Manchester United vs Manchester City: Form Guide (Premier League)

Saturday’s early kick-off looks to be the weekend’s biggest game, with the Manchester derby crucial for both teams in terms of their league positions, but also their confidence moving forward.

Manchester United have the opportunity to move into third with a win over their sky-blue neighbours, with Newcastle not playing until Sunday afternoon against a Fulham side who are in good form themselves. In addition to this, a win would take United within a point of Manchester City and second place in the league.

Manchester City themselves have their fair share of motivation for a win, as they look to stay within touch of league leaders Arsenal in the title race. Arsenal sit in the top spot currently, five points clear of City.

Manchester United – W, W, W, W, W

Manchester United go into this match looking to extend their eight-match winning streak in all competitions, having overcome Charlton in midweek to book themselves a place in the EFL Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forrest.

Read More: Can Dean Henderson play for Nottingham Forest against Manchester United in semi-final?

Across these seven games, United have scored 21 goals, averaging 2.62 goals per game, whilst only conceding four times. The last goal the Reds conceded in the premier league came in their 2-1 win over Fulham during the World Cup, having kept a clean sheet in each of their Premier League matches since the restart of league football.

Marcus Rashord‘s resurgence this season has been crucial to United’s performance, especially since his return from the World Cup, with the striker currently at the top of goal standings, post-World Cup in Europe’s top five leagues. The 25-year-old will be hoping to continue his run of six consecutive scoring games against United’s local rivals.

Manchester City – L, W, W, D, W

Manchester City’s dominance over the Premier League in the past decade is not truly reflected in their recent form, with their midweek loss to Southampton in the EFL Cup quarter-finals coming as the round’s biggest shock.

Prior to their loss to Southampton, City had beaten Leeds United and drawn with strugglers Everton, before dispatching Chelsea two matches in a row in the Premier League and FA Cup respectively.

Speaking after his side’s loss in the EFL Cup, Pep Guardiola said, “If we perform in this way, we don’t have a chance.”

Reds fans will certainly be hoping that this warrants some truth and City fail to turn up to Old Trafford, with United looking to avenge their 6-3 loss to City earlier in the season.

The Manchester derby kicks off at 12:30 GMT on Saturday 14th of January at Old Trafford.