Man United vs Man City

Manchester United return to Old Trafford for one of the toughest fixtures in English football as their rivals in the Manchester derby. The spotlight is firmly on Michael Carrick who begins his second stint as United’s caretaker manager following a turbulent spell that saw Ruben Amorim dismissed earlier this month.

United enter the weekend sitting seventh in the Premier League, still firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification despite a frustrating run of draws and last weekend’s FA Cup exit. Carrick will hope for an immediate lift and should feel better by the return of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo.

City arrive in stronger form overall, unbeaten in 13 matches in all competitions although three consecutive league draws have slowed their title charge, allowing Arsenal to push on ahead. Man City came into the last fixture 1.67 favourites on the 1x2 market and ended up winning 3-0. They’re looking in good form again and United are in a tough place. I fear this could be just the hunting ground Haaland thrives on.

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Macca's Man United vs Man City Bet Builder Tips

Foden 1+ Shot On Target

Phil Foden consistently delivers in this fixture and has caused Manchester United problems time and again. He was excellent in the reverse league meeting, scoring in City’s 3-0 win.

Foden has now scored four goals in his last six appearances against United, averaging 1.42 shots on target per 90 minutes in these matchups. That lines up well with his wider league numbers this season, where he is averaging 2.43 shots per 90 while regularly playing around 84 minutes per game. With his prominent role in Pep Guardiola’s system, another effort on target looks very achievable.

Bruno Fernandes Over 0.5 Fouls

Bruno Fernandes does not post huge foul numbers on average across the league, but this fixture tends to bring a different side out of him. In the last six Manchester derby head to heads, he has averaged 1.14 fouls per game.

The Portuguese midfielder is one of United’s most emotional and competitive players, and derby matches often see him play on the edge. With the intensity this game usually brings, the price on just one foul looks generous when you factor in the added derby pressure and tempo.

Manchester City to Win

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Manchester City look very attractively priced at close to even money given the current gap between the two sides. Pep Guardiola’s team are unbeaten in 13 matches across all competitions and I can see a repeat of the last time out where City won 3-0, controlling that game comfortably from start to finish.

United are under a new manager for the time being and this is an extremely tough first assignment and City arrive with far more stability, depth and attacking quality, especially with the addition of Semenyo. They have also historically travelled well to Old Trafford, winning more Premier League away games there than any other side. At around 2.0, City to win looks a fair and playable price.