Man City v Man Utd: Three stats and three betting tips for the Manchester Derby | OneFootball

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Two historic rivals face each other this weekend at Old Trafford, will Manchester United put aside their off-the-pitch drama to rise to the occasion or will City replicate the devastating results from the reverse fixture in September?

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Manchester City v Manchester United Saturday 17th January, 12:30 kick-offLive on Sky Sports

The Manchester Derby takes centre stage this weekend as Manchester United welcome rivals Manchester City to Old Trafford in their latest Premier League clash. For Manchester United, the biggest drama is off the pitch as of late, with Michael Carrick beginning his second stint as interim manager of the Red Devils. Manchester City come into the weekend in solid shape, though a recent string of draws in the Premier League have interrupted their usual rhythm.

City dominated the reverse fixture back in September, winning 3-0 at the Etihad, and stroll into this next meeting off the back of a 10-1 FA Cup landslide win against Exeter. This recent result will surely boost their attacking confidence after several frustrating draws in the league (vs Sunderland, Chelsea and Brighton).

The Red Devils haven't fared as well as their rivals. Following a 2-2 draw against 19th-place Burnley, they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by Brighton on Sunday. But can Carrick turn it round in his first game as interim manager this weekend? Read on for a short stats based preview of the match. For a more in-depth match analysis, read Dave Tindall's preview here.

Bet #1 - Manchester City to win to nil

The Stat:

Man City have won more Premier League away games against Man Utd than any other visiting side (9), with Manchester United failing to score in four of their last five Premier League home games against Manchester City, including the last two in a row. They've not gone 3+ home league games without a goal against the Citizens since a run of four between December 1911 and September 1914. The last time United failed to score in both league meetings with City (in 1973-74), they were relegated from the top-flight. Add in the 3-0 defeat United suffered at the Etihad in September and it's clear City arrive to this Derby with both psychological and historical advantages.

City to win to nil is currently 16/5 on the Betfair Sportsbook so is worth a chance.

Bet #2 - Back a draw at half time

The Stat:

Both the Red Devils and the Citizens come into the Derby having drawn their last three consecutive Premier League games which hasn't happened in a league meeting between the two sides since February 2001. Only Bournemouth (16), West Ham United (15) and Chelsea (15) have dropped more points from winning positions in the Premier League this season than Manchester United (14), while Manchester City have dropped four points in their last two games, just one fewer than in their first 19 matches of 2025-26- it is clear that both teams are falling short of their usual standards of attack.

With Michael Carrick likely to prioritise defensive structure and control in his first game back in charge, a cautious first half could be expected. The half-time draw is at 6/4 on the Betfair Sportsbook so could be good to have a look at.

The Bet:

Bet #3 - You know who can strike first

The Stat:

Erling Haaland has been involved in 11 Premier League goals against Manchester United (eight goals, three assists), more than any other Manchester City player. He scored twice and assisted once on his last visit to Old Trafford in October 2023. Haaland is currently 8/11 on the Betfair as anytime goalscorer so we will look at him to be the first goalscorer at 3/1 for more value.

For United, Bruno Fernandes remains the key figure. Since November, only Haaland and Igor Thiago have been involved in more Premier League goals than Fernandes. He leads the league for line-breaking passes and passes leading to shots this season, and Carrick will need his captain at his creative best. If you fancy Fernandes, he is currently at 11/4.

Now read Dave Tindall's preview for more in-depth analysis of the Derby.

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