2025/26 Premier League MW22 Man Utd vs. Man City Preview: Can the Red Devils' halt the Citizens' title push? January 15, 2026 by Marc Jerbs

The Manchester derby returns to Old Trafford on Saturday, January 17, with kickoff set for 12:30 PM GMT as Matchweek 22 of the 2025/26 Premier League season takes center stage. Manchester United, now under the interim guidance of Michael Carrick, welcome cross-town rivals Manchester City, who arrive knowing a win would cut Arsenal's lead at the top of the table and intensify the title race.

Team Overviews and Current Form

Manchester United - begin a new chapter as Michael Carrick takes charge on an interim basis, marking his second spell in the dugout after a brief three-match stint in late 2021. Change has been a theme at Old Trafford, highlighted by André Onana's loan departure and the promotion of Senne as the club's new first-choice goalkeeper.

Currently seventh in the league, United are searching for momentum after three straight draws and are aiming to secure their first league victory since Ruben Amorim's dismissal earlier this month. With just six points separating them from 15th-placed Bournemouth, consistency is critical.

Bruno Fernandes remains the creative heartbeat, contributing to 10 Premier League goals since November (three goals, seven assists) and leading the division in chances created from line-breaking passes. Bryan Mbeumo's return from AFCON adds pace and directness to the attack, though United will be keen to respond after a 3–0 defeat in the reverse fixture earlier this season.

Manchester City - enter the derby firmly in the title hunt, sitting six points behind leaders Arsenal. A victory at Old Trafford would immediately apply pressure at the summit. However, City's campaign has been uneven, with early-season defeats and dropped points proving costly.

Injuries have compounded their challenges, with Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki, Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, and John Stones all sidelined. Despite that, City's attacking quality remains formidable.

Erling Haaland continues to torment United, having been directly involved in 11 Premier League goals against them, while Phil Foden has netted seven league goals in the derby, including one at Old Trafford. January signing Antoine Semenyo has also made an instant impact, scoring in both of his appearances since arriving from Bournemouth. City, like United, come into this match after three consecutive league draws.

Manchester United vs. Manchester City Sports Bet Odds

The Citizens are the favorites to win the game. Here are our latest odds:

The Citizens are favored by a goal, with full-time result odds of 1.95.
The Red Devils are the underdogs by a goal, with full-time result odds of 3.60.
Draw has full-time result odds of 3.80.
Total is set at 2.5 goals, with Under odds at 2.62 and Over odds at 1.50.

Head-to-Head and Key Statistics

This will be the 198th Manchester derby, with recent meetings rarely lacking drama. The sides have not drawn any of their last 12 encounters in all competitions. Manchester City boast nine Premier League away wins at Old Trafford, more than any other visiting club, and only Liverpool have scored more league goals there than City.

United have struggled at home in this fixture, failing to score in four of their last five league matches against City at Old Trafford. Overall, City hold a narrow edge in recent league meetings, including their dominant 3–0 win at the Etihad earlier this season.

Final Thought

With both teams desperate to turn draws into decisive wins, this derby feels finely balanced despite City's superior depth and recent dominance. United will look to harness the energy of a managerial reset and home support, while City know anything less than three points could hand Arsenal a psychological edge. As ever in the Manchester derby, form may matter—but nerve and moments of brilliance could matter even more.

2025/26 Premier League Table

#	CLUB	PLAYED	W	D	L
1	Arsenal	15	4	2	49
2	Manchester City	13	4	4	43
3	Aston Villa	13	4	4	43
4	Liverpool	10	5	6	35
5	Brentford	10	3	8	33
6	Newcastle United	9	5	7	32
7	Manchester United	8	8	5	32
8	Chelsea	8	7	6	31
9	Fulham	9	4	8	31
10	Sunderland	7	9	5	30
11	Brighton & Hove Albion	7	8	6	29
12	Everton	8	5	8	29
13	Crystal Palace	7	7	7	28
14	Tottenham Hotspur	7	6	8	27
15	Bournemouth	6	8	7	26
16	Leeds United	5	7	9	22
17	Nottingham Forest	6	3	12	21
18	West Ham United	3	5	13	14
19	Burnley	3	4	14	13
20	Wolves	1	4	16	7