Kick-off: 1530, 29/10/2023
Stadium: Old Trafford
TV: Sky
Manchester United welcome city rivals Manchester City to Old Trafford on Sunday.
Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils have begun to find a degree of form after a stuttering start to the season while City have hit the ground running again in pursuit of a fourth successive Premier League title.
United did triumph 2-1 in this fixture last season and are 15/4 to come out on top again but the form book points to a City win at 68/100 and that is our opening Man Utd vs Man City prediction.
Patched-up United have mountain to climb
Ten Hag’s side have been hit hard by injuries in the first couple of months of the season, especially at the back.
First-choice back four Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw have all been sidelined, along with Tyrell Malacia.
Varane and on-loan Sergio Reguilon at least returned for the midweek Champions League win over Copenhagen and could feature again should they come through that match unscathed.
United have won three successive matches – against Brentford, Sheffield United and Copenhagen – but have been unconvincing in each.
The Red Devils do have a solid recent derby record, in relation to City’s overall domestic dominance, winning five of the last 12 meetings in all competitions.
But City put six past United at the Etihad last season and will be licking their lips at capitalising on United’s struggles.
Looking at the Man Utd vs Man City odds, a City win with over 2.5 combined goals scored is available at 11/8 while City are 39/20 to score three or more.
The Sky Blues netted in the first minute of the FA Cup final derby win in May while Phil Foden struck after just eight minutes of the Etihad win last season. With that in mind, City are 6/1 to score in the first 10 minutes.
City back on track but face competition
The treble-winners suffered back-to-back league defeats to Wolves and Arsenal before the international break but got back to winning ways with victory over Brighton last weekend.
Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland got the goals for Guardiola’s side, who appear to have Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham as genuine title rivals this season.
“I said many times, no-one has won four (Premier Leagues) in a row, never ever,” Guardiola said.
“That shows how difficult it is but now it’s important to be there, especially in the Champions League, qualify for the next round in this period and after we can just focus on the Premier League. That is the target.”
Haaland’s strike against Brighton ended a relative goal drought for the Norwegian after three City games without scoring and he backed that up with a brace in the midweek Champions League win at Young Boys.
Haaland is 13/5 to open the scoring for City while Alvarez, who netted for the seventh time in an impressive season so far against the Seagulls, to score in a City win is a solid pick also at 13/5.
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