Written by Ciaran Coyle
Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United
Manchester City will be looking to all but secure their fifth Premier League title with a win over neighbours Manchester United, who will be looking to cause an upset and end City’s 21-game winning streak as the two sides face off at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola’s men currently sit 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League table and in a very similar position to where they found themselves in the 2017/18 campaign where they ended up running away with the league to claim their third title, with a considerable gap to United in second place.
Whilst the odds are heavily stacked against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side going into the game, he can look towards his impressive form away from home this season as a good omen going into the derby, with his side’s last defeat on the road coming against Liverpool in January 2020.
However, United fans will be concerned about their club’s recent form which has seen the Red Devils draw three games on the bounce without scoring. The last Premier League side to produce four 0-0’s in a row was Tottenham Hotspur back in 2001.
If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was to win on Sunday afternoon, he would become the first United manger to win each of his first away meetings in all competitions with City. Scoring against City in itself has been no mean feat this season, the Citizens haven’t trailed for a single minute in any of their last 19 Premier League games this season.
Team News
Pep Guardiola is able to boast a fully-fit squad ahead of the derby, with defender Nathan Ake being back in contention following a muscular problem.
Solskjaer has confirmed that David De Gea will miss this game and likely the next few fixtures, with Dean Henderson being the favourite to take his spot. Edinson Cavani may also be out of their trip to the Etihad as the Uruguayan wasn’t spotted at the Lowry hotel where the players meet the night before a game.
Sub-edited by Cameron Winstanley
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