Manchester Metropolis will host the 197th version of the Manchester Derby at The Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Either side are within the midst of a rebuild, and a victory within the derby may construct momentum for the season.
Neither aspect has loved a begin to the season that they might be pleased with. Manchester Metropolis sit at thirteenth on the desk with simply 3 factors, far off their title cost aspirations. Manchester United have only one level greater than their neighbours and can nonetheless be recovering from the surprising defeat to League Two aspect Grimsby City. The match is a high-stakes affair for head coaches Pep Guardiola and Ruben Amorim as strain looms within the air in Manchester.
Match Particulars
- Fixture: Manchester Metropolis vs. Manchester United
- Date: 14 September 2025
- Time: 4:30 PM BST / 9:00 PM IST
- Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Competitors: Premier League
The place To Watch
- UK: Sky Sports activities
- Australia: Stan Sport
- India: JioHotstar, Star Sports activities Choose HD
- Canada: Fubo
- USA: Peacock
Match Preview
Manchester Metropolis: The Cityzens
Manchester Metropolis loved a robust begin with a dominant 4-0 victory over Wolves of their Premier League opener. Since then, Pep Guardiola’s aspect has endured back-to-back defeats towards Tottenham and Brighton. That is Manchester Metropolis’s worst begin to a season since 2004/05. Pep Guardiola can be aiming to rebuild Manchester Metropolis again to the dominant pressure it was not too way back.
Manchester Metropolis Strengths
Manchester Metropolis are rejuvenated this season with the Ballon d’Or winner Rodri’s return from damage. He offers a much-needed solidity in midfield that Metropolis lacked final season and can type a decisive partnership with new signing Tijjani Reijnders. Erling Haaland has been in sensational type over the break, scoring 5 targets in a 11-1 win over Moldova.
- Key Gamers: Rodri (Midfielder), Erling Haaland (Attacker), Oscar Bobb (Attacker)
- New Signings: Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford, Sverre Nypan, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait Nouri.
- Injured Gamers: Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki, John Stones, Savinho, Josko Gvardiol
Manchester United: The Crimson Devils
Manchester United secured their first victory of the season in a decent 3-2 victory over Burnley, courtesy of a 90+7′ Bruno Fernandes penalty. Ruben Amorim will wish to construct on that victory to safe momentum for the remainder of the season, beginning with a win at The Etihad.
Manchester United Strengths
Manchester United have made some wonderful signings in the summertime switch window. They recruited Premier League-proven stars in Cunha and Mbeumo, who scored 15 and 20 league targets respectively final season. Nevertheless, Cunha can be unavailable for Sunday’s conflict, which suggests the younger, gifted striker Benjamin Sesko could also be rewarded along with his first Premier League begin. Up to now this season, Amorim’s aspect has generated probably the most anticipated targets, had probably the most photographs, and created probably the most probabilities.
- Key Gamers: Bruno Fernandes (Midfielder), Kobbie Mainoo (Midfielder), Matthijs de Ligt (Defender).
- New Signings: Senne Lammens, Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha.
- Injured Gamers: Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount, Matheus Cunha
Predicted Lineup
- Manchester Metropolis Predicted Lineup vs. Manchester United (4-3-3): Donnarumma (GK); Lewis, Ake, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Reijnders, Rodri, Silva; Bobb, Haaland, Doku.
- Manchester United Predicted Lineup vs. Manchester Metropolis (3-4-2-1): Bayindir (GK); Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro, Mainoo, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Fernandes; Sesko.
Head-to-Head Stats
- Premier League Matches Performed: 56
- Manchester Metropolis Wins: 20
- Attracts: 10
- Manchester United Wins: 26
Gamers to Watch Out For
Manchester Metropolis
- Rodri: Rodri was the placeholder for Manchester Metropolis’s dominance lately. He gives stability in midfield and controls the sport from deep. His function in profitable Manchester Metropolis their fourth consecutive Premier League title led to him profitable the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
- Erling Haaland: The Norwegian striker is at all times a menace in entrance of purpose and a handful for defenders. Regardless of an injury-ridden season final yr, he nonetheless scored 22 targets within the league. In his 5 appearances within the Premier League towards the Crimson Devils, he has scored six targets and supplied three assists.
- Oscar Bobb: Oscar Bobb has been actually brilliant early within the season for Manchester Metropolis. He has reintroduced himself as a daily in Pep Guardiola’s aspect after sustaining a damaged leg early within the 2024/25 season.
Manchester United
- Bruno Fernandes: The Manchester United skipper is the heartbeat of the staff and the pioneer for creativity. He has 5 purpose contributions in his eleven appearances towards Manchester Metropolis within the league. He even supplied a sensational help to Kobbie Mainoo of their 2023/24 FA Cup last triumph towards Metropolis.
- Kobbie Mainoo: Kobbie Mainoo has been struggling to safe a foothold in Ruben Amorim’s aspect. Nevertheless, Cunha’s damage might introduce the 20-year-old into the midfield. There’s little or no doubt about his high quality, as he was Manchester United’s star in his debut season and even began within the Euro 2024 last for England.
- Matthijs de Ligt: Matthijs de Ligt has been strong defensively for Manchester United to this point this season. He must be on the very high of his sport to silence Man Metropolis’s Erling Haaland.
Additionally learn: Premier League 2025/26 Preview: Finest Transfers, Gamers to Watch & Who Will Elevate Trophy This Season?
What To Count on?
Manchester United head into the derby above Manchester Metropolis for the primary time in 5 years. Nevertheless, that is nonetheless not an indication of confidence for Ruben Amorim’s aspect. The sport might not stay as much as the degrees of high quality which are anticipated of a Manchester derby, as each side are struggling to search out type and are injury-ridden.
Manchester United might sit again and permit Pep Guardiola’s aspect to dominate a lot of the ball, and can look to launch fast counterattacks. Manchester United’s tempo going ahead from Mbeumo, Amad, and Dorgu may create probabilities. Sesko might want to step up and convert these probabilities. Manchester Metropolis may even look to use United’s leaky defence and will goal the shaky goalkeeper Bayindir.
Prediction
The 2 sides have each supplied somewhat uninspiring performances to this point this season. They each endure from no solidity defensively, conceding a lot of targets to this point this season. Underneath Ruben Amorim, United have produced good outcomes towards the standard huge six sides. The sport might end as a 1-1 or 2-2 draw.
Conclusion
As anticipation builds for one more chapter on this storied rivalry, Manchester Metropolis and Manchester United are set to gentle up the Premier League with a conflict that might have main implications for each side. These derbies lengthen previous the three factors as they battle it out for bragging rights as one of the best staff in Manchester.
Written by: Thillai Ritvik
