Manchester United vs Manchester City Prediction & Preview - 1/17/2026
Updated January 16, 2026
Updated January 16, 2026
The center of the Premier League universe this weekend is Manchester, as Manchester United host Manchester City in the Manchester Derby on Saturday at Old Trafford. This clash features a resurgent City side that sits second in the table and is unbeaten across all competitions in 13 matches, while United look to rediscover its form amid a managerial change. The derby always carries an intensity unmatched in the English top flight, and this edition promises nothing less. Continue reading to get my Manchester United vs Manchester City prediction for Saturday.
Pick: | Manchester City to Win ATS PRO |
Confidence: | 4/5 |
Saturday’s Manchester Derby at Old Trafford pits a Manchester United side in transition against a Manchester City team with title ambitions. United hired Michael Carrick as interim manager following a recent managerial departure for Ruben Amorim, and he will oversee his first derby in this game. United’s recent league form has been inconsistent, with just one win in their last six Premier League outings, including several draws that have cost them dearly in the table. They also exited the FA Cup with a loss to Brighton in their last outing, underlining the need for change.
Manchester City come into this match second in the Premier League table, trailing leaders Arsenal by six points. Their recent domestic cup performances underline the depth and quality within their squad, as they outscored Newcastle and Exeter by a combined 12-1 in FA Cup and Carabao Cup action this past week. Despite drawing their last three Premier League matches, City still possesses significant attacking firepower and tactical discipline under Pep Guardiola’s guidance. This derby provides a chance for City to make up ground in the title race while maintaining their unbeaten status of late.
United have struggled to find the net at home in recent Manchester Derby matches, failing to score in four of their last five league meetings with their rivals at Old Trafford. This trend speaks to the challenge facing United’s attack as they look to turn their season around here.
City's attack appears to have a new star in Antoine Semenyo. The Bournemoth transfer has scored in each of his first two matches in sky blue, including City's 10-1 thrashing of Exeter (which I happened to be in the Etihad for). City has also signed Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace to round out a busy winter transfer window, which they hope will yield more silverware at the end of this season.
Expect City to control large portions of possession, dictate the terms of the game, and create the better chances throughout the match. United will likely adopt a cautious approach, defending deep and looking to counter, especially with creative players returning from international duty. However, United’s defensive inconsistencies and City’s ability to score in bunches make the visitors the most logical pick.
I'm going to take Manchester City to get the win at Old Trafford, proving once again that Manchester is blue and that United still have a lot of work to do if they want to turn this into even a respectable Premier League campaign.
Score Projection: Manchester United 1 – Manchester City 2 ATS PRO
Win Probability: Manchester United 26%, Manchester City 51%, Draw 23% ATS PRO
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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