Old Trafford prepares for a momentous 198th Manchester derby on Saturday as Michael Carrick begins his second stint as Manchester United manager with a huge tactical test.
He faces Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City immediately after taking over from caretaker coach Darren Fletcher. Carrick inherits a team sitting seventh in the Premier League table. They are currently just three points adrift of the crucial Champions League places.
City arrive in second place and trail leaders Arsenal by six points. Guardiola’s men are eager to avoid a fourth consecutive Premier League draw. They have been clinical in cups recently, thumping Exeter 10-1 and beating Newcastle. However, they face a Manchester United side buoyed by the return of key attacking reinforcements.
Manchester United vs Manchester City – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Saturday, 17 January 2026
- Kick-off: 12:30 GMT
- Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
- Referee: Anthony Taylor
- VAR: Craig Pawson
- Last Meeting: Manchester City 3–0 Manchester United, 14 September 2025, Premier League
Team News
Manchester United
Fortunately, Michael Carrick receives a major boost. Specifically, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo return from AFCON duty. Impressively, Mbeumo is the club’s top scorer with seven goals this term. Additionally, Harry Maguire returns to the squad after a recent absence. However, Matthijs de Ligt remains a major doubt with a back injury.
Elsewhere, teenage forward Shea Lacey serves a suspension. This follows his red card in the FA Cup. Meanwhile, Noussair Mazraoui remains at AFCON with Morocco. Finally, Carrick faces a tough midfield decision. He must choose between Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, and Mason Mount.
Manchester City
Unfortunately, the visitors navigate a significant injury crisis. In total, seven players could remain sidelined. Specifically, Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias are long-term absentees. They join Stones, Kovacic, Savinho, and Bobb on the treatment table. Furthermore, Omar Marmoush remains unavailable due to AFCON.
Consequently, academy graduate Max Alleyne may continue at centre-back. Remarkably, he has won 92% of his duels this season. In attack, new signing Antoine Semenyo pushes for a start. Impressively, he scored two goals in his first two games.
Form
Manchester United
Currently, the Red Devils enter this derby on three consecutive draws. Interestingly, they share this streak with their neighbours. Admittedly, United struggled for consistency at Old Trafford recently. Specifically, they won only one of their last six home matches. However, they take confidence from Michael Carrick’s history. Notably, he remained undefeated against top-tier opposition in 2021.
Manchester City
Similarly, Pep Guardiola’s side seeks to snap a run of three draws. Crucially, this slump left them six points behind Arsenal. However, the Citizens have been imperious in cup competitions. Recently, they recorded a massive 10-1 win over Exeter. Historically, City enjoy visiting Old Trafford. In fact, they hold the record with nine Premier League away wins here.
Predicted Lineups
Manchester United predicted XI: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko
Manchester City predicted XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Aké, O’Reilly; Rodri; Bernardo, Cherki, Foden, Semenyo; Haaland
How to watch Manchester United vs Manchester City?
In the UK, the match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 11:00 GMT. US fans can watch via NBC, USA Network, and Peacock.
Read more- 10 defining moments in the Manchester Derby rivalry
See Also- Manchester City advance on second January signing