Manchester derby predictions: Man Utd "won't have a problem" as Man City "weaknesses" highlighted

Derby fever hits Manchester erstwhile again connected Sunday afternoon, arsenic for the 199th clip successful history, Manchester United and Manchester City play a competitory shot match.

The Red Devils invited the Sky Blues to Old Trafford successful gameweek 4 of the 2026-27 Premier League season, connected the backmost of winning conscionable 1 of their archetypal 3 top-flight fixtures of the play and painfully dropping 2 points successful a 2-2 gully with Everton past clip out.

In contrast, Enzo Maresca has made the cleanable commencement to beingness successful the Citizens hotseat - astatine slightest arsenic acold arsenic the Premier League and Champions League is acrophobic - and the visitors are connected the hunt for their 5th triumph connected the rotation successful each tournaments.

Ahead of Sunday's main event, the Sports Mole squad picks who they deliberation volition travel retired connected apical successful the Manchester derby.

Barney Corkhill, Editor - Man City

I americium wary of backing against Man United successful the Manchester derby, much than immoderate different game, due to the fact that it is precisely the benignant of fixture they tin abruptly crook up for, playing importantly supra the level they different amusement against little glamorous opposition.

There is of people the information of that happening again here, and adjacent much truthful with Pep Guardiola nary longer successful complaint of their noisy neighbours, but I inactive find it hard to look past Man City.

Man United's defence has looked incredibly leaky, and conceded 2 goals successful each of their games against Hull, Ipswich and Everton - 3 teams who whitethorn good beryllium among the lowest scorers this play - doesn't bode good going into a showdown with Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki et al.

I inactive don't deliberation this Man City volition deed the heights of Guardiola's, despite their cleanable start, but I bash deliberation that this peculiar crippled is simply a bully match-up for them.

Matt Law, Football Editor - Man United

Perhaps bosom implicit caput here, but I conscionable don’t deliberation Man United get bushed connected Sunday. Man City person had a beardown commencement to the play connected paper, but determination are surely weaknesses successful their broadside that Man United tin exploit.

Man United person been fantabulous going guardant this season, and if they tin find a mode to support the doorway unopen down the different end, I spot Carrick’s broadside shading this.

I’ve conscionable got a feeling for the Red Devils here.

Ben Knapton, Site Coordinator - Draw

Derby time has not ever gone according to the publication of late, arsenic Man City person won conscionable 1 of their past 4 Premier League games against Man United, whose fixtures this play person been thing if not entertaining.

Both clubs besides registered the astir shots connected people successful the archetypal 3 gameweeks - 19 apiece - truthful a high-scoring stalemate could precise good beryllium connected the cards.

Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter - Man City

While Manchester United volition beryllium buoyed by their midweek Champions League win, they look a overmuch tougher situation connected Sunday against a Manchester City broadside that has won each of their past 4 games nether caller manager Enzo Maresca, contempt not performing astatine their implicit best.

I expect goals astatine some ends arsenic neither defence has been watertight astatine the commencement of this season, but City's caller triumph implicit Porto successful a hostile ambiance serves arsenic the cleanable mentation for this intriguing showdown down force lines.

Man City person failed to triumph 3 of their past 4 visits to Old Trafford, but if Man United cannot support extremity instrumentality Erling Haaland quiescent up front, the Citizens should person what it takes to emergence to the occasion, assertion each 3 points and the bragging rights, 10 years connected from Pep Guardiola’s archetypal Manchester derby triumph.

Joel Lefevre, Reporter - Man United

While United person not looked nearly as sharp to statesman this play arsenic they did erstwhile Michael Carrick took charge, they won’t have a occupation getting up for this game. The Red Devils person kept a cleanable expanse successful their past 2 derbies astatine Old Trafford, and I judge they tin exposure the Sky Blues connected the counter. 

Both teams person been blistery and acold to this signifier of the campaign, but Man United should consciousness assured astir their caller location signifier against their arch-rivals, and that volition springiness them a intelligence borderline going into this fixture. 

Babatunde Kolawole, Reporter - Man United

I judge Manchester United volition triumph against City simply owed to their quality to exploit the spaces City permission erstwhile committing players forward.

United are apt to beryllium unsafe successful transition, with their gait and nonstop attacking options susceptible of causing problems down City's defence.

The derby ambiance could besides enactment successful United's favour, peculiarly if they commencement aggressively and unsettle the visitors early. City whitethorn predominate possession, but United bash not request the shot to make opportunities arsenic they proved past season.