Man Utd vs Man City Preview: Team news, prediction and line-ups

January 17, 2026 • 0 • min read

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Man Utd vs Man City Preview: Team news, prediction and line-ups

Michael Carrick begins his interim spell as Manchester United manager with a Manchester derby against Manchester City at Old Trafford.

United appointed the former midfielder until the end of the season after Ruben Amorim was sacked last week, with Carrick edging out former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær for the role.

It will be Carrick's second spell in caretaker charge at Old Trafford, following a three-game run in late 2021, and he inherits a side currently seventh in the Premier League, three points off the top four.

City arrive in a difficult patch of league form, having drawn their past three Premier League matches to fall six points behind leaders Arsenal, although Pep Guardiola's side responded with a 10-1 FA Cup win over Exeter at the weekend.

What's at Stake?

United's season has lacked stability and their recent run of results contributed to Amorim's departure.

Darren Fletcher, United's under-18s head coach, oversaw a 2-2 draw at Burnley and an FA Cup defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion in his brief spell in charge.

Carrick's appointment is designed to bring calm and clarity for the final months of the campaign, though the scale of the task is immediately clear with the derby followed by a trip to Arsenal next weekend.

For City, there is pressure to reignite their title challenge after recent draws, with Guardiola's team needing wins quickly to prevent Arsenal pulling further clear.

Team News

Manchester United

Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined.

Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo could return after their Africa Cup of Nations campaigns ended with Cameroon and Ivory Coast respectively.

United are also without Noussair Mazraoui, who has been away with Morocco at AFCON.

Manchester City

Guardiola has major injury concerns at centre-back, with Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol and John Stones all ruled out long term.

Savinho and Oscar Bobb are also sidelined, though January signing Antoine Semenyo has added depth in wide areas and could make his Premier League debut after scoring in cup action.

Expected Line-Ups

Man Utd (4-2-3-1):
Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Martínez, Shaw; Casemiro, Ugarte; Dorgu, Fernandes, Cunha; Šeško.

Man City (4-1-4-1):
Donnarumma; Nunes, Ake, Khusanov, O'Reilly; Rodri; Silva, Cherki, Foden, Semenyo; Haaland.

Key Stats

United have failed to score in four of their past five Premier League home matches against City
City have won more Premier League away games at Old Trafford than any other visiting side (9)
Both sides come into the game on runs of three straight Premier League draws
Erling Haaland has been involved in 11 Premier League goals against United (8 goals, 3 assists)
Only Haaland and Igor Thiago have more Premier League goal involvements since November than United captain Bruno Fernandes

How the Match Could Be Won

Carrick is expected to keep a similar structure to Fletcher's recent approach, likely in a 4-2-3-1 shape.

United will want to stay compact, protect central areas and look to counter quickly through Fernandes and their forward runners.

City remain one of the most dangerous attacking sides in Europe and Guardiola's team will expect to dominate possession, though their injuries at centre-back may leave them less secure in transition.

United held City to a goalless draw in Amorim's only Old Trafford derby, and City's recent Premier League form suggests another tight contest is possible if United keep the game level deep into the second half.

Prediction

City have more control and greater firepower, but their league form has stuttered and their defensive absences create an opening for United.

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