Man United vs Man City: Prediction, Team News & Possible Lineups

Old Trafford hosts one of English football's biggest derbies on Sunday, as Manchester United welcome Manchester City for the 4:30pm kickoff in gameweek four.

When is Man United vs Man City?

Manchester United vs Manchester City in the Premier League takes place on Sunday, kicking off at 4:30pm WAT at Old Trafford.

How Man United Have Started

It's been a bumpy road for United so far. Just four points from their opening three league games, and all three of those matches were ones United would have expected to win comfortably on paper. They lost 2-0 to Hull City, then bounced back with a big 5-2 win over Ipswich Town, before Everton snatched a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford thanks to a stunning long range strike from Ainsley Maitland-Niles, a player who only joined Everton on deadline day.

That result means United have now conceded twice in each of their first three league games, something that has only happened once before in the last 50 years, back in 2020-21. Worth remembering, that United side still finished second that season, so there's no need for total panic just yet.

The mood picked up midweek though. United thumped Champions League newcomers Sabah 4-0, their first clean sheet of the season and their third game running with multiple goals scored. Manager Michael Carrick will be pleased with that response, and he's been in fine form at home in his second spell in charge, winning nine of his last ten Premier League matches at Old Trafford. A win on Sunday would also make him the first United manager in 113 years to win both Manchester derbies in the league in the same season, a feat only managed twice before in the club's history.

Man City's Flying Start

City, on the other hand, have started about as well as possible. Three straight Premier League wins, and their new manager Enzo Maresca already has them top of the table. They beat Coventry City 1-0 last weekend, Erling Haaland getting the only goal with one of his trademark headers, and followed that up in midweek with a 2-0 win over Porto in the Champions League, Haaland scoring twice more.

That brace takes Haaland's Champions League group and league phase tally to an incredible 42 goals from just 39 games, numbers that barely seem real for a striker still relatively early in his career.

If City win on Sunday, it would be their fourth straight win to open a Premier League season, and remarkably, it would be the seventh different time City have managed that feat, a new record, ahead of Chelsea's six. Maresca is also chasing history of his own. Eight different City managers have won their first Manchester derby in charge, including four in this century alone, Kevin Keegan, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Manuel Pellegrini and Pep Guardiola. Maresca will be hoping to join that list.

Interestingly, Guardiola's final trip to Old Trafford last season did not go City's way, as United won 2-0 in the January derby, so recent history at this exact fixture actually favors the home side.

Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

• City have won just one of their last four Premier League meetings with United.
• United and City both registered 19 shots on target across their first three Premier League games, the most of any team in the league.
• Erling Haaland has scored eight goals in seven Premier League appearances against United, although only two came at Old Trafford.
• A win for Michael Carrick would make him the first United manager in 113 years to win both Manchester derbies in a single season.
• A fourth consecutive win for City would set a new Premier League record for most victories to start a season.
• After several years of City dominance in the Manchester derby, the rivalry has become more evenly matched in recent seasons. United have won three of the last six meetings, City have won two, and one ended in a draw.
• Both teams won their opening UEFA Champions League fixtures this week. Manchester City edged past FC Porto away on Wednesday, while United beat debutants Sabah 4-0 at Old Trafford.
• United's league form has been inconsistent at the start of the season. They bounced back from a shock opening-day defeat to promoted Hull by beating Ipswich, but then dropped two points in a 2-2 draw with Everton after the Toffees scored with the final kick of the game.
• City, meanwhile, have won all three of their Premier League games under new manager Enzo Maresca, beating Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Coventry. They have not been flawless, but they have consistently found a way to get the job done.
• Erling Haaland is chasing his fourth Premier League Golden Boot in five seasons, which would put him level with Mohamed Salah and Thierry Henry. The Norwegian has already scored three goals in his opening three league games.

Squad and Team News

United will be boosted by the return of Luke Shaw, who missed the Sabah game with cramp rather than a fresh injury. His return means he could line up for his 300th Premier League appearance. Carlos Baleba, Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, Tom Heaton and Amad Diallo are all unavailable through injury.

There's also a selection headache up front. Both Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha scored against Sabah, and it now looks like Marcus Rashford could be the one left out of the starting lineup as a result.

City have fewer decisions to make, mainly because Haaland picks himself. Jeremy Doku remains out with a calf problem, but Nico O'Reilly is back to full fitness after sitting out the Coventry game with a back issue. Enzo Fernandez, who set up Haaland's goal against Porto, should keep his place after a strong full debut, while Elliot Anderson looks set to come in for Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Possible Lineups

Manchester United: Lammens in goal, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez and Shaw across the back four, Tielemans and Mainoo in midfield, with Mbeumo, Fernandes and Cunha supporting Sesko up top.

Manchester City: Donnarumma starts in goal behind Nunes, Guehi, Dias and Gvardiol, Anderson and Fernandez in the middle, Semenyo, Cherki and Ndiaye providing support, and Haaland leading the line.

Tactical Verdict

Both sides have had shaky moments defensively this season, and with United and City sharing the two highest shot-on-target totals in the league so far, this has the look of a game with chances at both ends. City's form and Haaland's scoring record make them the clear favorites, but United have shown they can raise their level for the biggest occasions, and their recent record against City at Old Trafford is actually pretty good.

Prediction

We say Manchester United 2-2 Manchester City. Derby day hasn't always followed the form book lately, City have only won one of their last four against United, and with both teams looking capable of scoring but not always tight at the back, a high scoring draw feels like the most likely outcome here.