Prediction: Manchester United vs Manchester City

23rd October 2011

Derby games between the Manchester rivals are always something special, but seeing that United and City currently hold top two positions in the Premiership standings, this clash could easily be one of the most exciting in history. Both sides are unbeaten after eight rounds, but I just can’t see this game ending all squared.

Boosted by the quick integration of new players into the side, Manchester United enjoyed a bright start to the season, with the 3:2 Community Shield victory over City certainly another reason behind the string of very good performances at the start of the Premiership campaign. United went on to win first five league games, but have since suffered a big dip in form that saw them lose some precious points. Back to back draws against Stoke and Basel, as well as unconvincing showings in the clashes against Norwich, Liverpool and Otelul clearly show that United are not on top of their game at the moment, which is something that their rivals will be looking to exploit. Sir Alex Ferguson may be the one to blame for this dip in form, as his rotation policy seems to have disrupted the momentum the team had gained in the opening exchanges, while numerous injuries also played a part. Injury situation is definitely improving as both Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are fit to play, although they do look a bit rusty following the lengthy spell on the sidelines. Tom Cleverley and Rafael remain the only absentees.

It’s been a while since Manchester City were able to look down on their bitter rivals, so everybody at the club is certainly relishing the prospect of entering the derby from the Premiership summit. While City’s showings last season left a lot to be desired, Roberto Mancini’s side are winning games with unbelievable ease both home and away, and they definitely look like serious title contenders at the moment. Following the four-goal wins over Blackburn and Aston Villa, City showed a real character to record an important Champions League victory over Villarreal after coming from a goal behind, and that result will undoubtedly hand the Citizens an extra boost before what is already dubbed the game of the season. Having only failed to score in one game this season, the Citizens are coming to Old Trafford looking to continue their impressive scoring run, and with Balotelli, Aguero and Dzeko all scoring goals for fun this season, Roberto Mancini simply cannot go wrong with his choice of strikers.

Conclusion

There is every chance that we will see a fiery game at Old Trafford, probably very similar to the one that served as a curtain raiser in England. Both sides are expected to push forward throughout the game, so we could easily see goals galore in this one. Therefore, my advice is to bet on both teams to score.

Verdict: Both teams to score

Best Odds: 3/4

Bookmaker: 888Sport