MU - Man City: A Surprise Awaits at Old Trafford

MU enters the Manchester City derby in a very poor state. Last week, they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round after a 1-2 home defeat to Brighton. This marks the earliest FA Cup exit for MU, a competition in which they are historically the most successful club in England. This loss extended the Red Devils’ winless streak to four matches,

This poor result led to the dismissal of head coach Amorim. MU now faces a trophyless season on all fronts, even though it is only January. Everything seems to be going against the Old Trafford side.

In the Premier League, MU currently sits 7th in the standings, just 3 points shy of the top 4, but their form is unconvincing. In the last six rounds, the Red Devils have only won once, drawing four times and losing once.

Manchester United appointed Michael Carrick—once the “heart” of MU’s midfield as a player—to lead the team until the end of the current season. The club is hopeful for a “new manager bounce.” The former midfielder is expected to bring fresh energy to Old Trafford and help MU navigate through this turbulent period.

In his second stint as interim manager at Old Trafford (the first was in 2021), Carrick expressed his honor at the chance to lead the club that made his name during its golden years. This Manchester derby at Old Trafford will have special significance as it marks the high-pressure debut of this caretaker coach.

Carrick’s worries may be somewhat eased as the Red Devils welcome back attacking duo Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo. Both have been absent since mid-December 2025 due to national team duties at the Africa Cup of Nations. Amad represents Ivory Coast, while Mbeumo plays for Cameroon.

Meanwhile, the sky blues of Manchester are enjoying fairly stable form. After three consecutive draws in the Premier League, they secured back-to-back wins. These confident victories in the third round of the FA Cup and the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final within days affirm that The Citizens are ready to compete strongly on all fronts. Man City currently stands second in the Premier League, closely trailing Arsenal and maintaining control in the title race.

Not only regaining form, Pep Guardiola’s squad has also been strengthened by new signing Semenyo, who has quickly adapted at Etihad.

Given their current performance, despite playing away, Man City is still heavily favored over MU.

All factors seem to be against the Red Devils in this matchup. However, whenever few expect them to cause an upset, MU often surprises. The Manchester derby is always unpredictable, and the Red Devils are ready to give their neighbors a tough challenge.

The MU vs. Man City match will kick off at 7:30 PM on January 17th. This Manchester derby promises to be a major test for Carrick and a chance for MU to regain stability in the remainder of the season.

Projected starting lineups for both teams
MU: Lammens, Dalot, Yoro, Martinez, Dorgu, Ugarte, Casemiro; Mbeumo, Bruno, Cunha, Sesko
Man City: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Alleyne, O’Reilly, Rodri, Semenyo, Foden, Silva, Doku, Haaland