Manchester City vs Manchester United: Predicted lineup, injury news, head-to-head, telecast

Published at :March 1, 2024 at 2:12 PM

Modified at :March 1, 2024 at 2:13 PM

Enormous derby day at the Etihad Stadium

Pep Guardiola’s squad is in excellent form, boasting eight consecutive wins and an unbeaten league run since early December. Despite their impressive form, Manchester City face a challenging series of fixtures ahead, including matches against Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal before the end of March. These games will play a crucial role in the title race, as City currently sits in second place, just one point behind Liverpool and one ahead of Arsenal.

For Erik ten Hag’s team, a victory in this fixture could significantly boost their confidence. Manchester United have experienced a turbulent season and faces an uphill battle to secure a top-four finish, trailing eight points behind Aston Villa. Additionally, Tottenham, in fifth place, have a game in hand over the Old Trafford side, making the task even more challenging for Ten Hag’s team.

Kick-Off:

Sunday, 3 March 2024 at 03:30 PM GMT (09:00 PM IST)

Location: Etihad Stadium

Form

Manchester City (all competitions): W-D-W-W-W

Manchester United (all competitions): W-W-W-L-W

Players to watch

Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

In a season marked by a two-month absence due to a foot injury, Haaland has managed to score 27 goals in 30 appearances. However, despite his remarkable overall tally and a previous season with 52 goals, the 23-year-old struggled to find the back of the net, registering only three goals in nine games since returning from his injury before the Luton match.

He then went on to score five goals in their FA Cup tie against Luton. His total of 79 goals in 83 games since joining City is 30 more than any other Premier League player in that time.

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

Bruno is recognized for his adept control of the game’s tempo, he consistently plays a crucial role in creating scoring chances and demonstrates a keen eye for scoring goals. His impact extends to expertly delivering set-pieces and executing accurate long-range shots, establishing him as a standout player.

Fernandes’ strategic influence and dual ability as a creator and goal-scorer make him an invaluable asset in any match, he was the man who assisted Casemiro in scoring the late winner in the FA Cup recently.

Match facts:

Manchester City have won four of their previous five meetings against Manchester United.
Manchester United have lost their visit to Etihad Stadium in the last two Premier League seasons.
No fixture in the Premier League history has seen more away wins than Manchester City vs Manchester United.

Injury & Team News

As of now, Jack Grealish stands as the primary concern for City ahead of the Manchester derby, while Josko Gvardiol is still awaiting his return to action. Guardiola recently affirmed that the defender is nearing his comeback.

On the Manchester United side, Harry Maguire was absent from the Forest game, and a determination regarding his fitness needs to be made. Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, and Anthony Martial will all be unavailable for the derby.

Head to Head

Total Matches – 191

Manchester City – 60

Manchester United – 78

Draws – 53

Predicted Lineup:

Manchester City predicted lineup

Ederson; Walker, Dias, Ake, Akanji; Rodri, De Bruyne, Silva; Alvarez, Haaland, Foden

Manchester United predicted lineup

Onana; Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Amrabat; Casemiro, Manioo, McTominay; Fernandes, Rashford, Garnacho

Match prediction for Manchester City vs Manchester United

Despite the odds and Manchester United’s challenging history at the Etihad Stadium, football always holds the potential for surprises. However, with Manchester City’s impressive unbeaten streak of 11 league games, including four wins and a draw in their last five, the chances of an upset seem slim.

The return of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne in top form further strengthens City’s position. Erik ten Hag could take a page from Chelsea’s book and mastermind an upset.

Prediction: Manchester City 2-2 Manchester United

Telecast

India – Star Sports, Disney+ Hotstar

UK – Sky Sports, TNT Sports, Amazon Prime Video

US – NBC, USA Network, Peacock

Nigeria – DSTV, Gotv, Star Times, Kwese TV

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