Man United vs. Man City: Expert delivers bold prediction ahead of “absolutely huge” Manchester derby

The 198th instalment of the Manchester derby is of “absolutely huge” importance to both Manchester United and Manchester City, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.

Heading into Saturday lunchtime’s intriguing Premier League showdown at Old Trafford, both sides will feel an element of pressure to secure maximum points, with more at stake than just bragging rights.

Led by new interim head coach Michael Carrick for the first time since his appointment earlier this week, Man United are seeking to end a run of three successive league draws, as well as bounce back from a 2-1 FA Cup third-round defeat at home to Brighton last time out.

The Red Devils have only won one of their last six Premier League matches and have subsequently slipped to seventh in the table, but they are only three points behind Liverpool in fourth spot and Champions League qualification remains firmly in their sights with 17 games still left to play.

As for Man City, they travel to the red side of Manchester on the back of claiming two domestic cup victories, with a 10-1 annihilation of Exeter City in the FA Cup followed by a 2-0 first-leg success at Newcastle in the EFL Cup semi-finals on Tuesday.

However, Pep Guardiola’s side were previously held to three frustrating Premier League draws in a row, allowing leaders and title rivals Arsenal to generate a six-point gap between themselves at the summit and the second-placed Citizens, who are now playing catch-up in their pursuit of top spot.

“You can't ignore the impact of a derby”

McInerney expects a fired-up Old Trafford crowd to provide a “boost” for Man United with former captain Carrick now at the helm, but he is hopeful that a “much better” Man City outfit will rise to the occasion.

“[The importance of this derby is] absolutely huge. I actually think it being away at Old Trafford might be a good thing (for Man City),” McInerney told Sports Mole.

“I think there's an air of, ‘right sort things out and prove ourselves’. I think [playing] away at Old Trafford will probably sharpen the senses a little bit more, because they'll be aware of the noise at the occasion.

“[With Carrick now in charge] there's going to be that former legend boost, absolutely. United fans are going to be all for it. United have not won since beating Newcastle just after Christmas day, they're in really poor form, so they'll be looking to make a mark as well.

“City are a much better side than United, they obviously are, but you can't ignore the impact of a derby. City have been wasteful and they could be wasteful yet again.

“I'm hoping the fact that [Phil] Foden and [Erling] Haaland are always so good against United, and they should be reasonably up for this, that should make a difference. I'm hoping that Rodri and Bernardo Silva can play in this game as well. There's too much quality there for United right now, because their midfield is all over the place.

Will Man Utd ‘scrape a win’ or will Man City ‘win comfortably’?

“I'm hoping that people like [Abdukodir] Khusanov can lock down [United’s attackers including Benjamin Sesko]. City should have enough to beat United, but the occasion is going to be an interesting one.”

McInerney added: “As much as [United] are a bit of a shambles, they're not having a horrific side. They've done okay in the Premier League this season, not by United standards of decades gone, but they're not 15th this season, a little bit better than that, and they've got some decent players.

“I think City will take it seriously and I think City will play well in this game. I've got a feeling that they're going to be really up for it.”

McInerney cannot envisage a draw being played out this weekend and believes that either Man United will ‘scrape a win’ or Man City will ‘win comfortably’ at Old Trafford.

“I think if City win this, it could actually be reasonably comfortable,” he said. “It could be a 4-0 or 4-1 or something. I can see United scoring in this game, but if City win, I don't think it's going to be close. I think it's going to be comfortable.

“I can see a frustrating day for United around the boos at full time, that kind of game. Having said that, I don't think there’s going to be a middle ground. I don't think it's going to be a draw.

“United are either going to win, they’re going to scrape it, or City are going to win comfortably. I think City will win 3-1. I think City will have too much quality.”

‘Cherki’s going to be the guy... he’ll love it at Old Trafford’

Meanwhile, McInerney would like to see Man City playmaker Rayan Cherki play against Man United, as he believes that the in-form Frenchman will “love it at Old Trafford”.

Cherki has contributed with six goals and nine assists in 24 appearances for the Citizens since joining from Lyon for £34m in the summer, most recently coming on as a substitute to score an important second goal in City’s aforementioned 2-0 EFL Cup win at Newcastle in midweek.

“I want to see Cherki play in this one,” said McInerney. “I've got a feeling he'll love Old Trafford. I think Cherki’s going to be the guy, [a] big game player. I think Cherki will love it at Old Trafford.

“I think he'll light up that stadium and probably make [Patrick] Dorgu or [Diogo] Dalot, or whoever, look pretty stupid.”

McInerney has also picked out five other Man City stars that he would like to see feature for Guardiola’s side, while also naming which Man United players he believes have the potential to cause the Citizens problems.

> Click this link to view and listen to the full discussion