The first Manchester derby of the 2026-27 Premier League season takes place on Sunday, September 13 at Old Trafford, as Manchester United host their cross-town rivals. The match is scheduled for a 4:30 pm local start (15:30 GMT), with pre-match coverage beginning on Al Jazeera Sport from 1:30 pm (12:30 GMT).
Manchester City arrive at the fixture riding a wave of momentum under new manager Enzo Maresca. Succeeding Pep Guardiola this summer, Maresca faces his first major test against United. City have started the season impressively, sitting top of the Premier League standings with nine points from four games. Their only blemish came in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, but they have since won all four competitive matches across all tournaments.
Key to City’s success has been Erling Haaland, who has netted five goals in four appearances. The Norwegian striker recently remarked on his hunger for more records, noting his tally makes him the club’s third-highest goalscorer of all time with 167 goals. City’s recent victories include a late 2-1 home win over Bournemouth, a dominant 4-1 away triumph against Crystal Palace, a 1-0 win over Coventry City, and a 2-0 Champions League victory over Porto.
In contrast, Manchester United have endured a turbulent start to the campaign. Managed by Michael Carrick, United sit 11th in the league table with four points from three games. Their season began with a shock 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Hull City, followed by a resounding 5-2 win over Ipswich Town, where captain Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick. The team later drew 2-2 at Everton before returning to Champions League action with a comfortable 4-0 league phase win against Sabah.
Looking back at their recent history, United defeated City 2-0 in the January derby last season thanks to second-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu. That fixture marked Carrick’s first game in charge of the Reds. Conversely, City claimed a 3-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium on September 14, 2025, with Haaland scoring twice and Phil Foden adding another.
Opta’s supercomputer predicts a tight contest, giving Manchester City a slight edge with a 44.2 percent probability of victory compared to United’s 31.6 percent, while a draw is assessed at 24.2 percent. Historically, Sunday’s clash will be the 199th Manchester derby. United hold the overall advantage with 81 wins to City’s 62, with 55 games ending in draws.
Injury news adds complexity to the team selections. United are without new signing Carlos Baleba and winger Amad Diallo until mid-September due to ankle and muscle issues, respectively. However, Carrick receives a boost from Benjamin Sesko, who has returned to form with off-the-bench goals in his last two matches.
City also face selection dilemmas, with winger Jeremy Doku out through a calf injury, though full-back Nico O’Reilly is fit following a back problem. New signings Enzo Fernandez, Elliott Anderson, and Ayyoub Bouaddi are expected to line up together in midfield for the first time.
Predicted lineups:
Manchester United: Senne Lammens; Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw; Kobbie Mainoo, Youri Tielemans; Bryan Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes, Patrick Dorgu; Matheus Cunha
Manchester City: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Abdukodir Khusanov, Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi, Josko Gvardiol; Elliot Anderson; Antoine Semenyo, Enzo Fernandez, Rayan Cherki, Iliman Ndiaye; Erling Haaland
Viewers in the United Kingdom can follow the action on Sky Sports. In the Middle East and North Africa, beIN Sports will broadcast the game, while SuperSport holds the rights in South Africa. In the United States, Telemundo and Peacock are the designated broadcasters, and Indian viewers can watch via Star Sports and JioHotstar.
City missing Doku is a huge blow for width. Can Cherki and Ndiaye create enough chances without him against United’s defense?
Wait, Carrick managed United to a 2-0 win over City in January? I missed that completely. Seems like a different side already.
Haaland with 167 goals already? City’s attack is terrifying under Maresca. United need Sesko to step up if they want a chance.