Man Utd v Man City: Premier League predictions, free betting tips & TV details

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Manchester United v Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Riyad Mahrez first scorer
1pt 13-2 Betfair, Power

Team news

Manchester Utd
Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial (muscle strains) are doubts and Phil Jones (knee) is a long-term absentee.

Manchester City
Ilkay Gundogan (ankle) is a doubt and Eric Garcia (muscle injury) is set to miss out.

Match preview

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has returned to the top of the Premier League sack-race market after Manchester United's midweek Champions League exit and his side are unlikely to find any home comforts when hosting arch-rivals Manchester City at an empty Old Trafford.

United have already lost three of their five home league games this season, winning just once, and City's superior firepower is likely to decide the derby.

Pep Guardiola responded with a firm 'no' when asked if Sergio Aguero would start this weekend's Manchester derby but he will have plenty of potential match-winners in the side including Riyad Mahrez, who looks a decent price to score the opening goal.

Aguero made a successful return from his latest injury by coming off the bench to score in City's 3-0 victory at home to Marseille on Wednesday.

However, injuries have restricted him to just two Premier League appearances this season and he looks set to start on the bench this weekend as Guardiola is anxious to manage the 32-year-old's workload in preparation for a hectic period of the season.

City's Champions League quest is on the back burner until February but there is no let up on the schedule with Guardiola's men facing five Premier League games and an EFL Cup quarter-final away to Arsenal before the end of the year.

And City cannot afford many slip-ups as they seek to repair the damage caused by an uncertain start to the campaign.

The contest at United is just their second trip of the season to a fellow big six side and the previous one – a 2-0 loss at Tottenham – did not go to plan.

City's defeat at White Hart Lane was their fourth consecutive league defeat away to a big six opponent and had similarities to their 2-0 loss at Old Trafford in March this year when they had 72 per cent possession but failed to carve out enough clear cut chances.

United also triumphed 2-1 at the Etihad last December where they had 28 per cent possession but won the shots-on-target count seven to five.

The Red Devils' counter-attacking approach seems to work well against City but they may struggle on this occasion due to injuries to key men – Anthony Martial and Edinson Cavani are both doubts – and a general lack of confidence after the bitter blow of Tuesday's 3-2 loss away to RB Leipzig.

Elimination from the Champions League has raised fresh doubts over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who looks as far away from restoring United to the pinnacle of English football as he was when taking the job, initially as caretaker-manager, in December 2018.

The Norwegian was also under pressure going into December last year when United were sitting ninth, before back-to-back victories at home to Tottenham and at City.

However, United have been less effective against the big teams this season - losing 6-1 to Tottenham, drawing with Chelsea and losing to Arsenal – and they may struggle to change the dynamic.

City are playing the better football and possess high-quality attacking players, including Mahrez, who looks decent value to add to his four-goal tally.

Key stat

Manchester City have lost one of their last 15 matches.

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