MANCHESTER DERBY PREDICTIONS: Manchester City host Manchester United in Premier League on Sunday afternoon, and we asked our team how they see the game going
With just one win each from their three league games, an embarrassing cup exit and questions over the make-up of their sides to contend with already this season, Manchester City and Manchester United meet today in a derby with a lot on the line, even if it is only September.
Pep Guardiola's City come into the Etihad Stadium meeting off the back to two successive defeats to Tottenham and Brighton, while Ruben Amorim's Red Devils needed a last-gasp penalty to beat Burnley in their last outing.
Confidence might not be too high heading into the clash then, but how confident are our team about their predictions? Here's what they've had to say:
Nathan Ridley
No matter how bad they are, you can never write United off at the Etihad. I can certainly see them getting a goal but I think City's attack will be too strong for a defence who struggled to defend at home to Burnley.
Erling Haaland is fresh off scoring five for Norway - and it could've been more had he taken the penalty that he won. Injuries to Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha are also blows for Ruben Amorim, as he might actually have to start his £73.7million striker, Benjamin Sesko.
City have three difficult games over the course of the next eight days but I reckon they'll start off strong with a comfortable win. For Amorim, the pressure will be piled back on. Prediction: Man City 3 Man Utd 1
Mark Jones
Remember that goalless derby draw at Old Trafford in April? It won't be as bad as that because nothing really can be ever again, but after two defeats from three games Pep Guardiola will crave control in this one, and that might make it a tough watch.
If Liverpool win at Burnley earlier on Sunday then City would be going into the game nine points off the top already, and they really can't afford to let that gap get any bigger regardless of how early in the season it is.
Ruben Amorim got a smash and grab win at the Etihad last season in one of his first big results at the helm, and he might try and adopt a similar approach and hope that City run out of legs as they did alarmingly at Brighton last time out.
The thing is though, have United got the firepower to take advantage of any City slackness? Without Matheus Cunha I can't really see it, so I'll go for Guardiola's boys to cling on to the three points. Prediction: Man City 1 Man Utd 0
Felix Keith
Manchester City have lost their last two Premier League games, but I think they might run riot against United on Sunday. Erling Haaland has looked as sharp as ever and plundered five for Norway on Tuesday. He'll be up against Altay Bayindir and a United defence that was troubled by Grimsby not long ago.
United's balance (or lack of it) in midfield, with Casemiro still possessing plenty the nous that made him one of the best defensive midfielders in the business, but crucially none of the mobility, and Bruno Fernandes, who is at his best as a No.10, is a staggeringly obvious issue that Ruben Amorim continues to ignore.
If Tijjani Reijnders rampages into the box, like he did on debut against Wolves last month, then City can blow United away. Prediction: Man City 3 Man Utd 1
Ben Husband
If United were fully fit, I’d still probably back City to win relatively comfortably. So with no Lisandro Martinez, Matheus Cunha, Mason Mount and Diogo Dalot the equation becomes even simpler.
I’ve been burned by United in these predictions time after time, but I’m still going against them. There’s an argument to be made that Altay Bayindir wouldn’t start for any other Premier League team, so the fact he is for United is pretty damning - and could prove the decisive factor.
United under Amorim have produced their best performances when they are allowed to sit in, soak up pressure and break at pace.
Cunha is a brutal miss in that respect, with his ability to travel with the ball from deep and create for those around him.
City have hardly set the world alight either. But I fancy them to settle into one of their long winning runs fairly soon. I'm not anticipating it to be particularly pleasing on the eye for the neutral, but City should have enough quality. Prediction: Man City 2 Man Utd 0
Tommy Wathen
It's been a while since United went into a Manchester derby ahead of City in the Premier League table - even if we are only three games into the new season. Ruben Amorim's side earned a late win over Burnley before the international break, while Pep Guardiola watched on as Man City fell to back-to-back Premier League defeats against Tottenham and Brighton. Despite that, I'm still putting Man City as the favourites to pick up three points at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
They say that form is temporary and class is permanent. Although Man City's form has been underwhelming for a long time compared to what we're all now used to, the quality they possess is certainly still there. Plus, Man Utd's start to the season is hardly something to get too excited about. Sesko is struggling, Cunha is injured and Amorim has endless goalkeeper issues that are never fixed.
Late win or not, Man Utd celebrating a last-minute win against Burnley like they won the Champions League speaks volumes about where they are at as a club. Prediction: Man City 3 Man Utd 1