The eyes of the football world turn to Old Trafford today, Saturday, January 17, 2026, for the 198th Manchester Derby. This is no ordinary clash; it marks the official debut of Michael Carrick as Manchester United’s interim manager following the mid-season departure of Ruben Amorim.

The stakes couldn't be more contrasting. Manchester City arrives in 2nd place with 43 points, desperately hunting league leaders Arsenal to close a six-point gap. Meanwhile, Manchester United sits in 7th with 32 points, knowing a victory could catapult them back into the heated race for the Champions League spots. With City looking to complete the domestic double after a 3-0 rout in September, and United seeking a "bounce-back" under a club legend, the atmosphere in Stretford is electric.

 Form Guide: The Pursuit of Perfection vs. The Search for Stability

Manchester City (W-W-D-D-D): Pep Guardiola’s side has been uncharacteristically "stuck in second gear" in the league, coming off three consecutive draws against the likes of Brighton and Fulham. However, they found their scoring boots in the cups this week, including a 10-1 demolition of Exeter and a vital 2-0 Carabao Cup win at Newcastle. Despite the draws, they remain the league’s most potent attack with 45 goals scored.

Manchester United (D-D-D-W-L): United’s season has been defined by the "draw trap." They have drawn their last three Premier League matches, including a frustrating 2-2 at Burnley. The sacking of Amorim has left the squad in a state of flux, but the interim tenure of Darren Fletcher provided some stability before handing the reins to Carrick. Remarkably, United remains dangerous at home, where they have lost only twice this season, often turning derbies into chaotic, high-scoring affairs.

Tactical Breakdown & Team News

Carrick’s "No-Frills" 4-2-3-1: Michael Carrick is expected to scrap Amorim's 3-4-3 system in favor of a more traditional 4-2-3-1. The big news is the return of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo from AFCON, providing much-needed width. Bruno Fernandes will pull the strings from the #10 role, while Harry Maguire is likely to partner Lisandro Martínez to provide the physicality needed to handle Erling Haaland, especially with Matthijs de Ligt sidelined.

City’s Defensive Crisis: Pep Guardiola is facing a "bare bones" selection at the back. Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Josko Gvardiol are all out long-term. This leaves Nathan Aké to lead a makeshift defense alongside youngster Abdukodir Khusanov. City’s strategy will be to dominate the "midfield rhythm" with Rodri (who was rested midweek) and Phil Foden, pinning United’s full-backs deep and creating repeatable cut-back chances for Haaland.

Coach Pre-Match Conference Snapshot

Michael Carrick (Manchester United): "I’m buzzing to get started. I want us to play an exciting, positive type of football that gets the fans off their seats. Results need to come, but first, we need to express ourselves and bring back that Manchester United verve. Old Trafford will be bouncing, and we have to feed off that."

Pep Guardiola (Manchester City): "Michael is the sixth United manager I have faced. The secret to staying here? Results. If you don't win, you are sacked. We have struggled for consistency in the league lately, but the derby is different. We have to be perfect because United, especially with a new manager, will be incredibly dangerous on the break."


Key Players & Prediction

  • Manchester United: Bruno Fernandes. The captain leads the league with 8 assists. His ability to find the "release pass" early to Mbeumo or Sesko will be the key to exploiting City's patched-up defense.

  • Manchester City: Erling Haaland. Despite a "quiet" run of only one goal in his last six, Haaland remains the ultimate threat. He already has 20 league goals this season and scored twice in the reverse fixture.


Predictions

Draw 2-2. The  "new manager bounce" for united at home, combined with City's defensive injuries and their recent trend of draws, suggest a high scoring dramatic match