This weekend marks the 183rd Manchester Derby in the club’s history, with Manchester City making the journey to Old Trafford for the first of the season.
Recent form in the derby sets up a great prospect for United, having won the last two derby games including a 2-0 win at home back in March in the league. As well as this, United have also managed four wins in a row in the Premier League, most recently a 3-1 win against Manchester United away from home.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side may have crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday after their 3-2 loss to RB Leipzig but attentions have swiftly turned to the league with a crunch game against Pep Guardiola’s side in the first derby of the current season.
Both teams sit almost side by side in the league, with United just above the Cityzens on 19 points to City’s 18 points. City have had some poor results in the league this season with losses to Leicester and Tottenham as of late which will give United a strong belief at home this weekend.
The Derby has now become one of the club’s most important games in their calendar each season, with a recent article from Betway highlighting the shift of the power balance of football in Manchester – with City claiming United’s perch as the best team in not just the city but the whole country.
Sir Alex Ferguson once described City as the noisy neighbours of United, a small club with a small mentality – but much to the frustrations of the United faithful, City have done nothing but turn up the volume and drowned out the sound of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Over the past decade, United have won two Premier League titles to City’s four – showing the evident shift in power in the city that Betway have pointed out.
Despite the odds being stacked against Solskjaer’s side, recent form would suggest United are better primed for the game on Saturday and I’m predicting a surprise 2-1 win for the Red Devils to take them four points clear of their rivals.
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes was announced as the Player of the Month for November and will be right up for the challenge in the derby on Saturday.