Team News
Manchester United continue to manage a handful of absences ahead of the Manchester derby, with Noussair Mazraoui still away on Africa Cup of Nations duty and Matthijs de Ligt sidelined by a back problem. Teenage forward Shea Lacey is also unavailable after his late red card in last weekend’s FA Cup defeat to Brighton ruled him out through suspension.
There is, however, more positive news in attacking areas. Michael Carrick can once again rely on Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo following their early exits from AFCON, restoring two of United’s most influential performers to the squad. Mbeumo, the club’s leading scorer this season with seven goals, is widely expected to feature from the start on the right-hand side.
Carrick is anticipated to persist with a back four, though he faces several selection decisions. Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu are competing for the left-back role, while Kobbie Mainoo is pushing for his first Premier League start of the campaign, with Manuel Ugarte and Mason Mount also options in midfield. Bruno Fernandes remains central to United’s attacking output; since the start of November, only Erling Haaland and Igor Thiago have been involved in more Premier League goals than the captain, who has combined goals and assists at an elite rate. Fernandes also leads the league for chances created and line-breaking passes, underlining his creative influence.
Manchester City arrive at Old Trafford with a lengthy injury list of their own. Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Savinho and Oscar Bobb are all unavailable, while Omar Marmoush remains at AFCON with Egypt. Nico Gonzalez is a minor doubt after picking up a knock. City are expected to shuffle their attacking options, with Antoine Semenyo a strong contender to start after scoring three goals in his last four outings against United. A recall for Rayan Cherki could see Jeremy Doku drop out of the starting XI.
Form Guide
Eight days on from the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, Manchester United confirmed Michael Carrick’s appointment as interim head coach until the end of the season. The former captain is back in familiar territory, having previously overseen a short three-match caretaker spell in late 2021 that yielded two wins and a draw.
United’s recent league form has been defined by frustration rather than collapse. Consecutive draws against Wolves, Leeds and Burnley kept them ticking over in the table, but a 2-1 home defeat to Brighton in the FA Cup third round last weekend, Darren Fletcher’s final match in temporary charge, brought fresh disappointment. That elimination confirmed United will play only 40 matches this season, their shortest schedule since the 1914-15 campaign.
City, by contrast, appear to be gathering momentum. After opening 2026 with three successive league draws, Pep Guardiola’s side responded emphatically by thrashing Exeter City 10-1 in the FA Cup before recording a 2-0 away win against Newcastle United in the EFL Cup semi-finals. They are unbeaten in 13 matches across all competitions and have avoided defeat in their last nine Premier League outings, although they still trail leaders Arsenal by six points.
Predicted Outcome
We predict Manchester United will lose 2-1 in a tight affair on Saturday. United will hope for a lift under Carrick and a hostile atmosphere may help bridge the gap, but City’s cohesion and attacking depth give them the edge.
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