It is not just in your mind that Manchester United has been bad against Manchester City lately. The cold, hard numbers back up that assertion. Since the Premier League started, back in 1992, City has the highest win percentage, of any club against United (35.3%).
Chelsea and Arsenal match City with 18 total wins against the Red Devils across that span, but both have a winning percentage that is 5+% worse.
Manchester Derby FYIs
Kickoff: Jan 14, 12:30pm, Old Trafford
Starting XI Predictions: United City
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Google Result Probability: United 22% City 54% Draw 24%
Table Position: United 4th, 35 pts City 2nd, 39 pts
PL Form Guide: United WWWWL City WDWLW
In the first Manchester derby this season, City trounced their neighbors in a 6-3 laugher. With nine total goals, it was the highest scoring Manchester derby in history. That doesn’t really tell the whole story though, as City were up 4-0 at half, and 6-1 very late in the match.
And now City Manager Pep Guardiola says he something ridiculous, tactics wise, planned for the derby. Does he really need it?
Let’s take a look at the line-up Ten Hag might go with, as he tries to turn the tide. Marcus Rashford has certainly been en fuego lately, and look for him to lead the line and try to keep his scoring streak going.
I would say that Rashford is undroppable (ok that is not an actual word, sorry), but we just saw last week that no one is undroppable, even Rashford. This side has won eight in a row across all competitions. Clearly, jettisoning Ronaldo was addition by subtraction.
Manchester United Starting XI Prediction vs Manchester City
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Malacia; Fernandes, Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Martial, Rashford
Prediction: United 1, City 1
No United manager, since the disaster that was David Moyes, has lost his first two matches against City. Conversely, Pep has never beaten the same United manager twice in the same season.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.