Man City vs Man United: Preview, Prediction, Team News, Head-2-Head (h2h), Correct Score Prediction, Formation and Current Form.
The first Manchester derby of the 2025/2026 Premier League season is set for Sunday, September 14, 2025, with Manchester City hosting Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium. The match is a crucial early-season fixture for both teams, who have had inconsistent starts to their campaigns.
Manchester City, under Pep Guardiola, have suffered back-to-back defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion. Meanwhile, Manchester United, led by Ruben Amorim, have a win, a draw, and a loss, and are coming off a narrow victory against Burnley.
Manchester United did win this away fixture last season, but City are still considered favorites for this match. The derby promises to be a fiercely competitive affair as both sides look to turn their form around.
Match Details
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 14
- Kick-off Time: 4.30 p.m. BST / 11.30 a.m. ET / 8.30 a.m. PT
- Location: Manchester, England
- Stadium: Etihad Stadium
- Referee: Anthony Taylor
- VAR: John Brooks
Man City vs Man United H2h Record (Last 5 Games)
- Man City: 2 wins
- Man Utd: 2 wins
- Draws: 1
- Last meeting: Man Utd 0–0 Man City (April 6, 2025) – PL
Current Form – Both Teams (All Competitions)
| Man City | Man Utd |
|---|---|
| Brighton 2–1 Man City – 31/08/25 | Man Utd 3–2 Burnley – 30/08/25 |
| Man City 0–2 Tottenham – 23/08/25 | Grimsby 2–2 (12–11p) Man Utd – 27/08/25 |
| Wolves 0–4 Man City – 16/08/25 | Fulham 1–1 Man Utd – 24/08/25 |
| Palermo 0–3 Man City – 09/08/25 | Man Utd 0–1 Arsenal – 17/08/25 |
| Man City 3–4 Al Hilal (A.E.T) – 01/07/25 | Man Utd 1–1 Fiorentine – 09/08/25 |
Manchester City Team News
Guardiola has confirmed a number of injury concerns for Manchester City ahead of the derby against Manchester United.
Injured/Unavailable Players:
- Omar Marmoush: Sidelined for “a few weeks” with a knee injury sustained while on international duty with Egypt.
- Mateo Kovačić: Remains out with a calf injury.
- Rayan Cherki: A long-term absentee with a thigh injury.
- Rayan Aït-Nouri: Out with an ankle injury.
Players with fitness doubts:
John Stones: A doubt for the match after withdrawing from the England squad with a muscle issue.
Players returning to fitness/available:
- Phil Foden: Expected to make his return after dealing with an ankle issue.
- Joško Gvardiol: Expected to be available after missing the opening matches of the season with an unspecified knock.
- Abdukodir Khusanov: Expected to be fit after a calf injury forced him to withdraw from international duty.
- Savinho: Expected to be available after missing the start of the season with an unspecified problem.
- Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly: Both academy graduates are fit and available despite withdrawing from England’s Under-21s squad.
Goalkeeper Situation:
Gianluigi Donnarumma: The new signing is available to make his debut, but Guardiola has stated he is unsure if the Italian will start ahead of James Trafford.
Manchester United Team News
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has provided an update on his squad’s fitness ahead of the Manchester derby, confirming several key absences.
Injured/Unavailable Players:
- Matheus Cunha: The striker is out of the derby after picking up a muscle injury against Burnley. He had to withdraw from international duty with Brazil.
- Mason Mount: The midfielder is also confirmed to be out of the match, having been replaced at halftime during the Burnley match due to an injury.
- Diogo Dalot: The defender will miss the derby after suffering from “muscle discomfort” while on international duty with Portugal.
- Lisandro Martínez: The long-term absentee is still recovering from an ACL injury he sustained in February.
Team News & Potential Starters:
- Goalkeeper: With André Onana having left the club, Altay Bayındır is set to continue as the starting goalkeeper. Amorim has expressed confidence in the Turkish international despite the recent signing of Senne Lammens.
- Attack: Bruno Fernandes is likely to play in a more advanced role to cover for Cunha’s absence.
- Forward: Benjamin Šeško is expected to make his first Premier League start for the club.
- Midfield/Defense: Kobbie Mainoo and Noussair Mazraoui could also be brought into the starting lineup.
Man City vs Man United Score Prediction
Manchester City’s status as a favorite in the derby is not without question. While they have dominated the Premier League in recent years, the Manchester derby has often been a more unpredictable affair.
Recent Derby Form:
- United have a surprisingly strong recent record against City, having won two of their last four meetings, including a 2-1 victory at the Etihad last season.
- The last derby, played at Old Trafford in April, ended in a 0-0 draw.
- Looking at the last five competitive meetings, both sides have won two games each, with one draw.
Manchester City’s Current Situation:
- City have had a difficult start to the season, with back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Brighton.
- Their defense has shown signs of vulnerability, which could be exploited by United.
Manchester United’s Outlook:
- Under new coach Ruben Amorim, United have shown “shoots of improvement” despite mixed results.
- They will be hoping to capitalize on City’s shaky defensive form, even with key injuries of their own.
Given the current form of both teams, a draw seems like a plausible outcome, as both sides might be content with a point to build on. The derby’s historical unpredictability, combined with the current injury concerns and inconsistent form of both clubs, suggests that this will be a tightly contested match where the result is far from guaranteed.
Prediction: Man City 1-1 Man United
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