The 197th Manchester derby takes place at the Etihad on Sunday, with both City and United arriving under pressure after shaky starts to the season.
Pep Guardiola’s side sit in unfamiliar territory, down in 13th after defeats to Tottenham and Brighton. It is his worst-ever start to a league campaign, and history shows how rare it is for teams to recover from such an early slump.
City fans will be desperate for a response, and as always, much will depend on Erling Haaland. The Norwegian warmed up in style with five goals for his country and will be expected to carry that form into the derby.
New signing Gianluigi Donnarumma could also make his Premier League debut, adding extra intrigue.
United, meanwhile, continue to frustrate. A last-gasp penalty saw them scrape past Burnley, but questions remain over Ruben Amorim’s side.
They have struggled to turn possession into goals, relying heavily on opposition mistakes in front of goal. Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir keeps his place despite recent criticism, with new signing Senne Lammens likely to be on the bench.
Derbies rarely follow the script, but with City seeking to avoid a third defeat in four games and United eager to spoil the party again, this clash has all the ingredients for another fiery chapter in Manchester’s rivalry.
ALSO READ: Man Utd receives huge boost ahead of Manchester Derby
When is Manchester derby: Premier League 2025/26?
Manchester United will travel to the Etihad for their fourth matchday in the Premier League against Manchester City this season on September 14, at 4:30 p.m. (local time).
Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories:
Region | Kick-off Date | Kick-off Time |
USA | Sunday, September 14 | 11:30 a.m. (ET) |
UK | Sunday, September 14 | 4:30 p.m. (BST) |
India | Sunday, September 14 | 9:00 p.m. (IST) |
ALSO READ: What Garnacho did in Chelsea training after Man Utd exit
Manchester City vs. Manchester United: Premier League live stream, TV channel
Here are all the details about where you can watch Manchester City vs. Manchester United in major regions across the world:
Region | TV Channels | Streaming Platforms |
---|---|---|
USA | Peacock | – |
UK (England) | Sky Sports Premier League | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Go |
India | Star Sports Select HD1, Star Sports Select 1 | Disney+ Hotstar |
If you can’t watch the Manchester City vs. Manchester United Premier League gameweek 4 live in your area or if you’re travelling, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs provide a secure and private internet connection, letting you bypass geographic restrictions so you can access your favourite streaming services from any device, anywhere in the world.
Watch from Anywhere: Sign up for NordVPN. NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Manchester City vs. Manchester United: Predicted lineup and team news
Pep Guardiola faces major selection problems ahead of the derby, with injuries piling up across his squad.
Defensive options are stretched, as Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov, John Stones, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rico Lewis are all sidelined.
In attack, Omar Marmoush is ruled out after picking up a knock on international duty, while Savinho and Rayan Cherki are also unavailable.
That leaves Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb and Jeremy Doku as the main wide options. Midfield is in better shape, boosted by Rodri’s return, though Mateo Kovacic remains out with an Achilles issue.
Man City predicted XI (Formation: 4-3-3): Donnarumma — Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Ake, O’Reilly — Bernardo, Rodri, Reijnders — Bobb, Haaland, Doku.
United also come into the derby with key players missing. Matheus Cunha, Diogo Dalot and Mason Mount are all ruled out, forcing Ruben Amorim to shuffle his side once again.
Benjamin Sesko could be handed his first Premier League start after featuring heavily for Slovenia over the break.
In goal, new signing Senne Lammens is still waiting for his debut, with Amorim confirming Altay Bayindir will continue as number one following Andre Onana’s loan exit.
Man Utd predicted XI (Formation: 3-4-3): Bayindir — Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw — Mazraoui, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu — Mbeumo, Sesko, Amad.
ALSO READ: Two Man Utd veterans face uncertain futures amid transfer plans
Manchester City vs. Manchester United: Prediction
Manchester derbies rarely follow the script, and this one could be no different. City have struggled for rhythm, losing back-to-back games, while United remain unpredictable but tend to raise their level at the Etihad.
Despite United’s poor away run, their history of upsetting City on their own turf cannot be ignored. With both sides missing key players, it feels set for a tight battle, and a score draw may be the most likely outcome.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-2 Manchester United.