Manchester City will host the 197th edition of the Manchester Derby at The Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Both sides are in the midst of a rebuild, and a victory in the derby could build momentum for the season.
Neither side has enjoyed a start to the season that they would be happy with. Manchester City sit at 13th on the table with just 3 points, far off their title charge aspirations. Manchester United have just one point more than their neighbours and will still be recovering from the shocking defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town. The match is a high-stakes affair for head coaches Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim as pressure looms in the air in Manchester.
Match Details
- Fixture: Manchester City vs. Manchester United
- Date: 14 September 2025
- Time: 4:30 PM BST / 9:00 PM IST
- Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Competition: Premier League
Where To Watch
- UK: Sky Sports
- Australia: Stan Sport
- India: JioHotstar, Star Sports Select HD
- Canada: Fubo
- USA: Peacock
Match Preview
Manchester City: The Cityzens
Manchester City enjoyed a strong start with a dominant 4-0 victory over Wolves in their Premier League opener. Since then, Pep Guardiola’s side has endured back-to-back defeats against Tottenham and Brighton. This is Manchester City’s worst start to a season since 2004/05. Pep Guardiola will be aiming to rebuild Manchester City back to the dominant force it was not too long ago.
Manchester City Strengths
Manchester City are rejuvenated this season with the Ballon d’Or winner Rodri’s return from injury. He provides a much-needed solidity in midfield that City lacked last season and will form a decisive partnership with new signing Tijjani Reijnders. Erling Haaland has been in sensational form over the break, scoring five goals in a 11-1 win over Moldova.
- Key Players: Rodri (Midfielder), Erling Haaland (Attacker), Oscar Bobb (Attacker)
- New Signings: Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford, Sverre Nypan, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait Nouri.
- Injured Players: Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki, John Stones, Savinho, Josko Gvardiol
Manchester United: The Red Devils
Manchester United secured their first victory of the season in a tight 3-2 victory over Burnley, courtesy of a 90+7′ Bruno Fernandes penalty. Ruben Amorim will want to build on that victory to secure momentum for the rest of the season, starting with a win at The Etihad.
Manchester United Strengths
Manchester United have made some excellent signings in the summer transfer window. They recruited Premier League-proven stars in Cunha and Mbeumo, who scored 15 and 20 league goals respectively last season. However, Cunha will be unavailable for Sunday’s clash, which means the young, talented striker Benjamin Sesko may be rewarded with his first Premier League start. So far this season, Amorim’s side has generated the most expected goals, had the most shots, and created the most chances.
- Key Players: Bruno Fernandes (Midfielder), Kobbie Mainoo (Midfielder), Matthijs de Ligt (Defender).
- New Signings: Senne Lammens, Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha.
- Injured Players: Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount, Matheus Cunha
Predicted Lineup
- Manchester City Predicted Lineup vs. Manchester United (4-3-3): Donnarumma (GK); Lewis, Ake, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Reijnders, Rodri, Silva; Bobb, Haaland, Doku.
- Manchester United Predicted Lineup vs. Manchester City (3-4-2-1): Bayindir (GK); Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro, Mainoo, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Fernandes; Sesko.
Head-to-Head Stats
- Premier League Matches Played: 56
- Manchester City Wins: 20
- Draws: 10
- Manchester United Wins: 26
Players to Watch Out For
Manchester City
- Rodri: Rodri was the placeholder for Manchester City’s dominance in recent years. He offers stability in midfield and controls the game from deep. His role in winning Manchester City their fourth consecutive Premier League title led to him winning the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
- Erling Haaland: The Norwegian striker is always a threat in front of goal and a handful for defenders. Despite an injury-ridden season last year, he still scored 22 goals in the league. In his five appearances in the Premier League against the Red Devils, he has scored six goals and provided three assists.
- Oscar Bobb: Oscar Bobb has been really bright early in the season for Manchester City. He has reintroduced himself as a regular in Pep Guardiola’s side after sustaining a broken leg early in the 2024/25 season.
Manchester United
- Bruno Fernandes: The Manchester United skipper is the heartbeat of the team and the pioneer for creativity. He has five goal contributions in his eleven appearances against Manchester City in the league. He even provided a sensational assist to Kobbie Mainoo in their 2023/24 FA Cup final triumph against City.
- Kobbie Mainoo: Kobbie Mainoo has been struggling to secure a foothold in Ruben Amorim’s side. However, Cunha’s injury may introduce the 20-year-old into the midfield. There is very little doubt about his quality, as he was Manchester United’s star in his debut season and even started in the Euro 2024 final for England.
- Matthijs de Ligt: Matthijs de Ligt has been solid defensively for Manchester United so far this season. He will have to be at the very top of his game to silence Man City’s Erling Haaland.
Also read: Premier League 2025/26 Preview: Best Transfers, Players to Watch & Who Will Lift Trophy This Season?
What To Expect?
Manchester United head into the derby above Manchester City for the first time in five years. However, this is still not a sign of confidence for Ruben Amorim’s side. The game may not live up to the levels of quality that are expected of a Manchester derby, as both sides are struggling to find form and are injury-ridden.
Manchester United may sit back and allow Pep Guardiola’s side to dominate most of the ball, and will look to launch quick counterattacks. Manchester United’s pace going forward from Mbeumo, Amad, and Dorgu could create chances. Sesko will need to step up and convert these chances. Manchester City will also look to exploit United’s leaky defence and may target the shaky goalkeeper Bayindir.
Prediction
The two sides have both provided rather uninspiring performances so far this season. They both suffer from no solidity defensively, conceding a large number of goals so far this season. Under Ruben Amorim, United have produced good results against the traditional big six sides. The game may finish as a 1-1 or 2-2 draw.
Conclusion
As anticipation builds for another chapter in this storied rivalry, Manchester City and Manchester United are set to light up the Premier League with a clash that could have major implications for both sides. These derbies extend past the three points as they battle it out for bragging rights as the best team in Manchester.
Written by: Thillai Ritvik
