Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
Undoubtedly, this is the Match of the Day. The Manchester derby is a crucial fixture, not just for the city but for fans around the world, regardless of the state of the teams. Currently, they are far from their ideal form, which suggests many mistakes are likely in this match.
Manchester City
A week ago, Manchester City finally secured a win after a seven-match winless streak, yet a new one may already be forming. Crystal Palace matched them stride for stride at home (1.34–1.45 in xG, 12 shots apiece), and the slight edge in goal-scoring chances (1–3) did not impact the final score, which ended 2:2. Meanwhile, in Turin, Juventus outclassed Manchester City (2:0), leaving their direct progress to the Champions League play-offs in doubt. Their defensive line-up is in such disarray that Josko Gvardiol had to step into the centre, with Rico Lewis on the left flank. The academy graduate, who turned 20 only recently, has already played in five different positions this season. Such upheavals naturally lead to conceded goals. What defensive combination will Pep Guardiola deploy in the derby? It's hard to say, but Manuel Akanji, Nathan Aké, and John Stones are definitely out.
Manchester United
Manchester United face similar defensive issues. Half of their defenders have been injured for months. Leny Yoro is now fit, but cannot be considered a first-choice option. Jonny Evans and Luke Shaw remain sidelined. Rûben Amorim has limited scope to rotate his back line, as evidenced in the match against Nottingham Forest (2:3). It might have been better had he not rotated; Noussair Mazraoui and Jacob Maguire started on the bench but both came on for the final half-hour. Mistakes aren't just from outfield players—André Onana was beaten straight down the middle for the second goal.
Manchester City vs Manchester United Prediction
Both teams clearly have the ability to score. Across all competitions, Manchester's giant clubs average 1.8 goals per game. The constantly shuffled defences are likely to falter, making a total over 2.5 the logical prediction.
