Their solitary triumph during that run came in wobbly fashion against Newcastle (1-0).
Neighbours City have had similar issues in the goal-scoring department in recent weeks. Their 1-1 draw at home to Brighton in their last Premier League skirmish was their third tie in succession following encounters with Chelsea (1-1) and Sunderland before that (0-0).
City’s overreliance on Erling Haaland has been laid bare during the team’s slump, with the Norwegian netting an uncharacteristically low one goal in his last four appearances combined.
Overall, though, City haven’t tasted defeat in the Premier League since being turned over by Newcastle at St. James’ Park back in November. They’ve pocketed 21 of the 27 points on offer since that 2-1 loss against the Magpies, so they can make the short hop across Manchester with plenty of confidence.
Team news
United welcomed Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount and captain Bruno Fernandes back to their matchday squad for their tussle with Burnley last week, boosting their selection options ahead of their stiffer challenge against Manchester City.
At the time of writing, Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo were still competing at AFCON. However, with the tournament’s final scheduled for 19th January, there is a chance that United could have some or all of their African stars back if their respective nations are eliminated.
For the moment, at least, United must plan without them. We don’t yet know who will be hatching United’s tactical strategy for the derby either.
What we can be relatively certain of, however, is that it will be one of Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Michael Carrick or Darren Fletcher. All three have shared footballing philosophies and favour back-four systems and wingers.
For City, there are massive issues in central defence, where John Stones, Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol are injured. Promising youngster Max Alleyne was recalled from loan at Watford to fill the void there and performed well against Brighton.
Rayan Aït-Nouri and Omar Marmoush are away at AFCON for the time being, while Mateo Kovačić remains a medium-term absentee in midfield.
Key anchorman Rodri was introduced as a second-half substitute against the Seagulls, and the Spaniard has a good chance of being thrust in from the start against United.
January acquisition Antoine Semenyo is likely to be involved, and his inclusion would add an extra layer of intrigue to proceedings after he turned down a move to United in favour of City earlier this month.
Head-to-head
Manchester City won the reverse fixture with United 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium back in September, thanks to goals from Derby Day specialists Erling Haaland (x2) and Phil Foden.
That pair have done some serious damage on Derby Days over the years, with Haaland and Foden scoring eight and seven career goals respectively for City against their Mancunian neighbours.
City’s victory in September was their first win in three attempts in the Manchester Derby. They did beat their rivals in the Community Shield on penalties at the start of the 2024/25 campaign before that, but lost unexpectedly in the 2024 edition of the FA Cup final a few months prior.
In last season’s corresponding fixture at Old Trafford, the teams played out a drab 0-0 draw that featured a combined xG of just 1.4 from the sides.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær had a decent record against Pep Guardiola during his first stint in the United dugout, winning four and drawing one of his nine meetings with the City boss. It will be interesting to see if the Norwegian can mastermind something positive again here, if, of course, he does take the reins for a second time.
Key players to watch
Bruno Fernandes – The catalyst for so much of their creativity, United’s captain continues to be a hugely influential presence in midfield. The 31-year-old has already chipped in with 13 goal contributions (5G, 8A) in the Premier League this season, and United will be looking to Bruno for inspiration again against City.
Ayden Heaven – The teenage centre-half has been growing in stature with every minute this season and is becoming a must-pick player at the heart of the United defence. The 19-year-old scored an own goal against Burnley last time out, so will be determined to put in a better shift in a tough assignment against City.
Matheus Cunha – Brazilian summer signing Cunha missed September’s Manchester Derby through injury, so this is his first chance to shine against United’s bitter rivals. The 26-year-old can be a threat, but tends to blow hot and cold. Cunha must also find a role that works best for him in a system with wingers.
Abdukodir Khusanov – In the midst of an injury crisis in defence, the 21-year-old Khusanov could be the most senior centre-back on show for City at Old Trafford. The aggressive Uzbekistan international will shoulder plenty of responsibility on Derby Day.
Erling Haaland – The Premier League’s Golden Boot favourite ended a short dry spell with a well-taken penalty against Brighton last week, and the Norwegian will be eager to start another goal-scoring run from open play with yet another goal in a Manchester Derby.
Phil Foden – Few players can match Foden’s exploits in Manchester derbies. The England star has looked more like himself this term and the local hero just loves scoring against United. Foden will be looking to add to his haul for the season of seven Premier League goals.
Our expert prediction
A glance at Tonybet’s match result markets for the Manchester Derby shows City priced as 1.82 favourites to collect three points, leaving United to take on the role of big-priced underdogs at 3.7, though it might be wiser to look towards goals for profit here.
United’s results continue to be lacklustre, though their improvements in attack this season are undeniable, as proven in the underlying metrics.
United rank first in the division for both shots (16.52) and shots on target (5.24) per 90, and second for second for expected goals (37.7). Indeed, only City have fared better in that regard.
Defensively, United remain in a difficult position, and have kept just two clean sheets in 21 league fixtures since the summer. That combination of sharp attacking and defensive lapses has been a recipe for excitement, however, with United’s league games averaging 3.23 goals this season.
Another high-scoring fixture looks possible, especially when City’s defensive injury crisis is thrown into the mix. As a result, the over 2.5 goals + BTTS combo appeals at 1.71.
Elsewhere, regular Manchester Derby talismans Erling Haaland (1.71) and Phil Foden (2.9) look like the best candidates in the anytime goalscorer stakes.
Visit Tonybet if you fancy a flutter in that direction or on any other market for the derby. There, you’ll find a wide choice of player specials, goal markets and bet builder options for United’s clash with rivals City.
